Shameless! A Scrappy Hairbow Tutorial

** I edited.... This is actually now 3 tutorials in one, so be sure to scroll all the way down. I got started on my scraps and got a little carried away. I actually have one more that I haven't added yet.***

It's true. I will stop at nothing to showcase Zoe's cuteness! As you saw a few posts ago, I made Zoe a little outfit. It's been 'scrap buster' month over at Sew Mama Sew, and I had been wanting to make some new accessories for the little lady so... when you put the two together, you've got a cute little scrappy hairbow (ok, flower) tutorial!

Meet our model, Zoe:

I made Zoe this little outfit, and we all know that no little girl outfit is compete with out accessories, specifically hair ones! I showed an alternate use for our finished product in the picture below, because our little model was sound asleep when I finished. I just clipped the flower on the outfit (there was enough space behind the ruffle to slide the alligator clip between the stitches). Shall we begin?...

Step 1: gather yo' scraps. Step 2: Draw cute flower of choice in size of choice on cereal box of choice. Cut out each petal.

Step 3: Put 2 layers of fabric A (henceforth referred to as 'purple fabric') wrong sides together. Fit as many petals as you can on your scraps. Draw and cut (or just cut) around your petals 1/4" BIGGER than the template. I used a different petal template for each because I wanted each petal to be different. I didn't cut the flower out as one piece because my scraps were too little.

Step 4: Put 2 layers of fabric B (yellow fabric) wrong sides together and trace (or cut) exactly around the template.

Step 5: find something small and round to trace a few circles for the center. That's a chapstick cap.

Here are all the pieces you should have. I pinned the 2 pieces of each petal together, and the 3 circles together.

Step 6: Sew 1/4" around each petal. I rounded the corners. {6b} Cut off the fabric around where you sewed so that you have about 1/8" of fabric outside the stitches. {6c} Sew around the circle as close to the edge as you can. I did about 1/8".

Step 7: Cut a circle out of a piece of thin scrap paper. The bottom circle was too big so I had to cut another.

Step 8: Pin your petals to the paper, one at a time so you can get them just how you like them.

This is how the back looks...

Step 9: Pin a piece of fabric to the back of the paper, big enough to cover the hole. Turn it over and sew a little circle around the middle of all your petals, attaching them to the fabric on the back and holding them in place. The stitches should be covered by your 2nd layer of petals so you can make the circle bigger than the circle on the front will be. I think mine was 3/4" diameter

Step 10: Pin your yellow ones on one at a time (thru the purple and the paper). I cut 6 but ended up only using 5 for the inner circle. Sew a little circle to hold them on (this time, make it smaller than your center circle will be. Sew on your center circle, following the same stitches with which you sewed them together. Or if you're just that good, you can combine the previous 2 steps into one... go for it. I double dare you.

Step 11: Sew a neat little 'pocket' for your alligator clip by taking an approximately 2" x 1/2" scrap, folding it in half the long way, and stitch along the 2 long sides. Hand stitch (Gasp!) or hot glue (double Gasp!) it on to the back of your flower. Slide your alligator clip in.

Step 12: Clip on your cute baby's head and take pictures

Step 13: Take more pictures...

Step 14: more pictures.

Awww.....

But really... who can stop at just ONE cute hair bow?? I happen to love gingham (and, um, big hairbows), and had these lavendar gingham scrub pants with a drawstring in my 'repurpose' pile. You say drawstring... I say ribbon. Read below to see how to make super simple hairbows out of 'real' ribbon, fabric string (as shown in one of the previous entries), or repurposed parts

I wanted mine about 4" long, so here's how I started. Just fold it back and forth and hold your finger in the middle.

I make 2 loops on each side. One time, I leave the ribbon flat, and one time I flip it in the middle for a little extra 'volume' on the ends. For a 4" long bow, I needed about 20" of ribbon, plus a few for the middle, or a few of a contrasting ribbon, whatever you like.
Stick a pin right in the middle, where your finger was. Take a few inches of ribbon and tie a knot in the middle of it (you can kinda see my knot, sorry it's not the best picture)

Y'all are Smart so I bet you don't need pictures of these next few steps... (1) sew through the bow where the pin is. (2) get the knot in the middle where you want it and sew the tails of the knot together on the underside of the bow. I trim them and whipstitch. You want it tight enough that it won't slide around. Slip your alligator clip through the knot part on the underside (obvs.).

Voila. Clip it on your cute baby.

Last one I promise... Make a cute little gift tag out of your scraps. Can't take credit, I stole this idea from my sister in law, she used ric rac tho.

Make a cute tag out of whatever paper, punch a couple holes in the top. Get 1 or 2 coordinating scraps.

