I love sewing my own clothes. When I have extra scraps, I always make a hair bow to finish off the outfit. Nothing makes an outfit look more custom than a matching bow! I’m especially into a big statement bow. If you like this look too, I’ll walk you through the process of making hair bows, from selecting your fabric to attaching the bow to a barrette. Let’s get started!

making hair bows

Let’s start with the video tutorial so you get an overview on what I did. Then, I’ll dive in with more details below:

SUPPLIES

Fabric of your choice (light to medium-weight fabrics work best)
Iron
Hot glue gun and Hot glue sticks
String or floral wire
Barrette or hair clip
Thread
Sewing machine
Scissors for Sewing
Loop Turner
Pins
Sewing Marking Pen
Rotary Knife
Rotary Mat and Acrylic Ruler
Magnetic Pin Cushion

step 1- Cutting The Fabric

Start by, Cutting The Fabric

Cut out an 8” x 36” rectangle of fabric. This will make the loops and ties of the bow.
Cut out a smaller 2” x 4” rectangle of fabric. This will form the middle section of the bow.

step 2- Creating the angled tie ends

Next, Create the Angled Tie Ends

Fold the large rectangle in half lengthwise with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. There’s no need to iron this fold.

At each end of the rectangle, fold the corners over at a 45-degree angle. Use a marking pen to mark the fold line.

Cut off the corners along the marked line to create angled edges.
Take the marking pen and mark a 1″ rectangle in the center of the bow.

step 3- sew the bow

And now, Sew the Large Rectangle

Sew along the edges of the large rectangle, leaving a small 1-inch hole in the middle. This hole will be used to turn the fabric right side out.

Turn and Iron

Trim on the corners to reduce bulk in those areas.

Use a loop turner to help turn the fabric right side out through the 1-inch hole. Make sure the corners are sharp and well-defined.
Once the fabric is turned out, iron it flat for a polished look.

step 4- Shape the Bow

For the next step, Shape the Bow

Fold the fabric so it resembles a breast cancer ribbon, with one loop crossing over the other.
Pinch the middle of the fabric or accordion-fold it to gather it neatly into a bow shape.
Secure the gathered middle with a piece of string or floral wire.

Prepare the Small Rectangle

Take the 2” x 4” piece of fabric and fold it into thirds lengthwise. Press it flat with an iron to create a narrow strip.

step 5- Assemble the Bow

Finally, Assemble the Bow

Wrap the folded strip around the center of the bow and secure it with hot glue.
If necessary, trim any excess fabric from the middle strip for a clean finish.

Attach the Barrette

Hot glue the back of the bow onto a barrette or hair clip. Press firmly and allow it to dry completely.

after

And here is the finished bow! I’ve never made one in velvet before and that made it bulkier. I’d definitely suggest starting with a thinner cotton fabric!

It looks adorable with my dress- I’m so excited about it!

Personally, I think this size is so cute. But it can also be fun to experiment with different sizes to create mini or even bigger oversized bows.

I love making my own hair bow because I sew lots of my clothes. That way the dress and hair bow can match, which is such a cute (and high-end) look!

In conclusion, now you have a beautiful, handmade hair bow that’s perfect for any occasion! Whether you’re crafting for yourself, your kids, or as gifts, making hair bows is a fun and rewarding project. I love having a variety to really elevate an outfit. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

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