Well, help is at hand, because with a little bit of sewing you can quickly transform those boring old ear warmers into the fluffiest headphones known to man. So grab your needle and thread, set aside twenty minutes, and let the Musicmuffs be born!
How to make audio earmuffs: What you will need
As you may have surmised from the introduction this project does involve a bit of sewing, so if that isn’t your strongpoint then it might be worth buttering up any needlepoint fans in your family. Equipment-wise it’s very simple. You’ll need earmuffs, some felt or soft, thick material, earbuds, darning needle, thread, scissors, ruler, and a marker pen.
How to make audio earmuffs: Preparing the covers
First up you’ll need to measure the size of the earpieces on your earmuffs.
Once this is done mark up the felt with a line that will fit inside the circumference of the earpiece. You’ll be sewing these directly onto the earpieces so be sure to make the covers slightly smaller in diameter. You can use a compass to draw a circle, but we just drew a cross shape and joined up the edges freehand.
Cut out the felt covers and then repeat the process so that you have two.
The next step is to place the earbuds inside the earpieces. You’ll want to position them about level with your ears so that you’ll be able to hear them. When you’re happy with the placement sew a couple of loops around the base of the buds to hold them securely.
We’re using earbuds but if you have an old pair of headphones then you can actually remove the speakers from the plastic casings and use them in this project instead. Due to the design they will probably give you the best volume too. With the earbuds in place the last thing you need to do is sew the covers onto the earpieces. These will not only keep the earbuds secure if the loops come loose but they’ll also make it more comfortable to wear the earmuffs themselves.
And that’s it! Now you have warmth and music. What a fine combination.
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.
