Make It Monday - Free hairbow pattern

Happy Louis Riel Monday (especially if you have it off)! This is my first tutorial so I’ve decided to do something that is really easy, really cute, and that just about anybody can do.

I found a pattern through Pinterest for a super cute bow hair tie. This is a free pattern that comes from the Oliver + S website.  I absolutely love the style of their patterns at Oliver + S, they are so charming!  Here is the link http://oliverands.com/free-patterns/bow-hair-tie. The website tells you that you will need two 5x5" fabric scraps, thread, an elastic hair tie, and about 5 minutes.

A good idea would be to download the PDF and then print the pattern out. As I started this tutorial I opened up the PDF and promptly remembered that our printer has no ink. So you may notice that my pattern piece is hand drawn because I made do and traced the pattern piece from my computer screen. If you do this, be careful--I have an ink spot on my monitor that bothers me (from another hand tracing moment) and I cannot get rid of it!

Lay out your pattern piece on your chosen fabric.  This is perfect for scraps! 

 

If your fabric is doubled, you can pin the pattern to the fabric and make your cut; you will end up with two pieces. Or you can cut the two pieces separately--whatever suits your fancy.

Now place the pieces with their right sides together, and pin.

Now stitch around the edge with a ¼ inch seam. Leave a 1 ½ inch opening near the center so you will be able to turn it right side out. Trim the corners before you turn it right side out. This creates less bulk in the corners, and it will sit prettier.

Now that it’s turned right side out, press the hair bow. Often this is a step I skip, because I’m lazy and I don’t want to take out my ironing board and my iron, since my cat jumps on it and wreaks havoc. But it is a step that I’m learning really makes a big difference in the finished piece. So do it!

See how it looks professional, just by using that hot little iron.

Now take the elastic and move it to the middle of the bow so you can tie your knot. You don’t have to finish the open seam because it will be hidden in the knot.  

Tie that knot!

The finished product: easy peasy.

And this is how it looks in my daughters’ hair.  

Pretty darn good I think! See it really only took about five minutes…okay maybe ten minutes the first time, especially if you are doing a tutorial with it. I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial and take the time to try it out. Sometimes it's really nice to have a small project that only takes you a few minutes to accomplish, especially when you don't have a lot of time.