Happy Fashion Friday, and welcome to my third Workout DIY!
If you’ve already made my DIY Workout Shirt and DIY Multi-Strand Scarf you can now complete your look with a DIY Workout Headband! Keep your bangs or little whispy hairs out of your face during an intense sweat session, or hit the yoga studio in style with this super cute five strand braided headband!
Who doesn’t’ want to be decked out from head to toe in homemade RFFMBT no-sew workout clothes?!
DIY Workout Headband
Makes one chic headband
You could make up to 3 headbands depending on the size of your shirt & amount of fabric left!
Ingredients:
1 old T-shirt
1 pair of scissors
1 piece of tape
30 minutes
1. Start with a large T-shirt. Any old shirt will do! Seamless is a plus!
2. Cut off the bottom hem of the shirt. Then cut five 1in wide strips horizontally across the shirt starting from the bottom. You can use a ruler to guide a straight line across the shirt, but don’t worry if they aren’t perfect.
3. Set the bottom hem aside. Stretch all of the remaining strips until they become long, and the raw edges start to roll inwards.
4. Cut the five strands in half so they become long strands (instead of circles).
5. Gather the five strands, and secure them onto a hard surface with tape. This will make it easier for you to braid. Take the outside left strand and place it one over to the right.
6. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the left.
7. Take the outside right strand and place it one over to the left.
8. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the right.
9. Have you noticed the pattern? outside over one to the right, middle over one to the left, outside over one to the left, middle over one to the right … work from the left three strands, to the right 3 strands. Keep repeating these steps (9-12 are the same as 5-8)! Take the outside left strand and place it one over to the right.
10. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the left.
11. Take the outside right strand and place it one over to the left.
12. Take the middle strand and place it one over to the right.
13. Once you have finished braiding, trim the headband to fit your head, leaving about an inch on each end for knotting.
14. Start by double knotting one strand from each end of the braid together.
15. Match each end with another strand from the opposite end and double knot.
16. Trim the ends off of the double knots, and you’re done!
Tadaaaa! A chic headband for your next workout! You could even make 2 or 3 headbands out of one shirt, woo!
Post or email your photos if you make a headband! I can’t wait to see your creations!
courtney
June 29, 2012 at 2:52 pm (12 years ago)I need to make one of these for the Color Run I am runnig tomorrow morn. It would be PERFECT!!
Catherine
June 29, 2012 at 3:07 pm (12 years ago)Awesome Idea!
Jacqualyn B.
June 29, 2012 at 8:01 pm (12 years ago)Love it! My favorite color.
Catherine
June 29, 2012 at 10:03 pm (12 years ago)Thank you!
Desiree
June 30, 2012 at 12:53 am (12 years ago)So cute! I love your blog, your story and your strength… Thank you for sharing!
Catherine
June 30, 2012 at 8:55 am (12 years ago)Thank you so much Desiree! Im so happy you found my blog, I’m loving yours 🙂 Health & Happiness xo
Jessica
June 30, 2012 at 5:56 am (12 years ago)You can actually braid yout hair like this, it’s called the five points braid!
It looks awesome
Catherine
June 30, 2012 at 8:59 am (12 years ago)Omg Jessica I need to learn how to do that!
Ashley
June 30, 2012 at 9:12 am (12 years ago)Gah! So adorable! I was JUST saying that I had way too many t-shirts. Great idea!! 😀
Catherine
June 30, 2012 at 2:00 pm (12 years ago)Hahaha perfect way to put those shirts to good use 🙂
Fatima
June 30, 2012 at 9:48 am (12 years ago)Omg I just found out about your blog and I can’t stop reading! The only blog where I feel the urge to try out EVERY recipe. Keep up the good work!
Catherine
June 30, 2012 at 2:00 pm (12 years ago)Awww thank you! I am so happy you found my blog, thank you so much for the compliments and for reading! Health & Happiness xo
Louisa
June 30, 2012 at 1:59 pm (12 years ago)Catherine– I am OBSESSED with your blog! (Or website… what’s the proper vocab here?) I found it through your post on the awesome workout shirt (i was actually running today and was like “jeez i gotta make that shirt, it’s too hot out for sleeves”), but I’m so glad to see there’s so much more! Specifically, more food/weight related stuff. I not only find so many things to relate to (body image/healthy food/sometimes not healthy food– shout out), but a ton of things to work towards as well! Keep up the amazing work, I’m so glad I found this! Apologies for the word vom.
