I finally had a little time to putz around with sewing fun projects, learning new skills. I’m really a novice sewist — I’ve been cranking out masks since March, and I’ve made a few Halloween costumes in my day, but I mostly just hem things (I’m short!) and take stuff in (to fit me better). I took an intro to sewing class through the park district here, which was great, but in four 2-hr sessions, there’s only so much even the best teacher can teach you.
Today, I set out to make myself a wide headband, because I have to admit that in pandemic times, I do a fair bit of rolling out of bed and not doing much with my hair — but I don’t like it falling in my face when I’m trying to work (or just lie around watching TV), so wide headbands are perfect. I had a few wide headbands from the shops, but none of them are in patterns I’m really excited about. So you can imagine how much fun I had making myself a headband from my own fabric design.
I don’t really know how to work with stretch fabrics the way you’re supposed to. The patterns I looked at mostly said to use a needle meant for stretch fabrics, and I must admit, I have not actually changed the needle on my new sewing machine for anything yet. I’m not even sure where I have the extra needles stored, although I hope to find them over the break.
I’m also not sure that I used the right kind of stitch — I know a zigzag is good for stretch fabrics, because the thread can then stretch in a way it can’t with a straight stitch. But I admit I just pressed the first zigzag stitch on the front of my machine — is that the right one? I have no idea. I kind of want to sit down and at least glance through my sewing machine manual at some point — Jed bought me a very nice sewing machine to replace my broken one at the start of the pandemic when I was frantically sewing, and I’m pretty sure it does all kinds of things I have no idea about.
Also, I think I am never going to love hand-sewing ruching!
But all that said, I do love how it turned out. 
https://www.deliacreates.com/diy-headwrap-bands-tutorial/
