Make an easy Native American headband out of paper and some feathers. Our craft instructions include making a Native American headband with and without a template.
Supplies Needed
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Crayons, colored pencils or markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Feathers
STEPS
Method 1: Making a Headband Using a Template
2 Color the template.
Color the headband using crayons, colored pencils, or markers.
3 Cut out the template.
Cut out all three template pieces.
4 Glue the 2 long pieces together.
Take one long strip and apply glue on its side tab labeled with the words "Overlap here". Take the other long strip and position its left edge over the first strip's tab. Press on the overlapping areas to glue the two strips together.
5 Glue the third piece.
Measure the strip around your head. If it's too short, connect the third (shorter) strip. Measure the strip around your head again. This time, the headband will most probably be longer than needed. Trim off any excess length on the third strip to get the best fit.
6 Glue the ends together.
Glue the two ends together to transform the strip into a headband.
7 Glue feathers.
Finally, glue 2 or more feathers on one side of your headband. If you don't have real feathers, you can make paper ones following the steps in the next section.
Method 2: Making a Headband Without a Template
1 Cut a long paper strip.
Cut out a 1½-inch wide strip of brown construction paper that's long enough to go around your head.
2 Decorate the paper strip.
Look at images of traditional Native American symbols and designs and use them as inspiration for decorating your headband.
Use crayons, markers, oil pastels, undiluted poster paint or acrylic paint, and even puffy paint. I started out mine with a zigzag line that runs all along the paper's length.
Then I added some V's and dots to complete a simple Native American-inspired pattern.
3 Glue the ends together.
Once you've decorated the entire length of the paper strip, glue the ends together to form a circle or band.
4 Make feather shapes on paper.
You can use real feathers or make paper ones to accent your headband. To create paper feathers, print out this feather pattern on A4 or Letter size paper or cardstock or you can draw your own.
Cut out one feather pattern and trace around it on colored cardstock or construction paper.
5 Cut and fold the paper feather.
Cut out the colored feather and fold it lengthwise in half.
6 Cut fringes.
While keeping the paper folded, cut diagonal slits all along the paper's curved edge to create fringes.
7 Unfold.
Unfold to reveal the paper feather.
8 Glue the feathers.
Craft two or more paper feathers and glue them on one side of your headband. Once the glue dries, you can try on your Native American headband.