Catherine
June 30, 2012 at 2:07 pm (12 years ago)Hahaha Louisa you’re hilarious! Thank you so much for the compliments, you are so sweet and I really really appreciate hearing feedback from readers! It’s comments like this that make me so happy to blog every day! Health & Happiness xo
Jojo
July 1, 2012 at 7:46 am (12 years ago)This is so cute! I made this and the DIY workout shirt out of the same t-shirt, even though the shirt is a little short. They are both still really cute and I love it! Thanks sooooo much for this idea 😀
Catherine
July 1, 2012 at 10:09 am (12 years ago)Awesome! So glad you loved the tutorials and have some new workout gear 🙂 xo
Meenakshi
July 1, 2012 at 9:46 am (12 years ago)Hey, please post more DIYs..i love all your projects..
thanks so much..
Catherine
July 1, 2012 at 10:09 am (12 years ago)Thanks Meenakshi! I love DIY’s so except more in the future 🙂
Ang
July 1, 2012 at 4:59 pm (12 years ago)Made one..LOVE IT! I cant wait to experiment with different colors. Im wearing mine as i type this 😀
Catherine
July 1, 2012 at 5:40 pm (12 years ago)Too cute! Glad you loved the tutorial! Health & Happiness xo
Claire
July 2, 2012 at 8:21 am (12 years ago)Just found your blog and I’m obsessed! Pretty sure I’ve already read through every post! You’re a great inspiration to strive for a healthy lifestyle, keep it up! Educate and motivate!
Catherine
July 2, 2012 at 10:08 am (12 years ago)Thank you so much Claire! That means so much to me! Health & Happiness xo
Elle
July 2, 2012 at 8:39 am (12 years ago)This is too cute! You could even make multicolored ones with different strands of different colored shirts! Can’t wait to try this out! 🙂
Catherine
July 2, 2012 at 10:07 am (12 years ago)Love the multicolored idea!
Ashley
July 2, 2012 at 9:40 am (12 years ago)Catherine- Thank you for blogging! You literally make my day when you have a new post up. I can’t wait to try this craft.
Since discovering your DIYs no t-shirt in my house is safe!
Catherine
July 2, 2012 at 10:07 am (12 years ago)You are so sweet! Thank you so much 🙂 xo
Behnaz
July 2, 2012 at 9:44 pm (12 years ago)I need to make this ASAP, and take it to Israel with me!
Catherine
July 2, 2012 at 9:56 pm (12 years ago)Yes!!! Super cute for vacation! xo
Jillian Mckee
July 3, 2012 at 11:08 am (12 years ago)Hi,
I have a quick question about your blog, do you think you could email me?
Jillian
Catherine
July 3, 2012 at 12:10 pm (12 years ago)Hi Jillian! I receive hundreds of emails a day so I am no longer accepting personal emails, but you are welcome to ask in a comment or via Facebook! Health & Happiness xo
Elvia
July 6, 2012 at 2:16 pm (12 years ago)Thank you so much. I made my first one today and I love it. Can’t wait to make other ones. Tried to make the tank tips as well but I need to find higher t shirts. I truly can relate to your blog. I’ve been struggling with weight all my life and just need to get it together but it’s a struggle everyday. Keep up the good work. You help me everyday.
Catherine
July 6, 2012 at 2:24 pm (12 years ago)So glad you loved the headband Elvia! I’m so happy that you found my blog and can relate! Health & Happiness xo
Catherine
July 8, 2012 at 10:38 am (12 years ago)I have a question about this headband (I’m just about to make one!) — Since it’s a workout headband, and it’s made from t-shirt material, can it be washed and dried w/o compromising the size/stability of it?
Catherine
July 8, 2012 at 11:01 am (12 years ago)As long as the Tshirt has already been washed and dried (shrunken) before you make the headband it should be fine in the washer! xo
Melissa
July 8, 2012 at 11:43 am (12 years ago)This would be adorable to make a matching sweat band for you wrist. My son & I work out today. I found your blog when we got home. I am so making the headband workout shirt and a wrist band. Thank you.
Catherine
July 8, 2012 at 11:52 am (12 years ago)Too cute Melissa!
emilie
July 8, 2012 at 2:03 pm (12 years ago)Hi Catherine, I’ve tried it twice but the bands I cut won’t roll in nice little tubes, and so the result is kinda ugly… I think that’s the fabric, any advice or hints on what you used ?
