Supplies to make a hair bow

24 inches of 1.5 inch wide grosgrain ribbon to make a 4 1/2 inch wide bow or 18 inches of 1.5 inch grosgrain ribbon to make a 3 1/5 inch bow

6 inches of fine gauge floral wire,

a hair clip

glue gun

scissors

How to make a hair bow

Fold the 24 inch (or 18 inch) piece of ribbon in half and crease with your thumb.

Lay ribbon out flat. Bring one edge of the ribbon to the center of the ribbon and lay on top of the crease to form a loop.

Repeat for the other side, creating a figure eight. Make sure ends of ribbon overlap about an inch.

Bring the outside edge of the loop to the center. From this point on it works best to hold the ribbon in your hands.

Bring the loop on the other side to the center. Be sure to adjust the loops so they are even.

Pinch the center together by bending the outside edge down first and accordion fold the center together, ending by folding the opposite edge down. Keeping the fold tight will create a nicely shaped bow.

Tightly wrap a piece of floral wire around the center.

Twist securely in the back and trim edges.

Slip the hair clip through the wire on the back of the bow. Make sure the wire is folded under so it doesn’t poke into the head.

Hot glue or sew a button on the center of the bow. Seasonal buttons, plastic gem and charms can be used. (Remember for young children to be cautious of items that could be a choking hazard)

With all of the beautiful ribbon and buttons that can be found, think of the possibilities for making stylish bows.

If you are looking for more handmade gift ideas for the holidays you might enjoy browsing my Handmade Gift Guide.

You will need 5 yards of tulle which can be found at a local fabric store and 1 elastic headband. I found the elastic headband at the dollar store.

Cut the entire 5 yards of tulle into 4 or 5 inch wide strips. It doesn’t have to be perfect and the width of the strips can be varied. Tulle is folded once lengthwise on the bolt when you buy it. Fold the tulle in half again lengthwise, and again once more to make the cutting go quicker.

Open strip up so it is folded in half one time, like it was when it came of the bolt. Fold this strip again, finding the middle.

Place the elastic headband on your upper thigh to make tying the strips of tulle onto the band easier.

Place the middle of the strip that is folded in half under the elastic band.

Reach under and through the loop grasping the strip.Pull the tail through the loop.

This makes a slip knot, pull snug. Be careful tying tulle strips around the elastic band to not stretch out the band.

Continue tying all of the strips evenly onto the elastic band.

If the waist of the tutu needs to be adjusted, tie a knot in the elastic band.

TaDa! Now you have made a super simple tutu that is perfect for costumes and play! Don’t forget a wand and crown to make this tutu an extra special homemade gift.

This tutu will fit children from about 2-7 years. To make the tutu longer in length for older children, don’t fold the strip exactly in the middle, making one side longer.

Fabric Flower Supplies

Scraps of fabric (I used a heavier weight cotton), scrap of felt,  3/4 inch covered button kit, hair clip

How to make a fabric flower

Download template and cut out fabric pieces. Cover one button for center of flower.

Fabric Flower Template

Gather straight edge of petal piece and hot glue to felt piece.

Continue gluing petals to felt circle until all five petals are attached.

Clip slits all the way around the edge of the center circle piece. Hot glue center circle on top of petals. Next, hot glue covered button to center of flower.

Glue the fabric flower to a hair clip, head band or pin back.

Finished!

You might also enjoy these beautiful fabric flower tutorials.

I have linked this post to TidyMom

How to make a silk flower clip

Supplies: metal clips, 1 large silk flower, plastic gem (or covered button) for center embellishment, hot glue

Remove the plastic piece that holds the flower together from the center of the flower.

Then you will have a stack of petals.

Glue petals back together with a drop of hot glue between each layer.

Sandwich petals until you have a flower you are happy with.

Add a gem or covered button to the center.

Cover hair clip with a piece of grosgrain ribbon and hot glue.

Hot glue a piece of the leaf to the bottom on the flower,

leaving a space for the clip to fit in.

Crochet a little hat. I used this Granny Skull Hat Pattern  designed by Chelle Grissam

Clip onto the hat and you have a darling hat!

