Headband Headphones

These headphones double as a functional, comfortable and stylish winter accessories. To make them I will integrate embroidered fabric speakers with an ear warming headband.

Materials:

- ear warming headband

- wide cloth headband

- thin conductive wire / conductive thread

- 3" embroidery hoop

- old headphones / aux cord

- neodymium magnet

- open weave fabric

- sewing needle & thread

- solder

- soldering iron

Step 1: Set Up

Cut a 3" opening along the interior seam of your cloth headband a little below its horizontal center.

Place the small ring of the embroidery hoop inside the headband and the larger hoop with tightening mechanism on the outside of the headband in the location where you want your speaker. (over your ears)

Step 2: Embroider

Start by threading the conductive wire / tread from one side of the stretched fabric to the other at the center of the embroidery hoop.

From this point create as tight of a coil as possible without letting the conductive material touch at any point.

Secure your coil using an embroidery technique called couching.

Click HERE for a helpful tutorial on couching

Step 3: Solder

When you are finished with your coil, thread the end of your wire / thread to the back where it originated.

Solder one end of your coil to one headphone wire and the other end your coil to the other headphone wire.

Click HERE for a tutorial on the basics of soldering.

Step 4: Magnet

Make a small pouch to hold your neodymium magnet:

To avoid interference with the magnet use an open weave / or very light fabric.

Trace around the magnet onto the fabric.

Fold the fabric so the circle is at the bottom near the crease

Cut a square around the circle so there is about a 1/4" of extra fabric on all sides.

Place the magnet inside and sew up the 3 open edges.

Sew the pouch to the center of the coil from the back on the inside of the headband.

Step 5: Closure

Before sewing the headband closed, be sure to:

Pull the auxiliary through the bottom of the headband.

Sew the magnet pouch in place.

Remove the embroidery hoop.

Step 6: Ear Warmers

For extra warmth place an ear warmer inside of your headband to line it. Then simply stitch the two together.

Step 7: Enjoy

- Plug into any device

- Head out into the cold

- and listen to your favorite winter tunes!