Make your own Sports Headband Tutorial

If you have a daughter who plays on sports teams or if you like to work out and you wear the "sports style" headbands with a ponytail - this tutorial is for you!  Don't want to pay $8-$18 for a headband?  Make one yourself for cheap!

You need:

• A sewing machine (or patience and good eyesight for hand sewing)
• 7/8" wide grosgrain ribbon of your choice (background color) ($1.97 or less - look for coupons)
• 5/8" wide grosgrain ribbon of your choice (top color) ($1.97 or less)
• 3/8" wide grosgrain ribbon that matches either of the two previous colors ($1.97 or less)
• 7/8" wide velvet ribbon (this is the hardest to find - check Hobby Lobby for $1.99 spools of 6 ft of ribbon that are often half price or check other fabric stores in the "by the yard" ribbon - black or brown work well, white is good for lighter colors)
• Fabric glue ($4 or so a bottle) - hot glue does NOT work for this, sorry, it is too stiff
• Invisible thread or thread that matches both of your ribbon colors
• Two "adult" size "no metal" thick ponytail holders
• Scissors
• Measuring tape

Step 1
Cut the 7/8" wide and 5/8" wide grosgrain ribbons to 15 1/2" long for a child's size headband or 16 1/2" long for a teen or adult headband.

Step 2
Cut the 7/8" wide velvet ribbon to 14" (kids) or 15" (adult) - you could cut it the same length as the grosgrain, but depending on your spool of ribbon you may be able to get an extra headband out of the spool if you cut it a bit shorter.

Step 3
Use the fabric glue and run a small line of fabric glue down each long edge of the 5/8" grosgrain ribbon. If this ribbon is a dark color, you could put one line down the middle, but lighter colors will show the glue line if you put it in the middle. Glue the 5/8" ribbon to the middle of the 7/8" ribbon - putting the ribbon down carefully so that the edges are even.

Step 4
Using invisible thread (or thread that matches the color of the 5/8" ribbon) sew down the edge of the 5/8" ribbon.

Step 5
Run a line of glue down the velvet ribbon.  Glue this to the back of the 7/8" grosgrain ribbon.  There will be a gap at each end of the ribbon where it is not covered by velvet - this is okay, it won't show.

Step 6
Using invisible thread (or thread that matches the color of the 7/8" grosgrain ribbon) carefully and slowly (especially if you are using invisible thread) sew down the edge of the velvet ribbon to attach it securely to the grosgrain ribbon.

Step 7
Take the two ponytail holders and knot them together.  This is slightly difficult to explain, but I don't have a internet-compatible video camera, so I'm going to have to do the best I can.  You're going to find the spot on each ponytail holder where they have been stuck together. Lay the two ponytail holders on top of each other with the connection spots on opposite sides of the circle from each other.  Loop one side of one ponytail holder around the other and pull taught.  Hopefully the pictures below help explain this.

Step 8
Fold the end of the ribbon from Step 6 over one side of the ponytail holder.  Sew in place, going back-and-forth several times over the end to make sure it doesn't pull out.  Repeat with the other side.

Step 9
Cut two pieces of 3/8" grosgrain ribbon to 2 1/2" long.  Heat seal the ends (run a lighter or match quickly and carefully across the cut end of the ribbon and it will melt together slightly and prevent fraying).  Put a line of fabric glue on each 2 1/2" piece.

Step 10
Fold these short pieces over the sewn part of the headband for a nicer looking finish.  Allow to dry before putting in anyone's hair.

You can replace the "team colors" with a patterned 7/8" grosgrain ribbon like I did below, and you omit steps 3 & 4.  (See photo of Kate below with the zebra print headband on.) Or you can move up a size and use 1 1/2" grosgrain ribbon and velvet ribbon, and 7/8" for the top piece (or again use a patterned ribbon).

Here in Cincinnati I've found both Ohio State and Kentucky printed ribbons at WalMart (which I normally hate to shop at, but it's the only place I've found the ribbon) so you could make "game day" headbands for you and your friends.

For about the cost of a headband you could buy, you'll have enough materials to make 10+ headbands of your own.  Offer to make them for the rest of the team to help cover your initial expenses.