The VersaWrap is our version of the flexible head, neck, and face wraps popularized by the hiking community. Made of soft jersey knit as a simple tube, you can keep it around your neck as a lightweight scarf, pull it up over your nose and mouth to help protect from wind and/or dust, pull it all the way up over your head like a beanie, or scrunch it down into a headband. Quadruple the versatility in one simple project.
You definitely want to use a knit in order to get the stretchiness needed to mold the VersaWrap into all its different shapes as well as to pull it on and off over your head. We recommend two different colors/patterns for the exterior and interior for a fun, reversible effect.
You could certainly conserve fabric and keep the outside and inside the same, but we loved the look of our color combination. The original knits are by Rashida Coleman-Hale and were part of Cotton + Steel’s jersey knit collection.
Not only do you need stretchiness in the fabric, you should also really make sure you have stretchiness in your thread. We used and recommend Eloflex Thread by Coats. It comes in 21 colors so you’re sure to find a good match for your fabric.
VersaWrap #1 – Let it softly bunch up around your neck right under your chin. It works great as a buffer against a cool breeze.
VersaWrap #2 – Bring it up over your nose and mouth. This is how the wrap is often utilized by hikers. It works as a dust barrier that’s not too hot, still breathable, and easier to lift up and push down than a traditional bandana.
VersaWrap #3 – Pull it all the way up and over your entire head as a lightweight beanie style head covering. With one open end, there’s still some airflow so your head won’t sweat.
VersaWrap #4 – Scrunch it down into a headband shape to hold your hair in place and/or keep your ears toasty (see the very first photo above).
VersaWrap Reversible – It’s not “officially” reversible because the final opening in the seam that makes everything turn right side out correctly is hand stitched closed. But, if you make your stitches tiny and neat, you could certainly wear it “wrong side out.”
The VersaWrap finishes at approximately 10” x 10” when flat and easily stretches to fit over the head of an average adult.
Sewing Tools You Need
- Sewing Machine and standard presser foot
- Quarter Inch Seam foot; optional by helpful for final topstitching
- Ballpoint needle for sewing with knits
Fabric and Other Supplies
- ⅓ yard of 44″+ wide jersey knit or similar for the exterior layer; we originally used Hello Snow Leopard in Navy a 58” wide jersey knit by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Cotton + Steel
- ⅓ yard of 44″+ wide jersey knit or similar for the interior layer; we originally used Dress Shop Moons in Orchid a 58” wide jersey knit by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Cotton + Steel
NOTE: Most knits are quite wide. As you can see above, we worked with a width of 58”, which means we could easily make TWO VersaWraps from the yardages listed above. - Stretchable thread to match fabric; we used and recommend Eloflex Thread by Coats; we used both Navy and Hot Pink — if you choose to add your own sewing label, you’ll also want thread to match it
- See-through ruler
- Fabric pen or pencil
- Iron and ironing board
- Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
- Tape measure
- Seam gauge
- Seam ripper
- Straight pins
- Hand sewing needle
- Sewing label: optional
Getting Started
- From the exterior knit, fussy cut ONE 21½” wide x 11” high rectangle. We used two rulers butted together to insure a clean right angle on our corners.
NOTE: If you wish to add your own sewing label as well did, stitch it in place now. Our label was stitched 2” to the left of center and 2½” up from the bottom raw edge. - From the interior knit, fussy cut ONE 21½” wide x 11” high rectangle.
NOTE: In both cases, make sure you are cutting with the stretch of the knit running horizontally.
At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board
- Place the exterior and interior panels right sides together. All edges should be flush. Pin along the two 21½” sides. The two shorter sides remain open and raw.
- Insert a ballpoint needle and set up your machine for stretch stitch. This was Stitch #6 in the Utility Stitch section on our Janome Skyline S9.
- Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch each long side.
- You’ve created a long tube.
- With the tube still wrong side out, reach inside and grab the raw edge at one end.