Catherine
July 8, 2012 at 3:07 pm (12 years ago)Hi Emilie! I used a 100% cotton shirt, so when I stretched the strips they got super long and the edges rolled right in! It could be the fabric of your shirt? or maybe the way it was woven?
emilie
July 9, 2012 at 2:28 am (12 years ago)Yes, I think the shirt is to blame… I’m not giving up though 🙂
To be continued …
Jenna
July 10, 2012 at 12:33 pm (12 years ago)Thanks for this idea – it was so easy! I just made one in under 20 minutes. I’ll definitely be making more very soon!
Catherine
July 10, 2012 at 1:22 pm (12 years ago)That’s great Jenna! Glad you loved it! xo
Devin
July 13, 2012 at 12:48 pm (12 years ago)I’ve been really into DIY projects lately, expecially upcycling my old clothes and T-shirts! I’m definitely going to be trying this headband out once I find a shirt to use! I’m thinking a few K-State shirts (I’m thinking a purple one, grey one, and white one!) would turn into a lovely gameday headband, and whatever’s left over I can use to make a matching purse! <3
Catherine
July 13, 2012 at 1:28 pm (12 years ago)So cute! I cannot wait for you to make it, Devin!
Lesleigh
August 7, 2012 at 6:23 pm (12 years ago)Just made this, so simple and very cute!
Lauren
August 12, 2012 at 10:43 pm (12 years ago)I loved the idea of this headband so much that I tried it! I constantly see DIY’s similar to this (turning old T-shirts into other things) but I am always too terrified to try. This tutorial though is easy to follow and is so well organized that anyone can do it! However, being a rookie to DIY’s, this took me about an hour and half. Despite the extra time, I am SO happy with the result! Since I have a hard time finding headbands that are tight enough for a workout and still look good, this is the PERFECT headband for me! I made exactly how tight I wanted it and it looks amazing! I just started reading this blog and I already love it! I can’t wait to try the other DIY’s! Thanks Catherine!
Catherine
August 12, 2012 at 11:31 pm (12 years ago)That is so exciting Lauren! I am so happy that you tried it and love your new headband! The braiding is the trickiest part, but I’m sure now you can make headbands with your eyes closed! I cannot wait for you to try some more DIYS! xo
Katie Lewis
August 17, 2012 at 11:24 am (12 years ago)Hi, Catherine. I tried both the headband and the scarf you made and blogged about it. I featured your link (both to your blog home and your project pages) on my post. Check it out at http://walkslikerain.blogspot.com/2012/08/upcycled-t-shirt-diy-scarf-headband.html
Thanks,
Katie
G
September 4, 2012 at 3:30 pm (12 years ago)Just bought a turqoise men’s XL seamless at my local Goodwill for two bucks. Gonna make a couple!
April V
December 29, 2012 at 3:47 pm (12 years ago)I always try to make crafty things and it never works..but I just made one of these and I love it! It came out almost perfect and I’m gonna make more! Thanks for the great tutorial! And thank God for pinterest!
Marlee
January 17, 2013 at 5:57 pm (12 years ago)Only DIY project that I’ve ever been successful at!
Moria
March 23, 2013 at 1:09 pm (12 years ago)Love them all! Would you teach us how to wrap our hair like you did in the headband photo?
lisa
August 26, 2013 at 4:06 am (11 years ago)This is such a great project! I always find that they start to slide up the back so I fixed that by putting a line of hot glue where the headband sits on the underneath of mt head. Instant non-slip!
Mimi
February 21, 2015 at 12:54 pm (10 years ago)I’m fourteen years old, and love crafting. I do all sorts of things and this is right up my ally! My friend and I get together all the time and we used to cook, I was horrible at it and got frustrated now she makes me food and I make crafts and give them to her. I love all your craft tutorials that you make out of every day items, I wish I could have found your web page sooner!
Catherine
February 21, 2015 at 7:21 pm (10 years ago)Hi Mimi! Awwww that’s so cute, I love that you craft while your friend cooks, that sound like so much fun! 🙂
j j
April 14, 2020 at 8:23 am (5 years ago)Thanks for sharing this most ppl complicate braiding steps yours were super easy!
Jana Huff
August 12, 2020 at 1:58 pm (4 years ago)I did it! I found your tutorial last night and made the headband today. It’s perfect! Much obliged for this excuse not to throw away a pretty colored t-shirt.