How to Attach Things to a Headband?

Decorating plain headbands is a fun and easy craft that lets you customize an accessory. There are many different things you can attach to headbands like flowers, bows, buttons, brooches, pom poms and more to reflect your personal style.

With a few simple materials and techniques, you can create a one-of-a-kind headband.

Things You Can Attach to a Headband

Some popular things to attach to headbands include:

Flowers

Small or large fabric flowers make beautiful hair accessories. Go with solid colors or pretty patterns.

Bows

Add femininity with bows in different fabrics. Bows with ribbons tails can look especially cute.

Read More : How to Assemble a Hammock Stand?

Buttons

Choose shiny, colorful or patterned buttons to decorate your headpiece. Cluster them together or space them out.

Pins

Look through your pin collection and pick some choice pieces to attach. Maps, state pins, butterflies or cherries can all work nicely.

Brooches

Vintage or costume jewelry brooches lend your headband old fashioned charm. Go with themes like animals, flowers or holiday designs.

Appliques

Stitch on fabric appliques cut into fun shapes like hearts, stars or circles for a homemade look. Felt and lace are nice options.

Pom Poms

Use fluffy yarn pom poms in coordinating colors for a playful, bouncy accent.

Fabric shapes

Cut out your own shapes from patterned cotton, satin or even old neckties. Get creative!

Choosing Your Materials

To attach embellishments to a headband, you’ll need:

• Headband – Plastic or fabric-covered, available at craft stores. Match width to size of items.
• Item(s) to attach – Pick decorations that suit your style. Make sure they are lightweight.
• Glue or sewing supplies – Hot glue works for most materials. Choose thread and needle for sewing projects.

Attaching Flowers

Flowers make beautiful headband decor. Here’s how to attach them:

Small Flowers

For little blooms or buds less than an inch wide, use hot glue. Apply a small dot to the back of each flower, press onto headband. Add dots between flowers for extra hold if needed.

Large Flowers

With bigger blossoms, you can use hot glue or sewing:

• Hot glue – Apply generous amount to back of flower, hold firmly for 30 seconds as it dries.
• Sewing – Mark placement lightly with pencil. Hand stitch through back/front of flower and headband, knotting securely. Use neat stitches and matching thread.

Attaching Bows

Bows instantly feminize a headband. Here are some tips:

Small Bows

With bows under 2” wide, a small dab of hot glue on the back is sufficient to adhere them. You can add up to 2 bows per inch this way.

Large Bows

For bigger hair bows, sewing gives a very secure hold. Mark spots with pencil first. Stitch through the bow loops, not just fabric edges, for more stability. Knot tightly.

Attaching Buttons and Pins

Boutique-style headbands often feature clusters of cute buttons or pins. To attach them:

• Mark button/pin locations lightly in pencil so they are evenly spaced.
• Place a generous dot of hot glue on the back of each piece.
• Press buttons/pins firmly onto headband for 30 seconds as glue cools. The glue hardens quickly for a tight bond.

Attaching Brooches

Brooches make dazzling hair accessories with their sparkly “jewels.” Follow these steps to attach them:

• Mark brooch placement with pencil. Tip: Draw a line 3-4″ long to fan out multi-brooch designs attractively.
• Apply hot glue on brooch backs (or glue pieces for multi-part brooches).
• Press brooch in place, holding 30 seconds. Tip: With glue gun handy, check bond after a few minutes. Reapply glue if any edges lift up.

Sewing On Appliques and Fabric Shapes

Sew stitched-on shapes give a homemade look. Here’s how:

• Cut out applique pieces or custom shapes from fabric/felt/lace using scissors or craft punch.
• Lightly draw their placement with pencil so spacing looks balanced.
• Hand stitch around edges using tiny stitches and matching thread. Knot thread securely. Tip: Use fabric glue like Aleene’s to tack down edges while stitching for easier handling.

Gluing On Pom Poms

Pom poms create a playful, bouncy accent. To glue them on:

• Mark pom pom placement lightly with pencil first so spacing looks even. They can be clustered together or spaced apart – get creative!
• Put glue dot/strip onto hem edge of pom pom piece. Press in place on headband, holding for 30 seconds while glue sets.

Style Ideas

Deck out your headband to coordinate with an outfit or just express your personal flair. Some ideas:

• Floral – Go feminine with fabric roses, daisies or cherry blossoms. Mix colors/sizes for visual interest.
• Bows – Cheery ribbon bows in polka dots, gingham, solids or prints. Add looped bows too.
• Buttons – Group glass, carved, fabric or carved buttons for an eclectic statement.
• Glittery – Sparkle and shine by gluing on iridescent glitter shapes, glittery leaves or flower cut outs.
• Themed – Express hobbies/passions with related charms like ballet slippers, maple leaf pins, dogs, guitars or Paris designs.

Go bold and funky or sweet and delicate – the options are endless!