- Pull through until the raw edges meet and the fabrics are right sides together. Your tube will have a fold on one open end and the two raw edges will be aligned on the other open end. You now have a shorter tube that is half pink (interior) and half blue (exterior).
- Make sure the two raw edges are truly flush all around and nest your seam allowances. This mean the interior seam allowance should be together and folded in one direction and the exterior seam allowance should be together and folded in the opposite direction. The seam lines themselves should align perfectly. This helps create a flatter finish.
- Pin all the way around the raw edged opening, leaving a 2” opening at the center of the interior side (the pink in our sample).
- Still using the stretch stitch and a ½” seam allowance, stitch all around. Remember to lock your seam at either side of the 2” opening.
- Turn the sewn tube right side out through the opening.
- The fabric is right side out, but, as shown below, the VersaWrap itself is interior side out. This is correct.
- Thread the hand sewing needle with the stretchable thread to match the interior fabric and carefully hand stitch the opening closed. You are only stitching through the interior fabric; do not catch the exterior fabric. We used a tight ladder stitch.
- Turn the VersaWrap right side out – exterior side out. Press all around, concentrating on the open ends. You want the edge to be very straight. The exterior should not be rolling to the inside, nor should the interior be rolling to outside. Keep each layer in position with a crisp edge all the way around. We used a blast of steam for the flattest finish.
- Re-thread the machine with the stretchable thread to best match the exterior in the top and the stretchable thread to best match the interior in the bobbin. Re-set for a straight stitch. If possible, attach a Quarter Inch Seam foot. If you have a free arm, as we do on the Janome Skyline S9, now is a great time to use it.
- Topstitch all the way around both open ends using a ¼” seam allowance.
Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Kathy Andrews, What Sew Ever
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This tutorial was great. My first one turned out very nice and professional looking and now I’m on to making them for the whole family. Thank you!
That’s great news, Alice. Thank you for letting us know about your success. It’s such a fun and fast little project isn’t it?!
Sure is! I could probably have figured it out on my own but you had some methods that made it look and layer better than what I would have done.
Excellent! I’m sure everyone will enjoy them 🙂
Thanks for this one, just in time for winter. Do you have any sizes for kids ?
Hi Jeanne – you are so welcome. We did not make/test this in kids’ sizes. The best option would be measure your head and then the kid’s head and reduce the measurements we suggest above proportionately.
I love this! Literally was searching for a wide head wrap to tame flyaways during a workout. This is oing to be perfect! I am pulling out my stash next – thx S4H!!!
Hi Katharine – that’s a great idea! Let us know how your VersaWrap turns out!
Is there a video tutorial? I would love if you could make one. Thanks!!!!
Hi Michelle – So sorry; we don’t have a video tutorial. We are sloooooooooowly starting to add some video options for some of our techniques, but it is definitely another whole workflow to try to incorporate and we are still searching for an extra 10 hours to add into our days to get everything done :-). We do continue to be as detailed as possible with our instructions and photos, so hopefully you’ll be able work with that for the time being.
I REALLY want to make one of these! However, I cannot order the Eloflex thread in grey. I may try another color, but wanted to ask, would Maxi-lock serger thread work for this project?
@Mar — It’s a great project. Thanks! All polyester thread has at least some stretch so you could be just fine – especially if you make sure the stitch you use is one recommended to stretch or give. We’re not familiar and haven’t tried the Maxi-lock serger thread – so can’t give you a guarantee.
I’ve not made this yet but I do sew a lot with knits and if you use a serger the maxi lock serger thread along with your serger it will work great! They are made for this kind of project!
Hi Melodee – Thanks for following up!
I’ve made three of these this week! Thanks for the great pattern; it’s so useful for non-medical essential workers right now.
@Stephanie – That’s great news! If you follow-up on social media we love to see some pictures. We are sew4home on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter and sew4home_diy on Instagram.
