Scrapbusting Scrunchie Headbands with Elizabeth

February 10, 2025

Hi, Raspberry Creek Community!

If you’re like me, you want to use every bit of your beautiful RCF fabric. I like to use scraps to make fun things for friends and family and keep my fabric waste to a minimum. I also try to use my whole cut of fabric when I get started with it. I’ve learned the hard way that I usually don’t go back to it unless I have a very specific project planned and even then, it’s hit or miss. Can anyone relate? One fun option for the last few inches of your fabric is a scrunchie headband. My daughter loves these and asks for one to match every outfit!

You’ll need

• a ruler
• a rotary cutter or scissors 
• a headband base (I have these, but you can use whatever size or material – metal, plastic, etc. – you want)
• fabric, knit or woven (about 3” x at least 36”, can be pieced together since the seams aren’t super visible with the scrunching.)
• a sewing machine
• a hot glue gun
• ribbon (optional, for the ends)

A lot of the details on these headbands are pretty flexible, so feel free to play around with the dimensions when you get a feel for what you like. You can make your headband more or less scrunched or stand taller or shorter, depending on how much fabric you have and your own preferences. Follow my steps below to make your own!

(strip dimensions from left to right: 1 ½” x 36”, 3” x 42”, 4” x 42”, 6” x 40”)

First, measure your headband. You’re going to want to make sure you have enough fabric to at least double the length of your headband. The headbands I’m using for this tutorial are these metal ones. They’re about ¼” wide and 15 ½” from end to end. If you’re using a wider or longer headband, you may need more fabric.

Next, cut your strip of fabric. My favorite headbands for my daughter use a strip that is 3” by about 45”, depending on thickness of the fabric. My favorite headbands for me use a strip that is 4” wide. You can see the difference in the picture above.

Fold the fabric in half long sides together, right sides together. Using a ¼” seam allowance, sew into a tube, tapering the ends to about ¾”. Turn your tube right side out using a turning tool. 

Scrunch your fabric onto your headband. You can gauge your fabric amount as you put it on the headband. If you have more fullness than you want, cut off the excess. (You may need to go back and sew to taper to the end if you cut off any excess.)

Hot glue the ends of your headband from the bottom to ½” up. Fold your fabric ends in nicely and press the top center of your fabric tube to the glued headband. Then hot glue the other side of the headband and press your fabric ends together. If you’re happy with that finish, you’re already done!

 If you’d like a more “professional” finish, cut a scrap of ribbon, wrap it, and glue it into place over your glued fabric to cap your ends. Be sure to finish your ribbon ends with a lighter or fabric glue to keep them from fraying.

Now you’ve got an headband to match what you’ve already sewn with your fabric. My daughter really loves accessories, so this is perfect for her. I wear them to match my kids’ items (my boys love to match me too!) and incorporate prints I love but may not need an entire outfit in. They’re also great for gifts. My sister is a nurse, and she loves getting new headbands to wear to work to add some personality to her scrubs.

Happy sewing! I’d love to see you post your RCF scrunchie headband on the Facebook page if you make one!

– Elizabeth

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