Beginner Friendly!

With this hair scrunchie tutorial you can easily upcyle basically anything you have lying around the house that slightly resembles fabric.

Updated Version

This is an updated version of my tutorial for upcycling scrunchies. I wrote the original during the first lockdown last year when the pandemic really burst full force into our lives, with the idea that people probably didn’t have a lot of nerves to spare and thus the tutorial was incredibly easy. This version requires just a little bit more precision but - fear not! - is still beginner level. Using cotton pillowcases is a great material to upcycle for a project like this! I used a long nightshirt and I simply took some length off the bottom of it. I like that the shirt is still useable as a shirt, only now I have a bonus scrunchie!

Let’s talk about scrunchies!

Scrunchies are tubes of fabric with elastic inside which are circular when sewn shut and are used to tie your hair back and also express yo self. I feel like that’s all any of us really need to know about scrunchies and as I am typically the person who speed-scrolls through blog tutorials and recipes to get to the good stuff, I feel like we can forgo the formalities of pretending anyone but my mom is reading this and jump right in.

But why scrunchies?

I know I just said we’d get to the good stuff, but I wanted to quickly explain why I think scrunchies are a great project. There are various ways to sew one, and I have made this project as basic as possible.

1) They are great for beginners! You basically need opposable thumbs for this project, and maybe not even those.

2) Easy upcycle! Because of the amount of fabric you need for this tutorial, you are sure to have it laying around the house, either in the form of vintage fabric, rest pieces, or something you’ve been wanting to upcycle anyway. Important note if you decide to cut into a piece of clothing (or whatever!) for this scrunchie: Please keep the rest of the fabric of the item you have cut into! It might be useful for future projects and the less we waste, the better. I used a cotton nightshirt and cut some length off the bottom. The scrunchie has a seam in it from where the shirt was sewn but it’s hardly noticeable.

3) You can also hand sew them! Making these with a sewing machine will be the fastest option, but since they are pretty small and all straight lines, you can easily sew them by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine but have a needle, thread, and the opposable thumbs we talked about earlier.

OK, let’s get started!

For this project you will need:

1 piece of fabric 50cm x 12cm. This is approximate and you are free to go bigger or smaller.
1 piece of elastic approx. 25cm (if in dire straits re: Coronavirus, just use a normal rubber band!)
sewing pins, especially if you are a beginner sewer or have slippery fabric like polyester or velvet
a safety pin
iron and ironing board
scissors
ruler
method to sew (machine or needle and thread)
your smile

Alrighty! Let’s begin!

With right sides facing each other, fold your piece of fabric together vertically, or as I like to say, like a hot dog. Measure 5 cm down from one end and place your first pin, catching both sides of fabric on the raw edge. Remember to pin perpendicular to your fabric. Pin your fabric together down the length of the raw edge until you reach the other end. Measure 5 cm up from that end and place your final pin.

Place your fabric under your sewing machine presser foot, 5cm down from the top (right where the first needle is). Put the foot down and pull the first pin out. You don’t want to sew over your pins! That is why they are placed perpendicularly - so that you can sew right up to the pin before you remove it.

Begin sewing along the raw edge of the fabric where you have pinned. Don’t forget to backstitch when you start your seam. Sew all the way down to the last pin and end your seam where your last pin is, 5cm before the end of your fabric. Backstitch when you end your seam.

Great job! - Is what I am assuming you did!

Take your tube to the ironing board and iron your seam flat. This is especially important if you are using silky or flowy fabrics and less vital if you are using stable cottons. Nevertheless, iron away!

Turn your tubular tube right-side out. It should look like the photo above.

Now with right sides facing each other, place the two raw ends of your fabric tube together. Pin along the the raw edges. Make sure the fabric lays perfectly flat together. If you have any creases from ironing, smooth them out and pin the entire length of the tube ends together. Sew together along the raw edge, removing the pins as you go. Make sure you are not getting any of the other fabric caught in your seam. You might need to rotate the fabric a bit as you go. Just put your NEEDLE DOWN into your fabric, lift your presser FOOT UP, smooth out your fabric, put the FOOT BACK DOWN (Very important! Never sew with the foot up!) and continue sewing. Remember: backstitch at the beginning AND the end of your seam! You might need to go slowly and that’s ok! Racers never prosper. Which is a phrase I just made up.

Now we’ll pull the elastic through.

Fasten a safety pin onto your elastic at the top of one end and pull it through the opening of your scrunchie tube. Keep the other end of the elastic somewhere where you can see it. You don’t want to pull the entire piece of elastic through the entire tube. Otherwise you’ll have to start over and you’ll be on an endless loop of of this for the rest of your life. If you have a second safety pin and you feel like getting fancy you can pin the other end of the elastic onto your shirt or pants. I just hold mine in my teeth like the classy lass I am. Once you have two little elastic ends peeking out of your fabric, tie them in a knot - tight! Like BFFs 4ever.

We’re almost there! It’s really taking shape and looking like the scrunchy of your dreams.

Tuck your knotted elastic into the inside of the scrunchie so it’s out of your way and say goodbye. You won’t be seeing it again.

Fold the raw edge of the fabric opening inside the hole, so the seam is finished. Pin along the folded-over bit to close the hole, making sure you catch both sides of the opening in your pin.

Place your scrunchie under your presser foot, put the foot down where the first needle is, and pull the needle out (just like we did for our first seam.) Sew the opening shut, trying to sew as close to the edge as possible. Go really slowly if you need to, because this is not a big seam so it won’t take too long but it really matters that your seam is as close to the edge as possible, otherwise you will loose that pillowy look that we want in a scrunchie. After sewing your seam, floof your scrunchy and move the fabric so it’s evenly distributed around the elastic. You know what I mean by floofing. Fluffing. Fluff it.

ANNNNd Ladies and Gentlemen, I do believe we have made a scrunchie!! Congratulations! Beam with pride! Put your scrunchie in your hair. Go look in the mirror. Smile at yourself because you like yourself, and because you made a scrunchie. (Told you you were going to need a smile for this project).

Thanks so much for taking part in the scrunchie upcycle challenge! Now that you know how to make a scrunchie, you can make them for yourself, for friends, as presents, or as a fun project to do together with others.

Making is good for the heart. Thanks for joining me!