-DIY- Braided headband

So, every month I will feature at least one diy/craft project that I find on Pinterest. I will do the craft, taking pictures at every step and then I will post the craft and step by step instructions followed by any comments I want to share. I am super excited about this. 

For this month I chose the braided headband made from an old t-shirt. I am currently going through my clothing and putting ones that don't fit or are no longer worn in a separate pile. Or ones that are in disarray.  Finding ways to up cycle them in to something useful again is really great! Okay, here we go!

Okay so I am sure everyone has seen the braided headbands in stores or on TV. I have seen them go anywhere from $5 to $20 each. I will show you how to make them for little to no cost. And it takes less than an hour!

 First gather your supplies, for this project you will need:

• An old t-shirt. Any color will do, in fact the more colors the more fun your headband will be!
• Scissors. Make sure they are sharp! Fabric scissors are best.
• A ruler. 
• Needle and thread. Try to get the color as close to the color of your shirt as you can. I used white because that was the only color thread I have.
• Elastic pony tail holder

 

Okay, supplies gathered? Let's get started!

 Step one:  Cut 3 strips from the bottom portion of your t-shirt. I made mine about 1 1/2 inches in thickness. You may make it thicker or thinner depending on your preference, however, the thinner you make it the more difficult it becomes. After you do that, cut the strips again making them in to one long strip of fabric.

I drew lines only so you can see how thick I made mine.

Step 2: Tie your strands together. This makes it easier to braid them.

 

Step 3: Put the knotted end under something heavy, I used my laptop. Or you can safety pin it to your pants to keep it from moving. And braid baby braid!

  

Step 4: Sew the end of the braid together. You can use a sewing machine or hand sew it. I did all of mine by hand since I do not own a machine. (MUST GET ONE!)

 Step 5: Cut your elastic pony tail holder in half. Or use one that is broken...if you have thick hair like me you probably have a few of these laying around!

 Step 6: Sew one end of the elastic pony tail holder to the end of the braid you sewed together in step 4. Make sure to sew around the elastic as well to make sure it is secure.

Step 7: Cut a small rectangular piece of the t-shirt, this will act as a cover for the sewing you just did. To make it more attractive looking. Fold the piece in half, wrap it around the elastic part where you just attached it to the braid, and secure with a pin to keep it in place. Then sew the seam. This part must be done by hand.

 

Step 8: Measure where your headband will fit best with the elastic. I did this by wrapping it around my head like I would if I were wearing it and then cutting off the excess. 

Step 9: Repeat steps 4-7 (skipping step 5 obviously) to complete your headband. And there you have it!

 

I hope these instructions were easy for you to follow and that the photos helped. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to leave a comment and I will do my best to answer them! Happy crafting!!