Welcome to our Bath Headband Tutorial – the second tutorial in our Sew A Spa Set Series This post contains all the sewing info you need to sew up your very own bath headband.

There are 6 of these handmade items for you to make! Check out the  Intro post for the full low down.

What’s a bath headband you may ask?! It’s a headband that’s suitable to be worn in, or after a bath or shower. It’s made from super soft, absorbent (and eco friendly!) bamboo towelling making it’s suitable to be worn whether your hair is wet or dry.

This useful headband would make a fabulous handmade gift, especially if paired with the other items in our Sew A Spa Set Series.

To be able to follow our Bath Headband Tutorial you’ll need a copy of the FREE Spa Set templates. Request them here 

We’ve used bamboo towelling to make most of these useful Spa Set accessories as it’s super soft, absorbent, lends itself well to reusable items & it’s also environmentally friendly!

Read more about Bamboo Towelling in our full guide and gain some pro sewing tips too!

As well as a bath headband you could also use this tutorial to make a cute ear warmer if you switch out the towelling for some fluffy fleece!

We hope you enjoy sewing and gifting these handmade items!

Bath Headband Tutorial

Important Notes:

• 1cm /  ⅜” seam allowance throughout, unless directed.
• For steps using machine sewing, straight stitch, backstitching at the start & end using stitch length 2.5 unless otherwise stated.
• Prepare your fabrics as per manufacturer’s care advice – we recommend pre-washing all fabrics used in this project as they will be used to make items that will be washed frequently

To make this Bath headband, You will need:

• The Sew a Spa Set Series Pattern
• 70cm x 20 cm of Bamboo Towelling [We used Premium White Bamboo Terry Towelling]
• Scrap pieces of Quilting Cotton [We used Dashwood Studio Tree of Life – Floral Diamonds]
• 1.5m of 1cm Wide Elastic [We used Woven Ribbon Elastic – 10mm White]
• Sewing Thread

Sewing Kit You Will Need to Sew a Spa Set:

• Sewing machine
• Fabric Scissors OR rotary cutter, mat & ruler
• Tape Measure or ruler
• Pins or Clips
• Hand Sewing Needle
• Basic Sewing Kit
• Safety pin, Elastic Guide or bodkin

Making the Bath Headband

1. Pre-wash your fabrics

We recommend pre-washing all fabrics used in this project as they will be used to make items that will be washed frequently

2. Print the headband templates

Print off the Spa Set Templates ensuring you print at 100%. If you haven’t already, request your pattern here.

Please note: This free pattern has been sized to print on A4 paper.

3. Cut your fabrics & notions

• Cut 1 x Main Headband from Bamboo Towelling
• Cut 2 x Main bow from Cotton
• Cut 2 x Main bow from Cotton
• Cut 1 x Bow Middle from Cotton
• Cut 3 x 45cm long pieces of elastic

4. Assemble The Bath Headband

• Overlock the edges of your towelling main headband strip. If you do not have an overlocker, then finish the edges using a zig zag stitch. 

• With RS (right sides) together, sew the two short ends of your main headband together. Overlock/ zig-zag finish the edges of this seam, and press flat.

• Fold over both the top and bottom long edges of the main headband 0.5cm / ¼”  and then a further 1cm / ⅜”  to create a channel to feed your elastic into.
• Pin and stitch in place, leaving several cm / inches open on each channel so you can insert the elastic. Pro-tip – Using a bodkin or Elastic Guide can really help here

4. Sewing the Elastic

• Feed one piece of elastic through one channel. Pin the ends together and secure them, before closing your channel. Repeat for the other channel.

• Create further gathers in your strip using the other two pieces of elastic. Pin in place equally on the width of the fabric, and stitch in place using a zig zag stitch along the length of the main headband.

• Place the 2 x larger main bow pieces RS together & stitch around the edge using a 1cm / ⅜” seam allowance. Leave a small gap for turning.
• Trim or pink the seam down, and turn out. Slip stitch the opening and press.

• Take the bow middle piece & fold the fabric in half matching the long edges.
• Sew down the long edge opposite the fold using a 1cm / ⅜” seam allowance.
• Turn to the right side & press

• Wrap the smaller rectangle round your main gathered headband
• Slip Stitch the ends together towards the back. You may want to secure the band in place on your headband also with some small tacking stitches at the back.

• Slide the bow in through the loop made by the smaller rectangle. Adjust until it looks voluminous and like a bow.
• You may want to secure this in place with a few stitches. 

And you’re finished! Well done!

The next sewing tutorial in our Sew a Spa Set Series is an eye mask you can wear in the bath!

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