Caring For Your Decorated Headband

• If hair product residue builds up on the accessory pieces over time, use a tiny drop of mild cleaner (like Dawn dish soap) on a damp cloth to gently wash it away as needed. Avoid submerging the headband in water.
• For delicate flowers or shapes, check after each wear that pieces are still firmly adhered. Reapply glue immediately if a piece starts to loosen or lift up. This will prevent any losses.
• When not in use, store decorated headband pieces separately on a clean surface to prevent crushing or distortions in shape.

Troubleshooting Issues

If glue won’t adhere an item:

• Check that surface is clean/dry before applying glue. Wipe with rubbing alcohol first if needed to remove oils.
• Apply fresh glue and hold embellishment very firmly in place for full 30 seconds as it sets.
• Try a stronger glue (E6000) for heavy or hard-to-stick materials like glass, metal or plastic.

If a stitched piece detaches:

• Clean fabric edge then stitch again using smaller, closer sizing for a tighter hold.
• For frequent use pieces that may loosen over time, consider glue AND stitching together for added strength.

Creative Uses for Decorated Headbands

While decorated headbands are commonly worn in the hair, consider these creative other uses too:

• Display on a bulletin board as wearable art using push pins
• Suspend with ribbons from curtain rods or ceiling hooks as a statement “sculpture”
• Coil into holiday wreaths or tree ornaments
• Group color-coordinated pieces into pretty wall art
• Make a fabric flower girl basket to coordinate with a decorated flower girl headband for weddings/events

However you decide to wear or show off your decorated headband, it makes a fun DIY project to express your personal flair!

Additional Things You Can Attach

Aside from flowers, bows, buttons and other embellishments, some other creative items you can attach to headbands include:

Feathers

Add a boho chic or Native American vibe with feathers. Go with ostrich plumes or peacock feathers in colors that coordinate.

Tassels

Long beaded or knotted tassels lend a retro hippie style. Choose colors to match your outfit.

Seashells

For beachy accessories, glue on small seashells, pieces of coral or starfish. Keep them lightweight.

Fabric Strips

Cut colorful fabric strips from cotton prints, lace or satin ribbons. Sew or glue them on for a fun fringe effect.

Fake Fur Pom Poms

Fuzzy fur pom poms in colors like bright pink or zebra print really stand out. They are soft and eye catching.

Attaching Feathers or Tassels

Feathers and tassels move fluidly so attach them securely:

• For feathers with a stiff quill, apply hot glue inside the tube. For soft plumes, run a glue line down the top center.
• For tassels, apply glue down the tied portion of the top knot rather than just on the string loops.
• Hold for 60 seconds until fully set. Do a gentle tug test. Reapply glue anywhere pieces begin loosening up.

Attaching Seashells or Starfish

To glue seashells, starfish or coral pieces:

• Make sure shells have small holes for stringing or flat edges along the openings to glue against.
• Wash and fully dry shells first. Apply hot glue along the outer flat rim, holding 30 seconds until set.

Sewing On Fabric Pieces

Follow these steps for a secure hold:

• Trim fabric strips with pinking shears to avoid fraying.
• Fold and press ribbon edges under 1⁄4 inch.
• Pin fabric pieces in place then stitch down the center using matching thread in small tight stitches. Knot securely.

Gluing Fur Pom Poms

Faux fur pom poms require a strong flexible glue because they are so fluffy.

• Mark placement with pencil first. Space fur balls apart if using multiple.
• Apply tacky glue like E6000 to the fabric knot-tie of fur pom. Press onto headband for 60 seconds until set.

Creatively Combining Materials

For more visual interest, combine different textures by clustering materials together into coordinating groups. Some ideas:

• Buttons + ribbon roses
• Feathers + sequin pins
• Tassels + pom poms
• Shells + charms

Mix and match to find a fun style unique to you!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to attaching embellishments onto headbands. Follow the proper adhesion methods for each material, and your stylish homemade hair accessory will stay beautiful for a long time.

FAQs

What if my headband embellishments are too heavy?
Carefully evaluate the weight of pieces you want to glue on. Heavier items like large glass buttons or big fabric flowers may weigh down the headband curve once arranged together. For a lightweight accessory, stick to smaller sized metals, plastics, pom poms made from yarn or ultralight fabrics like organza flowers. Or, space out heavier elements in between lighter ones.

Can I glue things onto a leather, plastic or metal headband?
Check if hot glue adheres well first by testing a tiny dot on an inconspicuous area. If not, use a strong multi-material adhesive like E6000. With plastic and metal, roughing up the smooth surface slightly with sandpaper first can help the glue grip better.

How do I hide visible stitching on the front side?
Whenever possible, stitch on the backside of the headband. If stitches will be visible on the front, sink them into the accessory by piercing just through the first layer of fabric rather than going all the way through to the backside. Use matching thread and keep stitches very tiny for minimal visibility.