Just a Headband Kind of Day

I’m so excited that I received my adorable headbands from Chesapeake Rose yesterday, that I can hardly stand it! In fact I am SO excited, that I am wearing both of them at the same time right now. Ah, who cares? It’s not like you can see me anyway. If you haven’t yet purchased from them, I absolutely INSIST that you rush on over there and place your order! They are completely sewn, not glued so the construction is of very high quality, in my own expert opinion that is. Tell them Monogram Momma sent you and Sheila and Maura will take good care of you. I simply can’t recommend them enough! Enough gushing, I know. So while I was waiting to receive these headbands from CR, in the meantime, I finished the adorable and very wide madras headbands for Alyson and I that I have been alluding to for the past couple weeks now. Although I really like the Susan Towner madras headbands as well (as mentioned in a previous post), I really wanted an extra wide headband since my hair is so dog-gone thick and this summer heat is about to get the best of me. Honestly, I watch Rogaine commercials of people complaining of their thinning hair and PRAY to have such a problem. Anyhoo, Alyson had these madras shorts that she just did not like too much (actually, she said the style was something her mom would wear, so she just couldn’t bring herself to wear them) so she sent them to me and I cut them up to use for our fabric. I cut 2 strips of fabric, about ½ wider that the fattest part on the headband (which would obviously be the top), and 1” longer than the edges of the headband. After that, I pinned them, right sides together, then surged 3 out of 4 edges (2 long edges, 1 small end). Let me put in a little note here and tell you that I serge pretty much everything because it gives you a much stronger seam and prevents any fraying of fabric. Believe you me, it took me a long time to figure that out on my own. So anyway, now that the 3 sides were sewn tightly together, I unpinned them, and turned them right side out. Then I slid in the headband. Now, obviously you are going to have extra wide fabric at the narrowest part of the headband (the bottom which goes behind your ears), but what I did was fold the extra fabric on the INSIDE of the seam, and it created a little fold that you can’t really see, and then I hand stitched it together. The extra length of fabric that is then left on the end, I turned up, and it can then be glue gunned to the back. If you want, you can cover that part with a band of ribbon on each end and that’s about it. If you do not fancy yourself much of a sewer, or like my good friend Ashley, your sewing machine hasn’t seen the light of day in a year (but yet she is scoping out new ones), then worry not. All you have to do is cut one extra wide piece of fabric to reach around the entire headband so the fabric ends meet in the middle of the underside, and use a little spray adhesive. Fold the ends up and tack those on with glue gun, and put a piece of ric rac trim on the seams to cover. Voila. No sewing necessary. But if this is all just too much trouble for you (I mean, I realize not many people are really going to be motivated to take a pair of shorts and wear them as a hair accessory), then by all means, go check out Chesapeake Rose for barrettes and preppy grosgrain styles or plenty of other sites like Hair Boutique where they have what they call “couture” headbands (well they just look like scarf headbands to me). There is more material and it’s lose on the headband so when you wear it, it looks more like a scarf. They’ve got some really beautiful silk ones that I think would be perfect for the holidays (check out the pink silk! OOH LA LA I say!). Then, over at A. Tierney, which might I say is the epitome of classic stylish summer accessories for monogram momma since its conception in 2001, you should check out the “Nantucket Headband Collection” and also their “Athens Ponytail Cuff” if you’re part of the preppy set. A bit pricey for hair accessories, but I love the designs and I’m sure there are plenty of you who simply don’t care about the cost. Now, Elizabeth & Kate has handmade headbands and barrette’s (among other great things as well), and you can customize your fabrics there too. I find them to be a tad bit on the contemporary side of design, but it may be just what you’re looking for. And after you’ve stopped by that storefront, ring the bell over at KiKi Ribbon Design where they have ribbon headbands that you can even monogram or personalize. Even for me that’s taking things a bit too far, but if that’s what you’re looking for, then by all means indulge yourself. Simply Sandals, who also makes the cute painted Dr. Scholl’s sandals I did a few weeks ago, also has a great selection of hair accessories from headbands to hair bows. They even have a selection for kids too but if you’re looking more style choices, then Three Chickadee’s has everything from a funky style to preppy (need you ask which style I learn toward?). Lastly, for the crafty Martha –wanna-be’s, like myself, you will love J. Caroline Creative where you can find all the headband forms and pieces, not to mention a great selection of fabrics too! And I also must mention that they give you complete directions and creative ideas to help you along your way as well, so they receive very high marks in my monogrammed book for that! After all, a good idea can’t really become a “good thing” unless you’ve got directions and a little guidance on how to do it, right?