How to Make Hair Bow Accessories for Cheerleading

Homemade hair bows are a creative and low-cost way to add a splash of style and team spirit to any cheerleader's outfit. Creating your own hair accessories allows you to save money on expensive store-bought bows and to exercise your creativity. Design a bow to match your cheerleading uniform or tuck some bows in a gift bag for your favorite cheerleader. With a few easy-to-find crafting accessories in hand, making your own hair bows is a snap.

Things You'll Need

  • Ribbons
  • Hot glue gun
  • Glue sticks
  • Needle and thread
  • Barrettes
  • Bobby pins (optional)
  • Buttons (optional)
  • Fabric paint (optional)
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Cut a long length of ribbon. You can trim off the extra ribbon after you're done fashioning the bow. Loop the ribbon once and pinch it below the loop where the ribbon meets itself. Create another loop of equal size on the other side, making sure to twist the ribbon so that both tails of the bow point down. Pinch the two loops together to fashion a simple bow shape. Continue adding loops, pinching each loop to the previous loops, to create a more elaborate bow.

    • 2

      Secure all of the loops in your bow together by adding a few stitches with a needle and thread. Keep all of the loops pinched to one another and place the stitch in the spot where each loop was gathered. This will hold the bow together permanently.

    • 3

      Take a short length of ribbon and tie a knot. Select a contrasting ribbon that matches your team's color scheme. Use hot glue to affix the knot over the stitch in your bow. This will hide the stitch and create the illusion of a knotted bow. Wrap the extra ribbon from your knot around the back of the bow and glue the pieces to the back. Trim any excess ribbon from your knotted piece.

    • 4

      Select and attach a barrette or pin to your hair bow. Make a strip of glue on the back side of your bow that corresponds to the length of your barrette. Glue the barrette to the bow and do not touch the bow until the glue is dry.

      Create a hair bow for a bobby pin by fashioning a small bow out of lightweight ribbon. Slip the top of the bobby pin through the loop in the bow's knot and add a few dabs of glue to keep it in place.

    • 5

      Glue buttons to your bow that match your team's colors. Use a fabric paint pen to write your name (or a friend's name) on the tails of your bow.