DIY Hair Bow Tutorials

Little girls love to dress up. A set of colorful, pretty hair bows and a fluffy tutu or two can make for hours of imaginative playtime. Buying hair bows and tutus at a store can get expensive. With a little bit of time and a few simple steps you can make hair bows and tutus at home. You’ll save money and have a lot of fun with your child.

Choosing Materials
Visit a fabric or craft store to purchase the right materials to make tutus and hair bows. For a tutu you’ll need tulle, elastic and ribbon. Tulle comes in a variety of colors. Buy 8 to 10 yards of tulle, mixing and matching the colors any way you like. You’ll need a roll of 1/2 inch elastic and a one or two spools of ribbon in colors that complement the tulle.

While you’re at the store, buy some basic undecorated metal hair clips or barrettes in a variety of sizes.

The Right Tools
Have the right tools on hand when you sit down to work on your tutus and hair bows. If you have everything you need within easy reach, you’ll be able to work through your projects with less frustration and more enjoyment. For tutus and hair bows the tools are simple. You’ll need a needle and thread, a sharp pair of scissors, a tape measure and a hot glue gun.

Putting the Tutu Together
Measure the waist of the little girl who will wear it and cut a piece of elastic that is two inches shorter than the waist measurement. Sew the two ends of the elastic together to make a waistband for the tutu.

Next, measure from the waist to the knee of the girl and double that measurement. Use this for the length of your tulle strips. Cut the tulle strips 6 inches wide. For example, if the girl’s waist-to-knee measurement is 15 inches, cut all the tulle into strips 6 inches wide and 30 inches long.

Take three strips of tulle and stack them, then fold the bundle in half. Fold the bundled tulle over the elastic, and pull the loose ends of the tulle through the center loop of the bundle. Pull it tight, but not too tight. You should now have a bundle of tulle looped over and knotted to the elastic waistband. Continue bundling tulle and knotting each bundle to the elastic all the way around. When you finish, cut strips of ribbon and knot them to the elastic between the knotted tulle bundles to add further color and flair to the tutu.

Make a Hair Bow
For a simple, pretty ribbon hair bow, take three 8-inch strips of ribbon and make a loop out of each, hot gluing the ends to secure them. Stack the loops, then sew them together with two simple stitches at the center point so they pucker into a bow shape. Wrap a 4-inch piece of ribbon around the center and tie it or glue in the back to give the bow a finished look. Tease out the loops. Glue the finished bow to a plain metal hair clip or barrette. Allow the glue to dry before wearing. You can use different lengths of ribbon to make hair bows in a variety of sizes.