Girls love hair accessories right now, especially headbands. They make mornings easier and keep everyone happy—much better than constant requests for braids. If you have someone who adores headbands, this frayed fabric flower is a simple, stylish addition that also works as a brooch or bag decoration.
This project is straightforward and customizable. You’ll need a strip of fabric, hot glue, and a small piece of felt. Cut your fabric strip about 2½ inches wide and whatever length you prefer. For the example here, the strip ran from selvage to selvage—roughly 45 inches.
1. Cut the strip and fold it in half lengthwise; press it if you like to keep it neat.
2. Sew a gathering stitch along the length near the folded edge. If you prefer not to have a frayed look, stitch along the open edge instead—this yields a different, cleaner finish.
3. Pull the bobbin thread to gather the fabric, tightening until the whole length is ruffled.
4. Press the ruffled strip to define the gathers and make it easier to handle.
5. Starting at one end, roll the strip into a spiral, adding small dabs of hot glue as you go to secure the shape. Use the glue sparingly so you can still shape the petals after assembling.
6. This image shows the back of the flower as it’s being rolled.
Once rolled, trim a circle of felt to cover the back and provide a stable base.
Glue the felt to the back, starting in the center and working outward to secure the bottom ruffle all the way around.
Now the flower is ready to be used however you like. It makes a lovely brooch and also pairs beautifully with dresses and other outfits.
To turn the flower into a headband, gather a plain headband and another strip of fabric for wrapping.
Begin by gluing small fabric pieces over each end of the headband to cover the raw edges.
Glue the end of your wrapping strip to the inside edge of the headband, as low as possible so the cap is hidden when you wrap. Wind the strip tightly around the headband, adding glue every few wraps to secure it. You don’t need to glue each turn—just enough to keep the wrap snug.
Finally, position the flower where you want it on the headband and hot glue it in place. For extra security and a polished finish, you can add a second felt circle over the headband so the band is sandwiched between two felt layers. Either way, the flower attaches quickly and gives the headband a handmade, charming look.
With this simple technique you can make multiple flowers in different fabrics and colors—perfect for matching outfits, gifting, or creating a variety of accessories. Experiment with fabric textures and lengths for unique effects: frayed for a relaxed look, or stitched along the open edge for a neater rose-style bloom.
