Headbands for Healthcare Workers

I had every intention of avoiding posting about this crazy virus. There's enough bad news and scary stories being thrown around that I really want this blog to be a place to escape from all that and focus on the good. After all... staying home and working on projects is what I do best!

But a nurse friend of mine requested an item that I thought was pretty helpful- a headband with buttons for mask straps to avoid getting raw behind the ears. Healthcare workers now have to wear masks for the entirety of their shifts, and I can't imagine that's very comfortable. I haven't seen many tutorials on how to make these, so I figured I'd put one together while I created a few cute options for her. Of course- buttons could be added to any existing headband for a quick fix!

I dug through my stash and found a bunch of  bright, fun patterned fabric. Each headband requires a 21" x 6" piece. I also scrounged up two large buttons and a hairband for each headband. I like the silicone hairbands, as they don't degrade over time like the elastic ones do.

I began by pressing in the short edges about 1/2".

I then marked, sewed and trimmed darts in the center of each end to create a tapered shape.

 Turn right sides out and press the darts and center fold as shown. 

Press each raw corner of the tapered ends at a 90 degree angle. Then press the long raw edges inward to meet the center fold. This will be a little bit awkward, as the dart makes the shape curve a bit; just do your best. It doesn't have to be perfect. 

Fold the headband back in half and press. It should resemble a long, skinny canoe.

Pardon my singed pressing surface. Ha ha. 

Top stitch all the way around the headband. 

Fold one tapered end over the hairband and secure it with a few lines of stitches.

Repeat this process on the other end, making sure the headband isn't twisted and both tabs are on the same side (here they're on the outside of the headband; it will be turned right side out for the next step).

Try on the headband and make a small mark where the buttons should be placed. My friend asked that they be placed right behind the ears, so that's where I put them. This placement puts them about 3-3.5" away from the folded edges and the hairband.

Attach the buttons securely. These will be taking a lot of stress from masks being pulled on and off, so the more securely the buttons are attached, the longer they'll be usable. I doubled up my thread to sew these on, so there were four strands on my needle. 

And you're done! 

I also threw together a few matching face masks (there are tons of tutorials out there for these- although the one I followed was terribly vague and confusing). And thank goodness I had a chunk of elastic lying around! Every single store is sold out right now. I think we still have medical masks at our hospitals currently, but as they run out the nurses are encouraged to wear anything that will provide them protection and I'm pretty sure everyone is stocking up to make masks. 

Stay safe, friends. Keep your chins up and your brains and fingers busy... we'll get through this crazy time, and hopefully be much more grateful for "normal" once it's over.