CLASSIC FABRIC BOW TUTORIAL

These sweet little fabric bows can be used as hair clips, little boy’s bowties, or to embellish a gift.  Use them how you want and they will keep their shape with this how-to.

Materials needed:

• Fabric
• Tacky glue
• Liquid starch
• Scissors

Cut out a strip of fabric about 8"x 3" and another about 1.25"x 2".  I like to dip mine in Sta-Flo liquid starch to get it really stiff and sturdy.  You can also get this same effect with Stiffy.  It just gives the bow more structure and helps it to keep a nice crisp shape.



On your long strip, fold the edges lengthwise in to meet in the middle.  If you used the starch you should be able to just fold and press with your fingers like paper.



Then fold the short ends into the middle and let them overlap a tad.  Use tacky glue to keep them together.



Now pinch the middle from the backside like the picture above.  The side you see is the front of the bow.



Then, fold the edges back accordion-like so you now have two mountain folds showing on the front.



The smaller strip you cut can now me folded lengthwise into the middle and overlapping each other.  Use your finger to press the creases.



Use that piece to wrap around the middle of the bow.  Make sure you have the end on the back and use a dab of tacky glue to secure.



You can use your fingers to open up the curved sides of the bow or I like to crease the ends and kind of let them curve toward the back.  This is where you can hot glue hair clips to the back or sew onto a strip for a bowtie.  Really, you could use them for anything.  They could even be slipped onto a headband and changed out for different outfits.  I think they are so sweet, I really want to make some bowties for my 3 year old.




 
Happy crafting!