All you need is

one piece of oil cloth 5″ x 8″ (outside)

a coordinating 5″ x 8″ piece (lining)

2 pieces 2 1/2″ X 5″ for inside pockets for the notebook cover to slip in

one 1 1/2″ X 3″ piece for the pencil pocket on the front

Sew pocket on front. Place it just shy of 3/4″ up from the bottom edge and over just over an 1 1/2″ from the side edge. Just eyeball where it works for you.

Sandwich outside piece right side face down, then lining face up, and pocket pieces on each end. Fasten with mini clothespins.

Sew all the way around the edge, removing clips as you sew along.  I sew on the top side.

The inside looks like this.

Get a mini composition notebook (found at Wal-Mart) and a mini pencil. I found my pencils at the dollar store. A golf pencil would work also.

Slip notebook into cover.

There you have one cute little cover!

So easy to whip up a bunch in no time!

I used a piece of fabric 6 1/2 inches by 21 inches, but it can be made any size!

Turn each end under  1/4 inch and stitch along the edge.

With right sides together stitch sides together using a 1/2 inch seam, stopping two inches from the top.

Pink  edges and press side seams open.  At the top where the side seam is open, stitch around  the opening on each side.

Fold top edge down 1 inch and stitch all the way around close to the bottom edge.

Cut two pieces of ribbon or cording about 22″ long each. Feed one piece through casing and back out the other casing coming out on the same side of the bag.

Repeat with second cord on opposite side.

Tie the string ends on each side together. (You can hind the knots in the casing part if you work at it)

Fill the bag with some goodies and you have a nice little treat!

Chef Hat Instructions

Supplies:

1 -  18″ circle

1 -  8″ X 24″ rectangle

1 – 8″ X  24″ lightweight to medium weight iron on interfacing

dental floss

1/2 inch Velcro (about 12″)

3″ piece of double fold bias tape

Instructions:

Iron interfacing to 8″ X 24″ piece following manufacture’s instructions. Press  fabric in half lengthwise and press each edge under 1/2″.

Fold piece right sides together, starting 1/2″ down from open side, stitch across each end. Turn right side out.

Stitch a 3″ piece of bias tape around an edge of the circle.

Zig zag stitch over a piece of dental floss starting and stopping on each side of bias tape.

Gather.

Pin band piece around the gathered edge. Find center of band and center of top piece and begin pinning there.  Adjust gathers until the band fits the gathered edge, starting at stopping about a 1/4″ over the bias tape on each side (notice how the 1/2″ that wasn’t sewn on each end neatly slips around the bias tape). Pin heavily to keep in place.  This takes some adjusting but it is so nice to have all the unfinished edges covered.

Sewing very close to the edge, sew band to top of hat, removing pins as sewing to keep band flat. It might be necessary to slightly pull the band to keep it smooth.

In the back fold left side over as far as the bias tape opening will allow on top of right side. Place Velcro in this overlapping area and sew all four pieces to hat band.

Sew along each edge of each end if desired, to close area placed over bias tape.

Finished!

I decided to give one of my sponsors Above All Fabric a try. I couldn’t have been more pleased. The customer service exceeded all of my expectations — she even visited with me on the phone helping me make my selections.  I was also thrilled with her prices, on every fabric she is below retail and has loads of sale fabric. The fabric selection is also tops, carrying all of the popular designers.  She also has a point reward system where you earn a point for every dollar spent and turn that into cash towards future purchases.  While she is a sponsor, I did not receive any compensation for writing this nor did I receive free product.  I wanted to pass along a great find!

Check out craft tutorials from all over the web every Monday at Made By You Mondays right here at Skip to my Lou!

Be sure to visit Make It Do, her blog is overflowing with creative ideas. Calli says, “In this blog I want to explore how happiness can come from simple things, and how good old fashioned hard work and resourcefulness might just be making a welcome comeback….”

Calli writes…

Yesterday, my girls and I were working on a few Christmas gifts for their friends.  One thing led to another and I found myself making yet another flower pin.  This time a Poinsettia.  I loved this project and ended up making two for my girls, and plan on making more.  They are perfect as a broach or as a hair clip.

