What You Need to Make a Scrunchie
A hair scrunchie is a fabric tube gathered around a small piece of elastic. It is a good first project because it uses very little fabric, mostly straight seams and only a handful of supplies. It also uses up scraps, which makes it a popular “stash buster.”
Materials
- Fabric: one strip, about 9 cm x 50 cm (3 1/2 in x 20 in)
- Elastic: about 6 mm (1/4 in) wide
- Thread to match your fabric
Tools
- Fabric scissors or a rotary cutter and ruler
- Safety pin (for threading the elastic)
- Pins
- Chalk or a fabric pen
- Hand sewing needle (optional, for closing the gap)
How Much Fabric Do You Need?
The strip above makes one standard-size scrunchie, so a small remnant or a fat quarter is more than enough. Fat quarters can yield several strips. If you want a fuller, “oversized” scrunchie, you can cut a longer or wider strip, but check how it looks and feels before you cut a stack of them. Sizes in tutorials vary, so treat the numbers here as a starting point rather than a rule.
What Is the Best Elastic Length?
For a strip of the size above, one tutorial uses an elastic piece of about 23 cm (9 in). A shorter piece makes a tighter, more gathered scrunchie that holds a ponytail more firmly; a longer piece makes a looser one. If you are not sure, start at around 20 to 23 cm (8 to 9 in), then adjust on the next one. Elastic that is too long can slip, and elastic that is too short can be hard to put on thick hair.
Best Fabrics for Scrunchies
Light to medium weight fabrics work best, because the fabric needs to gather without becoming bulky. Common choices include:
- Cotton poplin or quilting cotton: easy to sew and widely available, so a good starting point.
- Poly-cotton and linen: hold their shape and are simple to handle.
- Satin, silk or velvet: look luxurious but are slippery or fussy, so pin well and sew slowly. These are better once you have made a couple of cotton scrunchies.
Heavy fabrics such as canvas are generally too bulky for this project. For more advice on picking your first projects and fabrics, see our guide to beginner friendly sewing patterns.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cut the strip. Cut one rectangle about 9 cm x 50 cm (3 1/2 in x 20 in).
- Fold it lengthwise with right sides together and pin along the long edge.
- Mark a gap. Measure about 4 cm (1 1/2 in) in from each end and mark. You will leave the section between those marks to be sewn, and the ends open.
- Sew the long edge between the marks using a 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowance. Backstitch at the start and end.
- Press the seam open. You now have a tube with open ends.
- Turn the tube right side out and press again.
- Pin the raw ends together, making sure the tube is not twisted.
- Sew the ends together with a 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowance. This step is a little fiddly, so go slowly.
- Press the seam open and tuck the raw edges back inside the tube.
- Attach a safety pin to one end of your elastic and thread it through the tube. Secure the other end with a pin so it does not disappear inside.
- Join the elastic. Overlap the ends and sew them together securely, with a few passes of stitching.
- Close the gap. Tuck the elastic inside and close the opening with a slip stitch by hand, or with a very close machine edge stitch.
Tips for a Neater Scrunchie
- Press as you go. Pressed seams make turning and closing much easier.
- Use a smaller safety pin if the tube is narrow, so it moves through more easily.
- Don’t twist the tube when you join the ends, or the finished scrunchie will have a visible twist.
- Cut on the straight grain and keep the strip square, so it gathers evenly.
- Make a test one in scrap fabric if you plan to use a more expensive fabric.
Is There a Free PDF Pattern?
Because a scrunchie is a rectangle, you do not need a printed template: you can cut it from the measurements above. Many sewing blogs also publish free scrunchie tutorials and printable guides, so searching for a free PDF is an option if you prefer a printed page.
Scrunchies as Gifts or Charity Projects
Scrunchies are quick to make in batches, so they are good gifts, craft-fair items and donation projects. If you want to put your sewing time to good use, see our list of volunteer sewing projects. For other quick, beginner projects, our swaddle pattern guide is another straightforward place to start.