This is going to be an exceptionally short post for me. I only want to put this on my blog so I don’t forget what pattern and size I use for my workout headbands.
Every time I make workout clothes (here, here, and here), I inevitably end up with leftover fabric. I feel bad tossing it, so years ago I started making sweatbands for myself instead. The pattern I found and have always used is a free pattern from Trish Newbery, #2118 Wide Headband, which you can find here. I always look super extra wearing sweatbands that match my workout clothes, but that’s part of the fun of making your own stuff. It’s all going to be super coordinated.
Style and Fit
This headband is extra wide, but the part that wraps around the back of the head stays narrow. The pattern is designed for knit fabrics and comes with a back elastic casing for a more secure fit. I wouldn’t call the project beginner friendly, though, since the last step is by far the most challenging for a home sewing machine. More on that under tips and tricks.
Sizing
The pattern comes in 5 sizes ranging from 20 to 24 inch head circumference, so it should fit teens through large adults. I ended up making a size S (22 inch head circumference).
Instructions
The pattern doesn’t come with any written instructions, but a full sew along video tutorial is available on YouTube.
Tips and Tricks
The final step of the headband is sewing the front piece to the back elastic piece, and this is where things get layered fast. You’re working through 8 layers of fabric plus the thickness of 1 inch elastic, and once you go over the seams, you add 2 more layers for a total of 10 layers of fabric.
The first time I made this headband, my Babylock Jane and Elizabeth simply couldn’t sew through that many layers. I tried going from the lightest to the heaviest presser foot setting. I adjusted stitch length, working from short (1mm) all the way to long (5mm). I tried universal, stretch, and super stretchy needles, along with microtex, in sizes ranging from 70 to 90. Every time, I’d either break a needle or end up with skipped stitches.
The only machine that could actually make it through all those layers was my serger, and even then, only by hand turning it. I couldn’t use the foot pedal at all, because it would break a needle instantly.
My new industrial machine, the Juki DDL 9000C FMS, sews through all those layers like butter, so I know it’s possible. I’m just not sure how well home machines will handle it, especially since I was shocked when my Babylock Jane struggled, given that it’s a straight stitch machine and super powerful.
So this section isn’t so much tips and tricks as it is a note of caution. That last step of attaching everything together is going to be a bitch!
Final Fit
Personal Aside
At the end of my post in February 2026, I talked about all the work I did to protect my parents who were struggling with technology and managing their finances. I mentioned paying for Proton Pass for the family so I had access to all their logins and passwords, Firefox with Unhook and uBlock extensions, changing the search engine to Kagi and paying for a family membership, and Folge.me for creating how-to guides. It’s been over six months now and those decisions have saved my butt ten times over. My dad has vascular dementia and every day is a struggle. Here’s some added things I’ve found helpful.
Communication
Options for communication are still really limited. There are of course endless “elderly” phones with their own separate phone plans, but every one of those options involves learning something new, and honestly that’s just not a reasonable ask at this point. I’ve been able to avoid putting my dad’s phone into assistive access mode because I have full control over his device instead.
My parents were signed up for the iPhone Upgrade Program before it changed a few weeks ago, so every year they’d get new iPhones. This year, since I could see things declining with my dad pretty fast, instead of returning their old phones I kept them and let my parents get the new ones. I figured this would be easier than trying to set them up under my iCloud Family account.
iTunes & App Store Purchases – Installing Apps, Don’t Allow, so they can’t download random apps. Deleting Apps, Don’t Allow, so they can’t delete anything I’m using to track or monitor behavior. In-App Purchases, Don’t Allow, so they can’t sign up for fraud subscriptions. My dad was signed up for two $9.99 every 28 days printer / scanner subscription.
Allowed Apps & Features – I turned off Safari under Allowed Apps so they can only use Firefox, and turned off Wallet so they don’t accidentally accept charges from scammer websites, text messages, and emails. My dad used Apple Pay to signed up for a bogus media subscription that was going to charge him $49.99 every 28 days.
Privacy – Location Services is set to Don’t Allow Changes so I can track them if they wander off and get lost. Contacts is Don’t Allow Changes too. Share My Location stays on Allow.
Allow Changes to – Passcode & Face ID is Don’t Allow. My dad was locking himself out of his own iCloud account monthly, so this stopped that entirely. Accounts is Don’t Allow as well so he doesn’t mess with saved Passwords.
Under Communication Limits I set allowed communication to contacts only, and since they also can’t change their contacts, that’s mostly kept scammers from being able to call or text their way in. If anyone tries to contact my dad now, he needs my 4-digit passcode. If my dad tries to call or text someone not in his contacts, again he’ll need my 4-digit passcode. The amount of scammers trying to get personal information from my parents is honestly unreal.
The nice part about this whole approach is my parents still feel somewhat familiar with their iPhones, I’ve just made them a little simpler to use. The other thing I did was delete about 99% of the apps so all that’s left is Messages, FaceTime, Phone Calls, and Email. Changes I make on their old phones mirror what happens on their new phone so if I have to lock down something more, I can remotely.
Safety
I understand all too well what’s happening to my dad’s brain. My mom, on the other hand, is utterly confused and overwhelmed by all of it. One of the best behavioral solutions I’ve found with my dad is that if something is causing a problem or making him anxious, you just remove it. Out of sight, out of mind.
Since my dad can’t drive anymore, I have my mom place her car keys and wallet in a small desktop safe. It’s been a great little thing to have because I can see when she opens and closes it, and if I ever need to, I can open it remotely too. This solved the problem of my dad randomly rummaging through her purse, taking all her cash, and accidentally losing cards, keys, and money.
Another example about the importance of just removing stuff that is causing problems, my dad still wanted to take care of his car even though he can’t, and that inevitably meant one day he completely pulled the battery, harness, and holder out. I had to take the car at that point because he was beyond frustrated. It was not a fun day trying to get a tow truck to move a car that couldn’t even start, since you need power just to release the emergency brake and put it in neutral. To make it worse, all the wires were zip tied apart and wrapped in what felt like miles of electrical tape, so the poor tow truck guy stood there for a while just trying to figure out what connected to what before he could temporarily jump the car with his battery pack.
Reminders
Finally, medication reminders. There are so many expensive subscription options out there for dispensing medications, but the easiest solution I’ve found is just setting up a shortcut on my iPhone that automatically sends a message to both my parents so my dad remembers to take his pills.
I built a shortcut that texts my parents at 6 AM and again at 6 PM. I put my message into a text box and even managed to add a current date variable to it. The text goes out to my mom and dad as a group message.
Since this is the only time I ever message them as a group, I changed the group name and icon in Messages to “Med Reminder.” Normally I just text my mom alone, or in a group with my brothers. Communication with my dad is its own struggle.
Now I just have to wrestle the pills away from my dad and have my mom administer them, because he has no idea what he’s actually taking anymore. Parietal lobe damage has made his sense of time, shapes, and colors all jumbled up, so telling him “take the small pink oval pill” means nothing to him now. This is where Folge.me has actually been a huge help. I’ve been able to build my mom a guide with pictures and info pulled from drugs.com for each of his medications, so she knows exactly what to give him and when, without having to rely on him to sort it out himself.
Anyways, send me an email if you want more info on how to set any of this up. I know I’ve been brutal about locking things down and removing problematic stuff, but it has truly helped. His brain is so overwhelmed at this point that removing distractions, objects, and simplifying life in general is honestly the best solution. Extreme decluttering is a good thing.
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