What better way to get #fabulouslyfestive than to festoon yourself (and others) with bows?
This bow would make a great topper for a gift since it’s the classic gift bow design… but the bonus is that since it’s made from fabric, it can double as a hair bow, brooch, or bracelet!
Of course you can use the same procedure for making a bow out of ribbon, fancy paper, or go the upcycled route and use some old magazine or newspaper pages!
Step 1Here’s what you need:
- fabric (or paper or ribbon) cut into 3/4″ strips
- three strips measuring 8.5″ long
- three strips measuring 7.5″ long
- two strips measuring 6.5″ long
- one strip measuring 2″ long
- 2″ square piece of felt
- high temp glue gun
- scissors
- (optional) brooch clip, head band, hair clip, or bobby pin
When it comes to choosing fabric, you can use woven or knits. Woven fabrics will tend to fray, so keep that in mind. Lighter weight fabrics may need a layer of fusible interfacing so they don’t wind up too floppy- this may also help prevent fraying.
I’m using a scrap of holographic foil printed spandex for mine.
If you have a rotary cutter, it will make cutting the strips much easier than scissors.
Step 2
Before we start gluing, let’s discuss the proper way to loop our strips. Mark the center of the strip with your finger, and fold one end to the center. Fold the other end so you wind up with a sort of figure 8 shape. What you don’t want is the sort of pretzel shape on the right. That means you’ve looped in the wrong direction.
Step 3Now that we know the proper looping technique, time to start gluing! Use glue to secure all of the pieces into loops as shown in Step 2. Don’t loop the 2″ piece yet. That one gets special treatment.
Step 4Ta-da! Here are all of our finished loops!
Step 5
The leftover 2″ strip should be glued into a simple loop like this.
The leftover 2″ strip should be glued into a simple loop like this.
Step 6Starting with 2 of the large loops. Lay one over the other in an X shape. Secure with glue.
Step 7
Lay the third large loop across the “X” and secure with glue.
Lay the third large loop across the “X” and secure with glue.
Step 8Now we’ll attach the three medium loops similarly.
When placing the medium loops, try to situate their points between the points of the larger loops below. Secure with glue.
Repeat with another medium loop.
And repeat again with the final loop.
Step 9The two small loops will be secured in an X shape.
X marks the spot!
Step 10The little simple loop is like the cherry on top!
Bingo!
Step 11Before we glue the felt square to the back, make two small slits, which will make it simple to attach a headband, bobby pin, etc.
Secure to the bottom of the bow with glue.
Finished!Check out more #fabulouslyfestive crafts on Jo-Ann’s Celebrate the Season site and the Jo-Ann holiday craft catalog!
Don’t forget your coupon- this one will get you 50% off!
This post brought to you by Jo-Ann. All opinions are 100% mine.
2 thoughts on “How To Make a Fabric Gift Bow”
I think it would be a great decoration not only for hair but for a Christmas tree or for present wrappings. And as far as I can judge it is very easy to make it.
I should say that I have used this idea of creation of gift bows and I am really satisfied. I had a lot of fun in the process of making them and all my friends and relatives were happy to know that I have decorating presents for them by myself.