How to Make a Hair Bow
Decorative yet practical, these essential accessories can be easily designed to flatter any fad or fashion in feminine couture. Follow these easy steps to create your own personalized hair bow.
Required Materials
- Glue sticks
- 1 yard of good quality ribbon, ½” to 1” wide
- Thread, same color as the ribbon
- 6” of ribbon, same color, narrower than the first
- Hair barrette or clip, single or double
Required Tools
- Fabric shears or sharp scissors
- Glue gun
- 1 bottle of Fray-check
- Measuring tape
- Sewing needle
Getting Started
- Turn on the glue gun and place it on a safe, convenient surface.
- Cut a piece of ribbon 30 inches long. Cut each end at a diagonal.
- Apply Fray-check to the cut edges of ribbon.
- Thread your needle. Use about 12 inches of thread.
Make your Bow
- Holding the tip of one end of the ribbon, measure 5 inches from the tip. Using your non-dominant hand (your left if you are right-handed), hold it precisely at this point. Place your thumb on the front side and your first finger on the other side.
- Form a loop. Pull the rest of the ribbon up until it touches the spot held by your thumb. Now you have a tail, about 2 inches long.
- Hold tightly to the loop formed at the point where your thumb was holding the ribbon throughout the remainder of the bow’s construction.
- Fold the tail into a loop, on top of the first, so that the two looks form a figure 8. Tuck the end underneath so that the loop touches the point your thumb is holding. The second loop should be in front of the first. At this point, the ends of the ribbon should be facing away from each other.
- Form a third loop by pulling the remaining length up and into the center so that each of the three loops formed is approximately the same size. (You will have several inches of ribbon remaining).
- Fold the rest of the ribbon down and toward the center. An inch or two of ribbon will stick out beyond the center.
- The key to forming the shape of the bow is to always hold firmly to the center with your thumb and forefinger.
- You should now have a bow with four loops and a small tail.
Finishing Touches
- Dab a tiny amount of hot glue between each of the four points at which the ribbon overlaps in the center.
- Pierce the center of the ribbon, from the bottom up, with your threaded needle. Make three small stitches, up and down, in this center part.
- Holding the needle and thread tightly in your right hand, wrap it around the center of the bow four or five times. Pull the thread as tight as possible and insert the needle through the center from top to bottom. Double knot the thread and trim it off.
- The end result should be a tight, beautifully shaped bow.
Final Trimmings
- Tie a small knot in the second piece of smaller ribbon. Attach it to the front center part of your bow with a tiny amount of hot glue.
- Pull the ends of the smaller ribbon around the back of the bow. Glue one piece to the top back part of the bow and secure it firmly.
- Pull the remaining end up and over the top of the end you just glued. Secure it firmly.
- Insert the bottom of the barrette or clip beneath the back of the narrower ribbon. Be sure your barrette or clip is facing upward. Close the clip on the back of the ribbon and place a small amount of glue on the back of the barrette.
- Allow it to dry. Your bow is finished!
Tips
- Use caution with hot glue guns to avoid being burned.
- Don’t allow the glue to drip onto other surfaces; it is hard to remove and may damage the surface.
- Don’t allow the glue to touch the ribbon; this will cause it to look messy and sticky.
- Don’t get glue on the center part of your bow, or you will be unable to attach the hair barrette or clip.
- Use different colors or prints of ribbon for a unique, personalized flair. For example, use ribbon featuring a favorite university or professional sports team.
- Practice makes perfect! If your first one isn’t quite right, keep trying. You will soon find yourself making bows all your friends and family will admire!