Hair scrunchies – the perfect accessory for tying up your hair, or adorning your wrist. They are so easy to make with just a little bit of fabric and some elastic.
Making your own scrunchies is so easy and inexpensive. You can make two scrunchies from a fat quarter of fabric. A great way to use up some that you needed to buy, but don’t have an immediate project! Make one for you, and give one as a gift!
Hair scrunchies are an easy sewing project and would be a great project to teach kids to sew. And, it doesn’t take long — start to finish is less than 20 minutes. So, perfect project for the child who wants to learn to sew, but not ready for a complex (and long) project.
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Make one for every outfit! Add a pop of color, or just make utilitarian scrunchies for heading to your workout.

How to Make a Scrunchie
Hair scrunchies are easy to make with just a small strip of fabric and some elastic. Line 'em up your arm, or tie back your hair with a multitude of scrunchies! Learn how to make a scrunchie with this step-by-step photo tutorial.
This is a quick and easy project, perfect for a beginner sewist. Make them to match every outfit! Use fun prints and patterns.
Materials
- 3-1/2" x 20" strip of fabric
- 8" piece of elastic
- Thread
Tools
- Sewing machine
- 1 safety pin
- Fabric turner, knitting needle or small piece of doweling to turn tube inside out
Instructions
- Cut a strip of fabric that is 3-1/2" x 20". Cut an 8" length of 1/2" elastic.
- Fold the fabric in half, with the right sides together. Sew across one end, sewing one end of the elastic in the seam line. This will secure one end of the elastic inside the scrunchie.
- Sew down the long edge of the fabric, where the edges of the fabric match - not the folded edge. .
- Here is the fabric and elastic sewn and ready for the next step -- turning the fabric tube right side out.
- Add the safety pin to the end of the elastic. This will help you not 'lose your end' when you turn the fabric tube inside out.
- Place your tube turner / knitting needle / dowel at the sewn end of the tube. Gently work it so that you begin to turn the tube right side out. You can pin the safety pin to the end of the fabric if you'd like. I was gentle and given the pin, it was easy to make sure the end stayed out of the tube.
- Here is the turning in progress, gently turning the fabric tube right side out. Go slow and steady.
- See how the elastic is barely poking out at the bottom of the fully turned fabric tube?
- Take the loose end of elastic and stitch it to the end of the tube that is stitched to secure it. The scrunchie is now circular.
- Turn in the raw edge of the open end of the fabric tube and slip it over the sewn edge, encasing the elastic edge. Carefully topstitch the folded edge.
- Here are finished hair scrunchies!
Notes
TIP: Avoid silky fabrics, as they can easily slip out of your hair. Cottons or knits work best.

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