How to make flowery headgear for Bestival Summer of Love

Summer isn’t over yet with the festival season continuing onto the Isle of Wight for Bestival next weekend. While sunshine isn’t guaranteed, you can create a summery vibe with a flowery festival headgear and what better an opportunity than Bestival’s Summer of Love theme. Yeah, you could go to the high street and buy yourself a standard flower garland that everyone will be wearing, but why not follow these tips to make some headgear that will make it impossible for your friends to lose you.

Option one: Flower Hairband

You will need: Some flowers, felt, super glue and your choice of garland base. Depending on how big you want your flower crown to be, you can either start using a normal Alice band, or you can create a full crown using twine or wire. It depends on the materials you already have at hand, if you want to go all out you could even use real flowers.

Step one: Start by taking the felt and cutting a strip long enough to fit the full hairband.

Step two: Once you’ve got this, you can begin glueing flowers directly onto it. Arrange the largest flowers first and then the smaller ones in between to create volume. Firmly glue all the flowers onto the felt. You can also add some foliage or leaves, to add effect.

Step three: Once this has dried, turn the felt over and glue one end and secure this to one side of the hairband. Glue all along the felt and stick this to the hairband, ensuring the hairband is in the middle of the felt strip. Then fix the other end to the hairband by pinching it firmly to secure. To make sure it stays stuck, glue squares of felt onto the alternative side of the hairband to secure the felt around the hairband.

Option two: Flower Garland

You will need: If you want more of a hippy style, you can create a garland that will go around your head. To create this, use twine or wire, or even string if easier.

Step one: To begin measure the twine around your head to get the correct fit. In order to make it adjustable, add on 15 cm more string and then cut.

Step two: Cross the ends of the string and tie each side to the string, this should create movement of the knots to be able to adjust and take the garland on and off.

Step three: Cut the felt into squares and then stick the flower and felt either side of the garland. To create a 70s look, use flowers like sunflowers and daisies. Arrange these in a variation of colours and sizes to personalise your garland. Attach all of the flowers all the way around the garland, ensuring there is still room for the twine to be adjusted. You can use this easy technique for hairbands as well by using elastic instead of string.
Now you’re ready to get your hippy on, spread the peace and love but don’t forget to pack your waterproofs.