Pinwheel Hair Clips -- great for summer!

When I saw this idea on The Mother Huddle, it was one of those "gotta make it now" projects.  But of course, I had to put my own twist on it.

My daughter is hard on hair clips - rips them out all the time, so just using heat n bond like the example, I knew she would destroy it.  Plus, I don't have heat n bond - just iron on interfacing (which is only fusible on one side).  So I had to stitch them together, but I actually like the look better - it's a bit more polished/finished.

Here's the close up of stitching it before I cut the slits in the corners.  I did 2" squares - perfect size for a small toddler with not much hair :)

...and disregard her messy hair - she went to bed with wet hair and my husband thought it would be funny to give her a faux hawk and let it dry that way over night.  I had a heck of a time getting it to even lay this flat...and the headband is the only thing keeping that front from spiking straight up.

Little flower hair clips

I'm not a huge fan of the gigantic flower on my baby's head.  So I like when I find a tutorial or idea for a smaller flower or bow that I can make for a hair clip for her little head.  Right now, she doesn't have hair, so I just clip them onto a headband. 

And, she's taking her morning nap now, so she can't model them.

I found the pattern here; it's suggested as a shoe clip, but I made mine into hair clips.  I glued those mini snappy clips to the back - perfect size so it doesn't show behind the leaf.

Christmas Hair Clips

I made a few Christmas hair clips a few weeks back . . .

Korker Bow - a great tutorial found on Pink Tea

Candy Cane - I drew and cut out a candy cane from red felt and then used embroidery floss to add the white stripes.  Then I used red thread to stitch a 2nd red felt candy cane around the edges to the back to give some stability.  And then I glued it to an alligator clip I had covered in ribbon.

Turkey Hair Clip

I found this idea on Nancy's Couture - featured on several different blogs already.  So chances are, you've already seen this project.

I was making mine for an infant, so I wanted it smaller.  I cut my ribbons shorter to 2" and still ended up cutting more off when I got them positioned on the turkey body.  My turkey body measured 1.25" instead of the 2" in the tutorial.  Plus, I wanted it to not overwhelm her head - especially since she has no hair to add cuteness to.  So the clip would be the only focus on her bald little head.

And changing the headband changes the look altogether.  I think I like the yellow or brown headband the best.  The white just makes it seem a bit plain and boring.  But the ruffle or lace gives it a girly touch.

Since my turkey is smaller, I didn't have small enough googly eyes to use . . . so I had to paint the eyes on. 

Felt Flower Hair Clips

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I saw a picture on a blog where someone was showing a shirt or dress that they made their little girl, but what caught my eye was the flower clip in her hair. I don't know if she bought it or made it, I just knew I had to have one - or several. I had to play around with different sizes since I was doing this on my own.

Here is the first one I made - out of pink felt with a pearl in the center.
I used a circle template in the 1", 1.5", 2", and 2.5" sizes and then drew scallops around the edges. I'm pretty proud of how even and perfect they turned out. :) I made these out of thick cardstock so I could use them as a template several times. I've since made 4 of these.Once I cut out the circles, I sewed them together and attached the sew-on pearl at the same time. Then I hot glued it to a hair snap clip. Since my 10 month old daughter has no hair to clip them into, I can clip it on a head band until hair decides to grow in.

Here are the 4 I've made so far. The brown one is made out of corduroy (didn't have any brown felt on hand). It's pretty flimsy and I don't think it will hold up very well in her little hands. But maybe I'll get one use out of it before it's destroyed. I made the black and gray one in hopes it would work as a Halloween hair clip. I can't seem to find any orange or lime green felt that's not ugly neon shades.
I made the white one right before church on Sunday since I couldn't find an existing hair clip to match her outfit. It only took about 5 minutes to make. And we were still on time for church - even though my husband was rolling his eyes at me since I just had to make it when we were already ready to go out the door.

Rolled Felt Flowers

I saw this tutorial at eighteen25 to make rolled felt flowers. I made this headband for my niece for her birthday. Since she's 10, I didn't want to make 3 big flowers. I felt that would look too huge on her. So I did one large (the size in the tutorial) and one medium and one small. I just found smaller circles to trace as my template.

