Want to learn how to create those adorable baby headbands you see on newborns all over the place?

These make great gifts for your friends, co-workers, or anyone you think of who might have a little girl at home or one on the way.  They are relatively easy, cheap and fun to make, and if you have extra time and are inclined, think about making a whole bunch of them and selling them at flea markets, church or community events, or even your child’s school events.

Here’s a great step-by-step guide from the folks at e-how.com:

1.  Place stretchy ribbon about two to three inches wide around a babies head to measure the length.
2. Cut the ribbon to your desired length
3. Take two kinds of ribbon to use for decorative hair bows and, without cutting from the spool, loop at least three or four times.
4. After you have the ribbon looped to your desired lengths, cut it and sew it together in the middle to hold your bow together.
5. Sew the bow to the headband, either in the middle or on the side; both look cute!
6. Use a glue gun to attach a smaller bow, or a pre-made flower, or shape, perhaps, or a jeweled item, or a soft, fuzzy decorative animal, to the center of your ribbon bow.

That’s it.  You’re done.  You can also consider using these same steps to create a cool head band to go around a flower hat, or plain straw hat.  Just measure the length of the hat as your guide and, if you like, use silk flowers or other items instead of ribbons or bows.

Get really good at making these and you could just have a business on your hands: wholesale baby headbands are popular picks by many retailers and e-boutiques.

_______________________________

Related Resources

Stationery Niche

The usage and marketing of personalized custom gifts and stationery is a niche industry that is increasingly threatened by electronic media. As stationery is intrinsically linked to paper and the process of written, personalized communication, many techniques of stationery manufacture are employed, of varying desirability and expense. The most familiar of these techniques are letterpress printing, embossing, engraving, and thermographic printing. Flat printing and offset printing are regularly used, particularly for low cost or informal needs. This niche also includes such things as unique invitations, nametags, address labels and custom bowls and plates as well as packaging materials.

Babysitters

Most parents do not have a problem finding a local teenager, usually the daughter of a neighbor, to watch their kids for a few hours in the evening while they go out. However, finding someone to watch their child or children 5 or more days a week while they are at work is a little more difficult. Most daycare centers do not consider themselves babysitters; they consider themselves teachers or caregivers for children. Finding childcare at the right price and in the right location can be difficult. Of course, you could always hire a nanny, which is more expensive than a daycare.