Make a ruched hair bandeau

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Make your bandeau from an oddment of printed fabric and wear it scrunched up as a headband or opened out to protect your hair from the sun.

You will need

● 35 x 54cm rectangle of fabric
● matching thread
● 14cm of 2.5cm wide elastic

How to make

Cut rectangles of fabric 46 x 35cm and 26 x 8cm. Press under 1cm across short ends of smaller piece for band. Fold in half lengthwise with right sides together and stitch 1cm from side.

Tack across one end and turn right side out. Remove tacking and press. Insert a 14cm length of 2.5cm wide elastic and stitch in place 2cm from each end.

Stitch narrow hems along both long edges of larger piece.

Pleat ends tightly and slip into open ends of band. Stitch close to end of band and again 1cm away.

Fabrics from a selection at The Cloth House (020 7437 5155)