Put the first one through both holes, front to back. Cross it over in the back and pull both ends back thru to the front (I did this about a MILLION times making my wedding programs)

Put the second scrap thru both holes, just back to front. If you started off with 2 the same length, the outside one will now be a little longer. Attach it to your gift with double sided tape on the back.

my first tutorial!

There aren't many things that I know how to do well, and this isn't one of them either. I think I have a picture of the back to prove it! Craig's sisters make some lovely photo boards that I have been known to covet and even attempt to duplicate. You, too, will see how easy this is!

Oh, and I didn't know I was going to be tutorial-ing, so I don't have pictures of everything!

MATERIALS:

artist's canvas (from walmart, they're less expensive than hobby lobby) - the ones for Joshua & Zoe's rooms are 16 x 20. I think they were less than $10.

fabric you love. I usually get a yard since I'm a fabric junkie. Except for Joshua's which I found in the remnant rack for $2.08!! Oh, happy day.

Batting cut the same size as your canvas.

ribbon to match fabric you love (I have better luck at walmart than fabric stores. Did I mention it's less expensive there too? I like grosgrain, but Craig's sister used ricrac & it was really cute)

buttons you can cover with fabric you love (also found at walmart)

needle and thread (thread can be neon orange, it doesn't matter, it won't show)

frame to fit canvas (optional - I get mine at HobLob when they're 50% off, thus, about $15)

1. Cut fabric you love big enough to wrap around your canvas. If you're like me and aren't sure you got a big enough board, cut the fabric big enough for the bigger board just in case.

1.5. Iron your fabric. Don't be like "some people" and have to iron your fabric after you've already stapled, ribboned, & sewn on buttons. Seriously. Who would do that.

2. Cut batting to the same size as your canvas. Or a little bigger. Whatever.

3. Turn your canvas right side up. Center the batting on top of it. Lay your fabric on it and adjust so that the pattern of the fabric is straight or however you want it, centered, and so forth. You will be stapling this on so DO NOT STRESS! You can always undo it and move it.

4. Moving as little of the aforementioned stuff as possible, flip it all over together, pick a side (I usually start with the top), open up the stapler and start stapling. Staple the fabric onto the wood at 2-3" intervals (I go for the corners, then the middle, then fill in a few in between). Turn it over (hold the batting so it doesn't fall out) to make sure it's still how you want it. Turn it back over and staple the opposite side (pull the fabric taught... not to be confused with 'as tight as you possible can'). Turn it over and make sure it's still straight. Turn it over and staple the other 2 sides (pulling taught). Remind yourself that no one will see the back. Turn it over and tell yourself how cute it's going to be when you're done.

5. Grab your ribbon and staple it behind a corner. Turn board over and pull to diagonal corner. Turn. Staple. Cut ribbon about 1/2" past the staple. Repeat w/ other corners.

6. Depending on the size of your board, your remaining ribbons will either bisect or trisect the longest side. Probably bisect unless your board is huge. SO... measure to find the middle of your board, put a mark on the back. Staple a ribbon. Find the middle of the adjacent side. Mark. Staple. Repeat. 3 times.

7. Cover buttons with fabric (directions are on the package). This is the hardest part.

8. Sew on buttons. Don't be like me and do it the hard way. Put the needle thru back to front, thread thru the button, put the needle thru front to back, and tie the two ends in a knot. Double knot. Triple knot. Etc until you're satisfied that it won't come out. If you can't picture the way that I tried to do it, good for you, and I'm not telling.

9. Get frame. Wedge board into frame. If it doesn't stay, consider other options (i.e. duct tape). Remind yourself that no one will see the back. Hang it up!

10. If you want to get all fancy, you can get a pretty ceramic knob... like the one I placed on the floor by the bow (below)... and some more ribbon (again, staple it to the back - see above. I didn't even cut it, just in case I wanted to take it back off and have a long piece of ribbon to use elsewhere), hang your board with all the real hardware, then decoratively hang it from your delicate, unstable, staple ribbon on your pretty ceramic knob (about $3 at HobLob)

I love these since I'm not a big art person but like things on my walls. I also love fabric. I also love that if I (a) get sick of said fabric or (b) repaint so that it doesn't match, I just pull the board out and change the fabric (or just put new fabric over the old fabric... I think I know someone who might have done that), or the ribbon, whatever. I also love that I just remembered that that's where I put that Old Navy receipt I've been looking for! See, they're not just for photos!

This (below) is in our kitchen. It needs some new ribbon now that we've repainted, and some new fabric too. I've got my eye out for something I can use here, for a valence over the sink and, if I talk Craig into it, a valence over the window in the eating area. I'm thinking a neutral toille. Any ideas? There's the tile in the background.