What You’ll Make and Why It’s a Great Beginner Project
A scrunchie is a fabric-covered elastic hair tie. It’s small, quick to sew, and forgiving—perfect for practicing accurate seams, sewing a tube, turning fabric right-side out, and closing an opening neatly. You’ll also learn how to “thread” elastic through a fabric casing and join elastic ends securely so the scrunchie holds up to daily use.
This project is also ideal for using fabric scraps. You can make a scrunchie from quilting cotton for a crisp look, from rayon/viscose for a drapier, softer scrunch, or from velvet for a plush, slightly bulky style. The construction is the same; only the feel and bulk change.
Materials and Notions
- Fabric (woven or stable knit): a rectangle cut to size (see sizing section)
- Elastic: 1/4 in (6 mm) or 3/8 in (10 mm) wide is easiest for beginners
- Safety pin or bodkin for threading elastic
- Matching thread
- Optional: fabric clips (helpful for slippery fabrics), hand-sewing needle for closing the opening, fray-check for fraying fabrics
Scrunchie Sizing: Fabric and Elastic Formulas
A scrunchie is basically a long fabric tube gathered by elastic. Two measurements matter: the fabric rectangle size (length and width) and the elastic length.
Recommended beginner size (classic scrunchie)
- Fabric rectangle: 22 in long × 4 in wide (56 cm × 10 cm)
- Elastic: 8 in long (20 cm) of 1/4 in or 3/8 in elastic
This size fits most ponytails and gives a medium “scrunch” amount.
How to adjust the size
- More fullness (bigger scrunch): increase fabric length to 24–26 in (61–66 cm). Keep elastic similar, or slightly longer if you want a looser hold.
- Less fullness (sleeker scrunch): reduce fabric length to 18–20 in (46–51 cm).
- Wider scrunchie (more visible): increase fabric width to 5–6 in (13–15 cm). This makes a taller tube once folded.
- Narrow scrunchie: reduce fabric width to 3–3.5 in (7.5–9 cm).
Elastic length guidance
Elastic length depends on hair thickness and desired tightness. A practical starting point is 7–9 in (18–23 cm). If you’re unsure, cut 9 in first; you can overlap more when joining to tighten. If you know you prefer a looser scrunchie, use 9–10 in. If you want a tighter hold, use 7–8 in.
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Before You Sew: Fabric Prep and Orientation
Choose a fabric that feels comfortable against hair and won’t snag. Woven cotton is easiest to handle. Slippery fabrics (satin, rayon) can shift; use more pins or clips and sew slowly. If your fabric frays easily, handle gently and keep seam allowances consistent.
Place your rectangle with the long edges running left-to-right. The long edges will become the tube seam. The short edges will be joined later to form a loop.
Step-by-Step: Sew the Fabric Tube
1) Fold and pin the long edges
Fold the fabric rectangle in half lengthwise, right sides together, matching the long raw edges. Pin or clip along the long edge. If your fabric has a direction (like stripes or a one-way print), make sure the print will face correctly when worn. For most prints, it won’t matter.
2) Stitch the long seam
Sew along the pinned long edge using a straight stitch. Use a seam allowance of about 3/8 in (1 cm) or 1/2 in (1.2 cm). Backstitch at the beginning and end. You now have a long tube with the wrong side out.
If the fabric is slippery, keep your hands close to the presser foot and guide gently—avoid pulling. If you notice the layers shifting, stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot, realign, and continue.
3) Reduce bulk (optional) and press the seam
If your fabric is thick (like velvet), you can trim the seam allowance slightly to reduce bulk, but don’t cut too close to the stitching. Then press the seam allowance to one side. Pressing helps the tube turn neatly and makes the final scrunchie look more even.
4) Turn the tube right-side out
Turn the tube right-side out. A simple method is to attach a safety pin to one end of the tube and feed it through the inside, pulling the fabric along until it flips right-side out. Smooth the tube so the seam runs straight along one side.
Practical tip: If the tube feels twisted, lay it flat and run your fingers along it to ensure the seam is a straight line and the fabric isn’t spiraling.
Step-by-Step: Form the Loop (Join the Short Ends)
5) Align the short ends right sides together
Bring the two short ends of the tube together to form a loop. Match the ends with right sides together. The seam you sewed earlier should be aligned so it meets itself (seam-to-seam) at the join. Pin or clip.
This step can feel awkward because you’re working with a loop. Take your time and keep the tube from twisting. A helpful check: lay the loop on the table; the seam should run continuously without flipping to the other side.
6) Stitch the short ends, leaving an opening
Sew the short ends together with the same seam allowance you used earlier, but leave a 1.5–2 in (4–5 cm) opening in the seam. This opening is for inserting and joining the elastic. Backstitch at both sides of the opening to secure it.
After sewing, you have a fabric ring (still right-side out) with a small unsewn gap along the join seam.
Step-by-Step: Insert and Join the Elastic
7) Cut elastic and attach a safety pin
Cut your elastic to the chosen length (start with 8 in / 20 cm if unsure). Attach a safety pin to one end. The safety pin acts like a handle and prevents the elastic end from disappearing into the tube.