Hair Clip Holder

I've seen several of these online and decided to take a try at it. We had extra molding left over from remodeling the kid's rooms, so being the brave woman that I am, I used a mider saw and cut it all by myself! I did have to call my husband to ask how to lift the blade up since it was locked closed. So here are the pieces before I assembled them.

Then I glued and staple gun'd the corners. Then I painted the frame and cut and stapled chicken wire (to hold the hair clips on) to the back, followed by canvas fabric.

After hanging it up, it looked like it needed a little more . . . so I cut vinyl with my cricut to say "sugar and spice and everything nice" from that children's nursery rhyme. And then I glued on the double layered pink craft foam flowers in the corners. These were the same flowers from the tree on my daughter's wall (tomorrow's post).

Hair Clip Crazy

I went a little hair clip crazy this weekend. Here are just a few that I made:

Satin singed flower clip (on the knee-high headband)Pink and Green Zipper flowers (idea from Sumo's Sweet Stuff) & a ribbon flower clip (all white for the baby blessing - but I'm definately making more of that style in other colors)

Here's the zipper flower closer up - I love these and will definately get a stash of zippers now! Until my daughter gets hair, she will be wearing all of these hair clips on the interchangable knee-high headband :)

Guitar Onesie and Tutu

I had a baby shower I went to over the weekend, so that means the week before was my creative time. I always try new things when I have a deadline - like a present to give. So that way I don't put off the project.

I used the guitar applique pattern and tutu idea here - and i used the tutu technique of wrapping it on cardboard here - made it much easier.


The headband is a knee high that I cut the toe and elastic top off and sewed together - adding a ribbon loop at the seam so that the hair clips can be interchangeable.

I keep a pack of onesies in my fabric stash so that I can use them when I need them - it's hard to not grab from that stash to use on my kids instead of doing laundry when they run out of clean ones :) I suggest getting a pack of gerber onesies at Jo-Anns when you have a 40% off coupon. Some days I'm just wandering the store with nothing imparticular that I need so instead of letting the coupon go to waste - I buy some onesies. They're usually in the isle with the fabric paint - in my store, it's next to the yarn isles.

Smocked Toddler Dress

I've been wanting to try smocking for a while, but I was intimidated by it. After finding a pattern/tutorial in this book, Weekend Sewing, I gave it a try.



I also made the fabric bow clip I made a while back since it was the same fabric. It can be used in her hair or it's even cute clipped on the dress where the shoulder strap connects in the front.

Fabric flower headband or hair clip

I found these fabric flowers on a few blogs and used the tutorial from here to make them. I did do a couple different things than the tutorial - I only cut 3 circles since I wanted a little flower and only a single layer. I think the circles were a tad over 3" when I cut them - not sure since I used a circle template.

I am now in love with the fabric button cover kit . . . It is so easy and cute! It was a little over $3 at Jo-Anns but I used a 40% off coupon since I didn't see anything else I liked that trip (shocking, I know).

I then glued it to an alligator hair clip so it can be used as a toddler hair clip or so I can clip it on a headband for a baby (or a toddler with no hair). I'm afraid my daughter will have no hair like my son. Ethan is 18 months old and just starting to grow more than peach fuzz on his head.

Ribbon Headband

I saw a ribbon wrapped headband in a department store and wasn't about to pay what they were asking . . . so I made one of these for my niece - and it turned out great, so I made one for myself.
I bought a pack of the cheap-o plastic headbands at Wal-Mart for about $3 for a pack of 6. They were the kid's size, but they actually fit my head fine too.

I cut a couple inches of the ribbon to cover the ends nicely, then started wrapping it tight and glueing it along the back as I went.

When I was done, I made the double decker simple bow and wrapped ribbon around the loops and the headband and glued it in place. Since my ribbon was shiny, I turned the top layer of the bow upside down to add a bit of contrast with a matte finish.

Fabric Reversible Headband

I've seen headbands all over the internet and decided to make my own - including creating a pattern! I saw this idea on someone's blog a few months ago, but didn't see a pattern or tutorial there, so I decided to try this from "scratch."

