How to Make a Basic Hair Bow

Little girls with big bows in their hair are the epitome of girly cuteness, and many little girls love to match each and every outfit with a coordinating hair bow. However buying a new bow to match every outfit can get a little pricey. With all of the darling ribbons on the market today, why not make your own hair bows? It’s easy to do, just follow these steps:

1. Determine how wide you’d like your bow. Select the width of ribbon that works for your needs.
2. Leave the ribbon on the spool and start making loops. You will need two loops on either side for a basic hair bow. Make sure the loops are the same size and that the bow is the size that you want. Cut the ribbon off the spool when you are satisfied with the size.
3. Accordion-fold the center of the ribbon and hold it in place with your fingers on the hair clip that you are going to use on the bow. Take some elastic string and tie it around the center of the bow. Make a knot and then continue to wrap the center of the bow until you have about a ½”to an inch wide with elastic string and tie it off. Cut the elastic string. Adjust the loops until the elastic string is right in the center and the loops on either side of the bow are the same size.
4. Take a matching piece of ribbon or a contrasting piece of ribbon and cut off a section about 4 to 5” long. For a knotted middle bow you will need to tie a knot in the ribbon section. Hot glue the back of the knot to the front of the bow.
5. If you would like a flat center on your bow take a piece of ribbon about 4” long and wrap it around the center to cover the elastic string and add some hot glue at the center to keep it in place.
6. For either the knotted center or the flat center you will bring the tails of the ribbon to the back of the bow and glue one end to the clip you will be using for your bow. Make sure that the ribbon is glued only to the top of the clip so that the bottom of the clip is still open to put in your child’s hair.
7. Finish up by folding the raw end of the ribbon under and gluing it neatly to the back of the bow.
8. If you’d like you can omit the clip and attach the bow to a hair band. When bringing the center ribbon around slip the hair band under the ribbon before gluing to the back of the bow. Hot gluing the hair band to the bow is also a good idea so it doesn’t slip around.
9. Just for fun you can take the same ribbon in a narrower width and make a matching bow for your daughter’s doll. Use a smaller hair band for the doll or just pin it on with a hair pin.
10. For some added bling you can hot glue on a special button, wooden shape, a spider for Halloween, or some gems in the center of the bow instead of the knot.

Taken From Nanny Pro