8) Thread the elastic through the scrunchie
Feed the safety pin into the opening and guide it through the fabric casing. Work the safety pin forward by bunching fabric onto it, then pulling the fabric back. Continue until the safety pin comes out the other side of the opening.
Important: Keep hold of the elastic tail at the first side of the opening so it doesn’t slip inside. You can pin that tail to the fabric temporarily.
9) Overlap and secure the elastic ends
Overlap the elastic ends by about 1 in (2.5 cm). Stitch the overlap securely. A simple, strong method is to sew a box with an X inside (often called a “box-x”). If that feels advanced, sew several rows of zigzag back and forth across the overlap. The goal is a strong join that won’t pop when stretched.
Practical check: Stretch the elastic join firmly a few times. If you see stitches separating or hear thread snapping, reinforce with more stitching.
Elastic join options (choose one):
1) Box-X: stitch a rectangle, then stitch diagonally corner-to-corner.
2) Zigzag bar-tack style: wide zigzag stitched back and forth across the overlap.
3) Multiple straight rows: 3–4 rows across overlap (works best on wider elastic).10) Pull the elastic inside
Once the elastic is joined, pull the fabric around the elastic so the join disappears inside the casing. Distribute gathers evenly around the scrunchie.
Step-by-Step: Close the Opening Neatly
You now need to close the opening left in the fabric join seam. You can do this by machine or by hand. Hand sewing often looks cleaner because it hides stitches, but machine stitching is faster and perfectly acceptable for a beginner scrunchie.
Option A: Close by machine (fast)
Fold the raw edges of the opening inward so they match the seam allowance. Pin or clip. Stitch close to the folded edge, catching both sides. Use a short stitch length for durability. Your stitches will be visible, but they’ll blend if you match thread color.
Option B: Close by hand (neater)
Thread a hand needle and knot the end. Fold the raw edges inward. Use a ladder stitch (also called invisible stitch) to close the opening. Take small, even stitches, pulling gently so the seam closes like a zipper. Knot securely and bury the thread tail inside the scrunchie.
Quality Checks: Fit, Stretch, and Shape
Check 1: Does it stretch smoothly?
Stretch the scrunchie several times. The fabric should gather evenly and the elastic join should not feel bulky or sharp. If you feel a hard lump, it’s usually the elastic overlap; rotate it so it sits in a less noticeable spot.
Check 2: Does it hold hair?
Try it in your hair. If it feels too loose, shorten the elastic next time by 1 in (2.5 cm). If it feels too tight or hard to wrap, lengthen the elastic by 1 in.
Check 3: Is the seam comfortable?
Run your fingers around the scrunchie. If you feel scratchy seam allowance (common with fraying fabrics), consider using a softer fabric next time or trimming and pressing the seam more carefully before turning.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Twisted loop
What happens: The scrunchie looks like a Möbius strip and won’t sit flat.
Fix: Before sewing the short ends, lay the tube flat and ensure the long seam runs straight and stays on the same side all the way around. If already sewn, you’ll need to unpick the short-end seam and resew without the twist.
Elastic disappears inside while threading
What happens: You lose the elastic end inside the casing.
Fix: Use a pin to anchor the free end to the fabric near the opening. If it disappears, gently scrunch the fabric along the elastic until you find the end again.
Elastic join pops
What happens: The overlap seam breaks when stretched.
Fix: Reseam the elastic overlap with stronger stitching (box-x or dense zigzag). Use matching thread and stitch slowly so the needle penetrates elastic cleanly.
Scrunchie looks flat (not enough gathers)
What happens: The fabric doesn’t puff up much.
Fix: Use a longer fabric rectangle (24–26 in) or slightly shorter elastic. Also check that your fabric isn’t too stiff; very stiff fabric can resist gathering.
Scrunchie is too bulky
What happens: It feels thick and heavy.
Fix: Use a narrower fabric width (3–4 in) or a lighter fabric. Trim seam allowances slightly and press well before turning.
Variations You Can Make with the Same Method
Skinny scrunchie (minimal look)
Cut fabric 18–22 in long × 3 in wide (46–56 cm × 7.5 cm). Use 1/4 in elastic. This version is quick and less bulky, great for fine hair.
Oversized “statement” scrunchie
Cut fabric 26–30 in long × 6 in wide (66–76 cm × 15 cm). Use 3/8 in elastic and consider a slightly longer elastic length (9 in / 23 cm) if you want it comfortable. This works best in lightweight fabrics so it doesn’t become too heavy.
Velvet scrunchie tips
Velvet can creep while sewing. Use more pins/clips, sew slowly, and keep the nap direction consistent. Because velvet is thick, consider a slightly wider seam allowance and trim carefully to reduce bulk.
Scrunchie with a bow (add-on)
Make a separate bow strip (for example, 18 in × 3 in / 46 cm × 7.5 cm), sew it into a turned tube, then tie it around the finished scrunchie. This avoids changing the main construction and lets you swap bows.
Practice Goals for This Project
- Sewing a consistent seam on a long edge without stretching or shifting fabric
- Turning a narrow tube cleanly
- Managing a small opening and closing it neatly
- Making a durable elastic join that withstands repeated stretching
- Adjusting size intentionally based on fit feedback
