Make Hair Bows & Barrettes

Make hair bows and barrettes that will last all day.

Many girls like to dress up their hair with fun bows and barrettes. However, there are a few problems with traditional hair bows and store-bought barrettes. When you tie a regular ribbon around a ponytail (or pigtails), the ribbon slips out after a few hours. The ribbon can then unravel or fall off the ponytail altogether. On the other hand, store-bought barrettes may stay perfectly in the hair, but they can be expensive. Instead, make both the hair bow and barrettes yourself. This way, you can save money, choose the exact colors that you like, and make the bows to stay in the hair without ever slipping.

Instructions

Alligator Ribbon Clip

1. Apply a small line of fabric glue to one end of a 4 1/2-inch piece of ribbon. The line of glue should be just a little shorter than the length of the alligator clip. Push down on the pinch clip to open the clip. When opened, slide the ribbon (glue side facing up) to the back of the clip. Press on the ribbon to adhere it to the top prong of the clip.

2. Release your fingers from the pinch clip to close the clip. Turn over the clip. Apply a strip of glue to the outside of the top prong of the clip. Fold the ribbon up and press the ribbon down to the topside of the prong, adhering it to the glue.

3. Drop two tiny dots of the glue into the inside of the pinch clips. Fold the ribbon inside, pressing the ribbon to the first glue dot (on the upper pinch clip), then to the second glue dot (lower pinch clip). Hold down the ribbon on each dot of glue to ensure the ribbon adheres.

4. Place a dot of glue to the underside of the very end of the ribbon. Fold the ribbon under the clip and glue it to the underside of the alligator clip.

5. Allow the glue to set for 12 hours before wearing the clip.

Simple Hair Bow

6. Slide the grosgrain ribbon through the middle of a regular hair tie. For pigtails, use two smaller hair ties.

7. Hold onto both ends of the ribbon. Bring the ends of the ribbon up, holding them so they're even and so the hair tie falls to the exact middle of the tie.

8. Tie the ribbon into a simple knot to the hair tie.

9. Put the hair wearing the ribbon into a ponytail. Adjust the hair tie so the ribbon's knot is facing upward.

10. Pull both ends of the ribbon down under the ponytail, crisscross the ribbon ends, then pull them back up to the top of the ponytail. Tie the ribbon into a simple bow. The ribbon will cover the ponytail holder, add color and sweetness to the hair, and will never slip off.

Tags: pinch clip, ends ribbon, Fold ribbon, ribbon into, alligator clip