Here’s what you will need:

• Small amount of red wool felt (I used scraps from another project.)
• Very small amount of green wool felt (also scraps)
• button
• pin or hair clip
• freezer paper
• template  here is my simple template, but I also found this wonderful template from Kaboose.  It has a few more petals than my simple flowers, but that might look even better, here’s the link: Kaboose Poinsettia Template

1.  Start by tracing your pattern onto the paper side of a piece of freezer paper.

2.  Cut out your template, and place it on your wool, waxy/shiny side down.

3.  Using an iron set to wool, iron on the template.  It will gently stick to your fabric.

4.  Using good scissors, cut out around the template.

5.  Peel the template away from the wool.  It doesn’t leave a mark.  Isn’t that cool?

6.  Repeat with the smaller flower.  I just set the button down to see how it would look.

7.  Cut a 1 1/4 inch circle out of red or green felt.  Cut two small slits in the circle, just wide enough to slip a hair clip through.  This is for the back of the flower, on which to attach the clip or pin.

8.  Using just the bottom flower, stitch the circle around the back of the flower.  I used white thread to show the stitching better in the photo… Yah, that was it.  It wasn’t because my machine was already threaded with white and I was lazy.  That wasn’t the reason at all.  I was just thinking of you.

9.  Somehow I missed taking a picture of cutting out the green center of the flower.  I cut my green with a fluted edge, which was a little tricky and requires good scissors.  You can also cut it in a circle, but in that case, I would choose a button with a fluted edge.  I was dying to try pinking scissors, but I don’t own any.  So I just cut the fluted edge out carefully.  Sometimes you just need to make it do.  The finished green center was a 7/8 inch circle fluted.

10.  Layer just the smaller top flower, with green center and button on top.  And stitch together going through all three layers.

11.  Glue the bottom and top flowers together using hot glue.

There’s a front and back view, with a hair clip attached.  I like that this flower is flexible, I can easily pull out the hair clip and I can slip in a broach pin to wear on a sweater, hat or scarf.

Here it is pinned on a sweater…

Thanks to an idea a reader told me about on Craftzine, I also thought this would make a perfect topper for a gift.  That way the wrapping is actually like giving another gift.  (Using cheap yarn is much, much cheaper than ribbon!)

How To Make A Felt Crayon and Notepad Holder

Supplies

(I used the inexpensive craft felt found in 9″X12″ sheets at craft stores, often the size slightly varies. I found it okay to make minor adjustments by slightly stretching while sewing and cutting)

2 pieces 6″ X 12″ (lining, outside)

1 piece 3″ X 12″ (pocket)

1 – flower shape

1 – circle for center of flower

1 button with shank

1 – 12″ piece of ribbon

1 – 11″ piece of ribbon

8 -  Crayons

1 – 3″ X 5″ 80 Sheet Memo Pad

Instructions

Sew ribbon to top of pocket piece. This ribbon will keep the felt from stretching when child places crayons and notepad in and out of the pockets.

Place pocket piece on top of lining piece and mark fabric. I use a chalk marker filled with loose chalk. In the tip is a tiny metal wheel that neatly distributes the chalk. I have had it for years — it is a great tool!

Starting in the middle of the felt pocket, mark  1 5/8″ from the center then every 1″ to the side. The last space will be about 1 1/2″ (give or take, felt can stretch while sewing). Repeat on other side.  Really it only needs to be marked at the top. If making a bunch, use one as a template to mark the rest.

Stitch from the center to the side, making sure to reinforce at top by back stitching at the top of each pocket seam. I found that the lining piece was often a bit longer at this point. trim side edges so they are even (I have not yet trimmed in the picture).

Sew flower to top of outside felt piece. Insert 11″ ribbon 1/2″ into edge of flower before sewing around the petals. Sew flower center.

Place  the outside and lining pieces wrong sides together, matching edges and trimming if needed. Using between a 1/4″ – 3/8″ seam (my seam was a tad wider than 1/4″), stitch all the way around the outside edge.

Finish edges with pinking fabric shears.
.

Sew button with a shank to the center of the flower. Place all items in the pockets, fold up and decide how long ribbon needs to be. Fold the end of ribbon (making about a 1″ loop) and stitch back and forth to secure. Trim any extra ribbon.

Finished!

You might be interested in these tutorials on how to make a crayon roll or a felt crayon roll.

Please check out my new e-book, “Gifts Kids Can Make.” You will find simple and useful gifts to make with your children —– a great way to spend time over the holiday break. The gifts are perfect for year round giving!