Simple Hairbow Tutorial

It's here!  The Simple Hairbow Tutorial, with printable templates!  I hope you're as excited as I am about this.

Here's what you'll want to have on hand to make this project go quickly.
-Ribbon
-Glue gun
-Needle and thread
-Candle for singeing ribbon ends
-Scissors
-Hair clips (I got mine at a beauty supply store in bulk)
-Hairbow template

Just click on the image, print without scaling, and cut your templates out.  You can either print it on cardstock; or print on normal paper, cut the templates out, trace them onto cardboard (I used a cereal box for mine) and cut that out.  It's fun to experiment with the different template sizes and different ribbon sizes.

Okay, let's get started.  Begin by wrapping your ribbon around the template, securing the end with a clip.

Wrap around the template in a spiral, keeping the ribbon close but not overlapping.  Go around one more time than loops you want the bow to have.  So, if you want three loops on each side, wrap four times.  You will end on the opposite side that you started on.

Cut your ribbon and secure the other end with another clip.

Now you will begin sewing.  Don't worry, it's not too complicated, and it's not even going to show.  Do your best to stay in the middle, so your loops will be evenly spaced.

I like to go through the middle of the ribbon on each side.

At this point, you are done with the template, so remove the clips and slide the ribbon off the end.

Slowly cinch up the ribbon on the thread, being careful to not let your knot slip through.  Bunch the ribbon up how you want the bow to look.

Once you are happy with how everything looks, wrap the thread around the bow, sew through all the layers a couple of times, and tie your thread off.

Trim the ends of your ribbon a little bit, maybe at a fancy angle, then light that candle and singe the ends so they won't fray.

I'm all about the fancy angle.  Now we need to hide that thread!  Take another piece of ribbon and hot glue it to the back of the bow.

Wrap the ribbon all the way around, cut it off, and glue the other end down.

Bow, done.  Now for the clip.  I like to cover my clips in ribbon, at least on the top.  This gives you somewhere to glue the bow without gluing the clip together.

Once your clip is covered in ribbon, just dab some glue onto the back of the bow.

Don't do too much, or else it will spill out the sides and look crappy.  And nobody wants crappy bows.

Woo!  Look at those lovely things.  Now find yourself a head of hair to stick 'em on.

Linked up: Tatertots and Jello