This was the first time I've created my own pattern. I traced one of my plastic headbands that I liked the style of and added width for the seams and length to go all the way around my head instead of ending at the ears like it did. It took a few tweaks and changes, but I was successful. I made 2 different patterns that can be printed out. Here is the link to the patterns I made. One is a wide center (like the pictures below) and the other pattern is for a straight/square band.

I like headbands, but I always get tired of wearing them when the plastic ends start squishing my head. So I wanted one with elastic so that I didn't have to have anything squishing my head. I'm actually wearing the yellow one now and it has stayed in place all day and hasn't bothered my head at all!
Supplies needed:

• Pattern
• 2 scraps of fabric that are 20"x3"
• 1 piece of interfacing that is 20"x3"(optional, but makes the headband firmer)
• elastic at least 4" long
• optional (ribbon to go the length of the headband on a solid fabric)

Step 1
Cut out fabric and interfacing using the pattern

Step 2
If interfacing is fusible, Iron it to the wrong side of one of the pieces of fabric

Step 3
With right sides together, sew down the 2 long sides of the headband with 1/4" seam allowances (don't sew the small ends!!) The interfacing will be visible on one side too.

Step 4
Turn the headband right side out. This is kinda tricky! I started using the stick end of a paint brush to get going and then once I was far enough in, I put my finger inside the band (like the picture below) and used my thumb to slide the fabric through. It took awhile, but make sure you go slow so you don't rip out the seams on the side. (I did that on my first one - oops!) Once you get to the halfway mark, it goes really fast.

Step 5
Iron the headband flat to make sure the seams are flat before topstitching


Step 6
Sew down the long sides again - this time on the right sides of the headband to tack it in place. I didn't measure how far in I sewed the stitch, but just pick where you want the topstitch to be.


Step 7
Attach elastic to both ends by inserting it 1/4" to 1/2" in the headband end then stitch across the headband's end making sure to catch the elastic.


Step 8
I tried a couple different ways to finish off the ends so they looked prettier. On the brown headband, I did a tight zigzag stitch that covered the entire end so you wouldn't see the stitch.


But on the yellow headband, I cut a few inches of ribbon and wrapped the end, sewing it down across the middle of the ribbon and on both ends (if you use a thinner ribbon, you would be fine to just sew down the middle.



I liked the ribbon capped look on the ends the best.

Buttoned Flower Hair Clip

I made this last week, but my internet was down for almost a week, and I forgot I was waiting to post it :)

I found a bouquet of red flowers at Jo-Anns and used my trusty 40% off coupon (I wouldn't have half my craft stash without those now that we're living on a budget). I picked off 3 flowers from the stems and used a needle and thread to sew them together and attached a yellow button to the center.

Some fake flowers come with pretty centers you can use, but mine were ugly, so I opted for the button.

I then covered an alligator clip with 7 inches of 3/8" yellow ribbon and sewed the flower down to the ribbon-lined clip and then finished it off with some craft glue under the flower to add extra stability.

P.S. - I looked all over about 4 months ago for a handful of the alligator clips (or AKA Toddler Clips) and wound up at Sally's Beauty Supply. I got this box below of 100 clips for about $5. You can't find a better deal than that. These are the same clips I used when I made these Toddler Hair Clips last month. . .
This was my first attempt at attaching flowers to clips, but I hope to get better flowers next time (preferrably Daisies)!

Toddler Hair Clips

I don't have a little girl yet, so I'm making these in a hopeful effort :). If not for me, then 2 of my sister-in-laws are pregnant and due the same month I am, so chance are 1 of us will have a girl.

I bought a big box of the 2 pronged alligator clips and fixed them up to be a lot cuter. I'm still working on more embelishments and trying to finish a 4th of July set as well. These will hopefully be one of the first things I try to sell on Etsy or another way. I love making them and the possibilities are endless with ribbons and embelishments.

I just can't go too crazy making a ton of them yet or my husband will think I'm jinxing things and will have another boy instead of girl.