Welcome to Threadbands.com Help page

We put together this page to assist you with every step of the exciting threadband start-to-finish process. Everything you need to know about working with threadbands, from the first stitch to the final finishing touch, is covered here on this page. If there's anything you need to know and can't find here, please come on over the the Contact Page and drop us a line. We'll try to get back to you as soon as possible with an answer to your question. Of course comments and feedback are also welcome anytime.

How to Get Started

Open the Threadband Kit and remove all the contents from the bag. You should find all of the following items:

• A length of needlepoint canvas, with the outline of the headband marked; if you bought a printed canvas threadband, then the canvas will be pre-printed with the headband design.
• Two mini-booklets, one of which contains instructions for stitching, and the other instructions for finishing.
• Needle and thread
• Six-inch strips of ribbon and velcro.

To get started, you need the canvas, needle and thread, plus the booklet with stitching instructions. Read the booklet for step-by-step directions on the stitches you need to complete the canvas.

If you have never needlepointed before, and you need a beginner's tutorial, you can find one at Pepita Needlepoint's Resources page. It's called The Needlepoint Beginner: How Do I Start Stitching? Once you have mastered basic needlepointing, you will be ready to move on to the more advanced stitches as detailed in the stitch guide booklet in the kit.

If you want to stitch your name, use a permanent marker to draw the letters towards the center of the canvas. Then stitch your name using the regular needlepoint stitch (sometimes called "Tent Stitch").

Choose any area on the canvas to start stitching. Follow the pattern. Complete the area up to the outline marked on the canvas. The edges need not be perfectly straight, since they will be folded against the underside of the headband. When you are done, do not discard the remaining thread– you may still need some of it.

Keep At It

Threadbands are easy to master, and even more important, it does not take very long to complete stitching an entire canvas. Experienced stitchers will complete the entire canvas in a few hours. Beginners can expect it to take a few days. The stitching gets easier as you progress and your fingers become accustomed to the needle-in, needle-out routine.

Before long, you will have completed the entire canvas. Now it's time to finish the threadband. But first congratulate yourself on a job well done! Take a few moments to look at and enjoy your work.

Finishing the Headband

After you finish stitching the canvas, you are ready to assemble the headband into a finished product. For this you will the following tools:

• Glue gun - for gluing the canvas to the headband bone
• Permanent marker - to mark out the centers of the canvas and the bone
• Sharp scissors - to trim excess canvas

Do you have everything you need? Good! Find a well-lit place to work and let's get started.

Step 1: Trim Excess Canvas

Turn on the glue gun to allow it to heat.

Use the sharp scissors to trim the excess canvas around the design. Leave only two or three rows intact.

Step 2: Fold In Half

Fold the length of the stitched canvas exactly in half.

Step 3: Mark Canvas Center

Using the permanent marker, mark the center point on the canvas border. Choose a spot on the canvas that isn't stitched, either above the design or below it.

Step 4: Mark Headband Center

Mark the top center of the headband bone as well.

Step 5: Begin Gluing

Match the center point of the canvas to the center point on the headband.

Note: all the glue is done on the underside of the headband bone. Do not apply glue directly to the top of the headband.

Step 6: Fold the Canvas Over

Fold over two or three rows of stitched canvas (approximately ¼ inch) and press down on to the glue.

Step 7: Repeat On the Opposite Side

Fold over the opposite side of the canvas and press down. The inside-center of the headband bone should be now covered with the canvas.

Step 8: Glue Up One End

After gluing the center point of one side, continue gluing the next 3 inches up front the center.

Step 9: Glue Up the Other End

Then turn over the headband and begin gluing 3 inches up the other side.

Step 10: Keep It Smooth

Pull tightly so the canvas should lay as smooth as possible on the headband bone.

Step 11: Check for Adequate Coverage

Now you have a headband bone with the center firmly attached but both ends dangling. Do a quick check and fold over the canvas for a minute onto the edges. Check that there is enough area stitched on the canvas to cover the sides well. If not, use the extra thread and add stitches here or there wherever it is necessary. Most likely the area will be covered, but since everyone stitches differently, just make sure.

Step 12: Trim Edges

Trim any remaining white area of canvas that is not stitched that seems to be in the way.

Glue down remaining areas until the bottom edges of the headband. The canvas may not reach down to cover the entire edge of both bottoms with canvas; you will be applying ribbon anyway to cover the areas that go behind the ears.

Step 13

Once your canvas is entirely glued to the headband, find the black grosgrain ribbon and cut it in half.

Step 14

Place a dot of glue on the outer rim bottom edge of the headband. Yes, you may be applying glue directly onto the stitched design; that is fine. Glue the center of the ribbon down leaving a small part sticking out at the bottom.

Step 15

Turn the headband over, and apply a dot of glue to the back. Take the two sides of hanging ribbon, and glue them one on top of the other in the back. Press the small area sticking out so it seals. Do the same with the other half of ribbon to the other edge.

Take the black Velcro strip adhesive and stick it under the headband center. It will serve as the teeth of your headband.