I just opened your latest email and saw this pattern. I have been making these for years with leftover jersey cause I hate a cold neck in winter and they are great for dressing up a humble plain Tee or Sweatshirt. I have been using them as masks for last 6 weeks when I duck out to the shops for groceries. The beauty of these is that once the virus is gone an a bad memory you can keep wearing them and they are there again for use in flu season. I am going to run a few more up… Read more »
@Jen – I learned about these from my daughter who is a big hiking adventurer. They are so flexible and useful in so many situations. Your mom will love them!
Great instructions. Thank you.
@Susan – Thank you so much. Let us know how yours turns out for you!
Thank you so much for this. Very timely! I do have one minor complaint about the new format. I used to be able to copy and paste your instructions into a Word document (so I could delete and/or shrink most of the pictures and make it less pages to print). Now I can’t do that. Wish I could. This 20 page pdf could easily be shrunk to 5 for those of us with sewing expertise!
Thanks again for all of the wonderful free patterns.
@Sherryl – Thanks – this is such a flexible and fun project. Regarding saving from the site, we did have to make some changes due to copyright issues. Not from you ;-), but from other sites who take and re-post other’s content for their own gain without notification. To reduce the number of pages, you might try the Saving as a PDF option (there’s a vertical share bar that appears at the left of all articles now). When you have the PDF, open your printer’s browser window and you can choose which pages to print , allowing you to skip… Read more »
I agree! There is no way to save or print this other than 20 pages??
@Debra – As mentioned above, you can save as a PDF and then select which pages you want to print.
Hi, I saw that a friend had one of these to use as a face mask for her 7 year old daughter. I wonder what size I would cut the fabric to make one for a child. These are awesome. I looked online for a pattern last night with no luck…and found this one today. Thanks so much!!!
@Judy – There are several variables in head size and the stretchiness of your knit so we can’t give you an exact size. As mentioned ours finishes at apx 10″ x 10″ and fits an average adult. It would be best to measure your head in comparison to the head of the child you wish to make it for. Then, adjust the starting cut size proportionately to the differences in your head sizes.
Could I use my serger instead of the stretch stitch on my sewing machine?
@Neeta – Yes, you should be able to use a serger for everything except the final topstitching. Although, depending on your available stitches, you might have a stitch option that would substitute there as well.
Thanks for the pattern. I
Thanks for the pattern. I admire these in the camping store, but not their price (or their print choices usually).
I really like the idea of Eloflex thread. Would it work to use it in just the bobbin, and use regular multipurpose thread in the needle? Would the seam hold together well, etc.
@ SereneSadie – You are so
@ SereneSadie – You are so welcome! We’d recommend sticking with the stretchable thread in both the top and the bobbin. You could try a test with a universal needle, but ballpoint is usually the go-to for knits.
I have had a fair amount of
I have had a fair amount of shredding and twisting with the eloflex, despite using a ball point needle, sewing very slowly, troubleshooting, rethreading etc.
We have not had ANY issues at
We have not had ANY issues at all with Eloflex. It’s run perfectly through our machines. You might want to reach out directly to Coats to see if there might be a threading or tension issue that you haven’t taken into account.
http://www.makeitcoats.com/us/contact-us/
This is really cute! Can’t
This is really cute! Can’t remember the last time I sewed with a knit. Isn’t a stretch stitch necessary for top stitching? Won’t the straight stitch pop with use?
@Kathleen Ann – The
@Kathleen Ann – The topstitching should be fine with the stretchy thread, but if you’re concerned, you could certainly pick a more traditional stretch stitch.
Using the stretch stitch will
Using the stretch stitch will be new for me. My machine has it and this seems like the perfect project to experiment with. Fingers crossed!
@Deb – Let us know how it
@Deb – Let us know how it works out for you: stretchy fabric, stretchy thread, stretchy stitch
I love the idea but when I try to use as a mask it slides right off: great for the hair cover etc. any ideas ?
Hi Kathy — it sounds like yours needs to be a little smaller. Our measurements are the best we could average based on testing in-studio as well as looking at the measurements of similar items online, but head sizes vary 🙂 – and the stretchiness of the knit used can also vary. You might need a narrower width for your starting panel and/or a wider seam allowance.