How To: Vintage Beaded Hair Band

A couple of years ago I bought myself a lovely simple black hair band with a beaded decoration on one side. I had to replace the elastic to fit the band round my enormous head, and I ended up making it a bit loose. Unfortunately last year, just before Christmas, I lost my lovely head band. Because it was a bit loose, if I was wearing a nice woolly hat to keep my ears warm, I tended to take of the band with the hat, and I wouldn't notice. It was, of course, nothing to do with it being a late night out for Christmas drinks with friends!

Remembering I had a bit of vintage beading in my stash, I decided to make myself a new one. I dug the other bits I needed out of my stash as well, a bit of black grosgrain ribbon and a left over piece of elastic.Here is what I did.

1. I cut a piece of grosgrain about 60cm long. (I worked out the length by measuring an existing headband and adding a couple of centimeters at each end.)

2. I folded over 2cm of ribbon at each end, and sewed them down to make a loop at each end of the ribbon. 

3. I threaded the elastic through the loops and tried the band on, to make sure it fitted round my head, and wasn't too loose or tight. Once I was happy with the size, I cut the elastic and sewed it into place.

4. Now my least favourite bit - hand sewing the piece of vintage beading into place. You could use anything instead of the beading; maybe some feathers, a bit of ribbon in a bow, fabric flowers, the options are endless.

This was a really simple and quick project, I think the whole thing took about half an hour, and it was very satisfying to get something made so quickly. Its perhaps not quite as pretty as the one I lost, but it fits better and the delight of having made it myself just about atones for this. Plus its made entirly out of left overs, so is super thrifty!