How To Make A Mouse Ears Headband - Christmas Nightmare

WHAT YOU NEED:
Hot Glue Gun
1/2" Headband
Polyester Fiberfill Stuffing
Christmas Nightmare Mouse Ears Set - stitched and trimmed

HOW TO:
Step 1 - Cut darts around the curves from your seam allowance on your mouse ear pieces. Be sure not to cut too close to your seams. This will allow the curve of the mouse ears to be smoother once you turn your pieces right side out.

*If you think the shapes of your pieces are too boxy and don't curve enough once you've turned it right side out, turn them inside out and add a few more darts.

Step 2 - Turn your pieces right side out. With a mouse ear piece, stuff it so that there is more stuffing at the base where it will attach to the headband and have it taper off as it gets to the top of the ear.

*Do not stuff past the circle shape - the tabs will be wrapped around and glued to the headband.

Step 3 - Set the mouse ear piece face up on a table to check dart placements and stuffing. The curve around the circle shape should be smooth and the base of the mouse ear should be stuffed more than the tip.

Repeat steps 1 - 3 with the other mouse ear.





Step 4 - Cut darts around the curves from your seam allowance on your bow piece. Be sure not to cut too close to the seam. This will allow the curves of the bow to be smoother once you turn it right side out.

*If you think the shape of the bow is too boxy and doesn't curve enough once you've  turned it right side out, turn it inside out and add a few more darts.



Step 5 - Turn your bow piece right side out. Stuff it with as much stuffing as you can in all the corners and in the middle.

Step 6 - Fold the raw edges of the opening on the bow inside. Take a long piece of string and fold it in half, threading the needle so that there will be a loop at the bottom. Begin to sew the bow shut by starting on one end of the opening.





Step 7 - Pull the needle and thread through the bow slowly. Put your needle through the loop at the bottom before all of the thread is pulled through the bow. Pull the needle and thread taught so that the loop is now tight against the bow material. Continue sewing across the opening of the bow, making sure the raw edges of the opening are on the inside of the bow.




*****Steps 8 & 9 are optional. They help shape the bow center but aren't necessary, so you can tie off the thread once the opening is stitched shut and skip to step 10 if you like.*****

Step 8 - Once the opening is stitched shut, don't cut the thread. Put the needle and thread through the top seam at the corner, and then wrap the thread around the back and put the needle and thread through the bottom seam corner.






Step 9 - Pull the thread tight so that the thread creates a nice crease in the bow.

Stitch across the seam you hand stitched earlier and repeat steps 8 & 9 for the other side of the bow. Now tie off your thread and cut off the extra.





Step 10 - Using a fabric scrap from stitching the bow in your hoop, fold the raw edges under and crease with your fingers. Use the stuffed bow as a guide to determine how wide to make it.

*Don't trim the length of the piece yet. It needs to be long enough to wrap around the bow and headband. Trimming this piece will take place during step 15.

Step 11 - Position all the pieces on the headband where you want them to be and make a mental note or mark the headband on the inside where the center for each piece is.







Step 12 - Starting with a mouse ear, fold under the raw edges of the back side tab and glue onto the headband where you identified in step 11. Once the glue is dry, determine if you need to add any stuffing to get the nice round shape at the base of the mouse ear. Then fold under the raw edges of the top side tab and glue onto the headband. Hold the tab and mouse ear still until the glue has dried.



Step 13 - Take your other mouse ear and make sure it's facing the same direction as the mouse ear you attached in step 12. Repeat step 12.








Step 14 - Glue the stuffed bow along the seam you hand stitched in step 7 onto the headband where you identified in step 11. Hold the stuffed bow still until the glue has dried.







Step 15 - With the fabric scrap from step 10, determine which end will wrap from the back of the bow over to the front. With the end that starts at the back, fold under the raw edges and glue to the headband where you identified. Once the glue is dry, wrap it up and over the stuffed bow and headband. Pull taught. Trim the excess material off, being sure to leave enough so the raw edge can be turned under. Then fold under the raw edges of the remaining end and glue onto the headband. Hold the end still until the glue has dried.

It's simply meant to be!! You've made a Christmas Nightmare mouse ears headband that's sure to make a special someone scream with delight! Congratulations!!