A scrunchie is a strip of fabric sewn into a tube, turned right side out, threaded with a loop of elastic and closed into a ring. The classic size takes a strip 10 × 55 cm (4 × 22 in), about 20 cm (8 in) of 6 mm (1/4 in) elastic and one seam, so it takes ten minutes once you know the steps and uses up scraps too small for anything else. Satin, cotton lawn, velvet and jersey all work.
What do you need to sew a scrunchie?
- One strip of fabric, cut across the width of the fabric or along a scrap. The size sets the look: see the table below.
- Elastic, 6 mm (1/4 in) wide, knitted or braided, 18 to 22 cm (7 to 8 3/4 in) depending on your hair.
- A safety pin, pins or clips, and thread to match or contrast.
That is the whole list. One strip 10 cm (4 in) deep across a 140 cm (55 in) wide fabric gives two classic scrunchies with a little to spare, so a 10 cm cut from the end of a bolt makes a pair.
What size strip do you cut for a scrunchie?
The strip's length decides how full the ruffle is, since the fabric gathers up onto a 20 cm loop of elastic; its width decides how deep the ruffle stands. A 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowance is included on every side.
| Size | Cut strip | Finished ring | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skinny | 7 × 45 cm (2 3/4 × 17 3/4 in) | 2.5 cm (1 in) deep | Fine hair, wrist, half-up styles |
| Classic | 10 × 55 cm (4 × 22 in) | 4 cm (1 5/8 in) deep | Everyday, most hair |
| Oversized | 16 × 75 cm (6 1/4 × 29 1/2 in) | 7 cm (2 3/4 in) deep | Thick hair, a statement |
If a scrap is too short for one length, cut it in two pieces and seam them end to end first; the join disappears in the gathers. The strip can run along the grain or across it, and on a lightweight silk a bias-cut strip gives the softest folds.
Which fabrics work for scrunchies?
Almost any soft fabric, woven or knit, and this is where scraps earn their keep:
- Satin and silk slide over hair without snagging and make the smoothest ruffle; they also creep when sewn, so pin every 5 cm (2 in). The post on sewing with satin has needle and stitch settings.
- Cotton lawn, poplin and quilting cotton are the easiest to sew and press, and prints look good in the gathers.
- Velvet makes a plush scrunchie for winter; cut the strip with the nap running one way and use a walking foot or hand-baste the seam, because velvet creeps as it feeds.
- Jersey and rib knit from a T-shirt project need no seam finish and gather softly.
- Linen gives a relaxed, matte scrunchie; press the tube well before threading the elastic.
Avoid canvas, denim and anything with interfacing: a stiff tube does not gather and the ring stands away from the hair.
How do you sew a scrunchie, step by step?
Use a 1 cm (3/8 in) seam allowance and a straight stitch at 2.5 mm, or a narrow zigzag on a knit.
- Cut the strip to the size in the table, squaring the ends with a ruler so the join lies flat later.
- Sew the tube. Fold the strip in half along its length, right sides together, and sew the long edge from end to end. Backstitch at both ends. Leave the short ends open.
- Turn the tube right side out. Attach a safety pin to one end and feed it back through the tube, or push the tube over a chopstick and work the fabric down. Press the tube with the seam along one edge.
- Thread the elastic. Pin the safety pin to one end of the elastic and push it through the tube. Pin the other end of the elastic to the tube's open end so it cannot disappear inside. Overlap the elastic ends by 1.5 cm (5/8 in) and sew them together with a square of stitches or a few passes of zigzag.
- Close the ring. Turn in the raw edge of one tube end by 1 cm, slip the other end inside it, and stitch across the join by machine close to the fold, or close it by hand with a ladder stitch, which hides the seam completely. Spread the gathers around the ring.
Tip: Before sewing the elastic ends, loop the elastic around your ponytail twice or three times, the way you will wear it. If it feels loose, shorten it by 1 to 2 cm (3/8 to 3/4 in) before you sew.
What are the common mistakes when sewing a scrunchie?
- Losing the elastic inside the tube. Pin the trailing end to the fabric before you start threading.
- A strip too short for the fabric's weight. Thick velvet needs the oversized length to gather at all; a short strip in a heavy fabric looks like a sleeve rather than a scrunchie.
- Twisting the tube before closing it. Check that the seam runs straight around the ring before you join the ends, or the scrunchie spirals.
- Sewing the join through the elastic. Keep the elastic pushed away from the needle when you close the ring, or the gathers lock in one spot.
Is a scrunchie a good first sewing project?
Yes, and for a reason beyond its size. It covers four skills that every garment uses: sewing a straight seam with an even allowance, turning a tube, threading elastic, and closing a gap invisibly. The sewing machine basics guide is all the machine knowledge it needs. It is also a good project for sewing with kids, with an adult at the iron, and a set of three in matching fabrics is one of the quickest handmade gifts to sew.
Sewly's scrunchie pattern gives the strip as cutting dimensions in skinny, classic and oversized, with the elastic length, so there is nothing to print: measure the rectangle straight onto the scrap and cut.