Discover how to make your own bandana easily
The bandana is a timeless fashion accessory, whose fame and history are unquestionable.
Popular with cowboys, gangsters, fashion, pin-up and rocker styles, it has the distinction of being popular with a wide variety of groups and styles.
Beyond the aesthetic aspect, the bandana also has the advantage of having many utilitarian uses:
- protection against the sun's rays,
- sign of belonging to a group or a team,
- absorption of perspiration,
- anti-dust and pollution mask,
- or even: emergency bandage.
So, whatever the initial reason why you want to have a bandana, it will always be useful.
We are going to present to you through this article a simple and fast tutorial so that you can make your own bandana.
I) Characteristics of the bandana
a. Size and dimension of a bandana
A bandana comes in many different shapes and sizes. However, the "classic" and most common size is 22 Inch (55 cm by 55 cm).
This is the size on which we will base our bandana in this article, free to make it more or less large according to your desires or needs, the process will remain the same.
PS: if you want more information about the dimensions of a bandana, you can read our article on this subject.
b. Fabric and material of the bandana
Again, there are bandanas of all types of fabrics and materials:
- cotton,
- polyester,
- silk,
- nylon.
The choice of material will depend on your intended use and preferences.
Cotton bandanas will generally have the advantage of being softer, thicker and more absorbent, but are more prone to fading, shrinking and wrinkling over time. They therefore require more maintenance and will be less durable in the long run than polyester ones.
Polyester bandanas, on the other hand, will be much lighter and very durable over time, they are also less absorbent than a cotton bandana, which gives them the property to dry very quickly and be more resistant to stains. On the other hand, they will be less soft and the contact with the skin will be slightly less pleasant.
2) How to make a homemade bandana
Necessary material
- Piece of fabric of at least 60 cm by 60 cm
- Felt pen or marker
- A ruler or any measuring instrument
- A pair of scissors
- Knitting needle and thread or sewing machine
- Iron
- (Optional): Decorative pieces
1. Choose the piece of fabric you want
To begin you will need to select the fabric from which you will make your bandana.
This includes the type of fabric you want (see above for the advantages and disadvantages of each), but also the color and patterns you want.
In any case, the minimum recommended size is 24 Inch (60 cm by 60 cm), in order to have a small margin for the realization of the hems afterwards.
2. Draw a square
There are two cases here:
- Your piece of fabric is already the right size: you can skip this step
- Your piece of fabric is bigger than the recommended size (24 Inch / 60 cm X 60 cm): you will use a ruler and a marker to draw the outline of your bandana (you can use textile markers to make the marks disappear when washing)
Tip: start in a corner of your fabric piece, to make it easier and to waste as little fabric as possible.
PS: it's better to make a trace a little bigger than a little smaller: if it's a little too big, it will be easy to re-cut it later, but if it's too small, you won't be able to do much about it...
3. Cut out the square to form the bandana
Once the tracing is done with the right dimensions and straight, you just have to take a pair of scissors and start cutting your bandana following your marking.
Tip: use scissors that cut well (if possible sewing scissors) to have a clean cut.
Once cut, you can try your bandana to see if the size fits you or if you need to cut it more, but be careful, don't forget that you still have to do the hem, and that you will lose between 1 and 5 cm when making it afterwards.
4. Make a hem (1-5cm)
The purpose of the hem is to prevent the edges of your bandana from fraying and therefore to have a bandana that will resist better over time.
To do this: fold the ends of the bandana on themselves to form a hem. The width will depend on your preferences, we recommend a hem between 1 and 5 cm. Once the hem is folded to the desired width, iron it.
The purpose of this is to have a straight and even hem for sewing in the next step.
5. Pin and sew
Once your hem is in place (straight and even), you need to stabilize it in order to sew it.
To do this, pin the hem to make sure it is secure and stays in place while sewing.
Once this is done, the last crucial step remains: sewing! The easiest way to do this is to use a sewing machine, but if you don't have one, needles and knitting thread will do the trick.
To begin, thread the needle and stitch it into the back of the hem (to hide the knot). Bring it out onto the right side of the fabric. Then continue to thread the needle through the layers of your fabric, alternating between the right side and wrong side of the hem at regular intervals. When finished, tie off the end of the thread.
Tip: Double the thread at the start to make the seam stronger and more resistant.
6. Wear your homemade bandana!
That's it! Now all you have to do is put on your bandana and enjoy your work!
3) How to put on your bandana
There are many ways to put a bandana, you can for example :
- Wear it around the neck, cowboy style
- Tied on the head with an inverted knot pin-up style
- Around the forehead like a headband (perfect for sports)
- Or in a more original way: around your wrist, or even your handbag, to accessorize it and give it a touch of color and cheerfulness.
It's up to you to find your style and make your outfit stand out!
4) How to customize a bandana?
There are several methods and ways to do this:
- Adding a pattern or a logo with a piece of fabric:
Indeed, you can sew or glue additional pieces of your choice to customize your bandana. You can for example add the logo of your favorite music band or your city, a symbol that you hold dear, ...
- Use of felt or textile paint:
You can let your artistic side speak by giving free rein to your imagination.
Paint or draw unique and personal patterns, which have a real meaning and significance for you. You can also use stencils for a cleaner and more professional result.
PS: To buy this type of paints and markers, you can go to art and hobby stores that usually offer various textile paints, among which you will then only have to make your choice. Make sure they are indelible and do not wash out.
PPS: Remember to refer to the instruction manual of your paint and marker to know the drying time and potential special instructions for washing.
Now you know everything you need to know to make your own unique and personal bandana! You can repeat the process as many times as you like to test different fabrics, patterns and colors.
You can also, if you wish, buy a bandana directly, or simply look at our different collections to get inspired for potential new personal designs.
