My Creative Comeback : Through making a headband for my sister

For sometime I was a shadow of myself. I found it difficult to really get things done in time and properly. I had tough times being creative with sewing.
However, I got myself back on track and decided to make a dress with headband for my sister as a way of telling her that I'm back to being who I used to be because she was one of those that were worried for me.

I will only be writing about how I made the headband today. My sister has always wanted it but I didn't get it done.

Here's the dress
Please manage it on the hanger, I don't have a mannequin yet

One of the things I love about the fabric is the different layers of colour it has. This fueled my desire to make a headband from the leftover fabric from the main dress.

Let's dive into the process

Materials

1. Fabric of choice - I'm using an African print (Ankara) fabric
2. Scissors
3. Elastic band - mine is 1 inch wide
4. Matching thread

The Creation Process

I cut out four strips from the Ankara fabric measuring 20 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Then I picked two of the four strips, placed the right sides against each other and sewed along the sides as seen in the picture above (I'm trusting it's visible 🧐)

After sewing along the sides, I turned the strip inside out.

I repeated the same process for the other strips as done above.

Now we have two strips for our headband.
😁 😁
I cut a smaller strip of 3 inches wide and 11 inches long (a single strip please)

I folded it into two and sew along the side

This is the outcome after turning inside out.

This will be the covering for the elastic

Then I got an elastic of 5 inches long from a 1 inch wide elastic.

I passed the elastic through the 11 inches strip.

I pinned the elastic at either end of the strip.

After that, I stitched the elastic with the strip on both sides.

Now we've got all we need for the headband set.

Remember the two long strips?
We'll need them now

I picked the strips I made earlier and crossed one over the other as seen below

I placed the elastic at the end of the band also as seen.

Next, I folded the band on the already covered elastic.
See it below.

Then I stitched it that way and did the same for the other side.

Here is what we have

Now, I turned the part I sewed inside out so that the rough edge will be folded in

Here

This is the final outcome of the headband

And this was how it looked like when my sister paired it with her dress.

The interesting part is she's given me the fabric for months but my mind was unsettled to create anything with it. When I delivered the dress with the headband, she was both surprised and happy to see me finally healed and doing what I love to do.

She happily posed for a picture when I asked.

Why share this story?

I was able to understand that holding on to hurts and pains for so long can stifle creativity and cloud one's sense of reasoning.

If in anyway we find ourselves in this kind of situation, it's best to let go in time and focus on things that matters.

Don't allow anything affect your creative mind.
You are made for more.

Thanks for reading through ❤️