What parent wouldn’t give anything just to see their child smiling happily, with contentment? And it often doesn’t even take that much to make a kid happy: a couple of toys, a lot of affection, and the occasional whim usually suffice. The whim du jour these days, thanks to Disney and their most recent hit, Frozen, are crazy, awesome, lovely hair bow designs. If you’ve seen at least one cute hair tutorial for kids out there, you know it’s all about flowers, headbands, and ribbon hair bows these days.
Big fashion retail companies are loving it, too. After all, this most recent craze means they can afford to ask parents to spend as much as $8-10 on a single hair bow ribbon. If you’re like us, though, you know that kind of money can be spent far better. That is, especially if you know how to make cute hair bows. Even if you don’t know all the details just yet, today we’re bringing you the basic essentials for creating great hair bow designs for kids. All you need to know is how to tie a ribbon, a knot, and style that hair bow ribbon to perfection in your little one’s hair. Trust us, she will love it!
· Ribbon
This one seems like a no brainer, right? Well, there’s a knack to knowing what kind of hair bow ribbon supplies to buy. The fabric is important and, as most ribbon hair bows experts will agree, it’s usually good to start out by working with grosgrain. It’s a flexible and versatile material, which comes in a wide range of patterns and can be easily sealed off, tied, bent into loops, and just about anything that you need to do, in order to make a hair bow ribbon. Learn your way up with grosgrain and then move on to silk, satin, and other more expensive materials.
Then, there’s the issue of quantity. If you’re already versed in the trade of creating your own hair bow designs, you may be thinking of making a larger batch, to give away as holiday gifts, or even to sell for a profit. In this case, we recommend one of the major online marketplaces, such as Amazon, or Ali Baba. You can buy a lot of great quality wholesale ribbon there.
Alternatively, opt for buying offline if you think you’re only going to need smaller quantities. This former option is also good for those who want to own small quantities of a lot of different patterns, colors, textures, and designs in ribbons. Besides, no matter which variant you choose, you can always incorporate the leftovers into new, ever more innovative hair bow designs!
· Hair clips
Just about any cute hair tutorial for hair bows out there advises you to use alligator clips for hair bows. This is, indeed, a valid option. Alligator clips are metallic and they have a relatively large surface to which you can affix the hair bow designs. They also tend to hold the hair really well, even when we’re talking about kids with really soft hair. They are versatile and can also be used to pin down the ends of the ribbon while you’re working.
However, all these arguments in favor of alligator clips doesn’t mean you can’t work with other styles of hair accessories, from Pony O’s to barrettes and even hair combs. On the other hand, it’s true that the smaller the base accessory is, the more difficult it will be for you to get the ribbons to stick to them.
· Hot glue and glue gun
In earnest, you only need the hot glue and glue gun for when you’re attaching the hair bow designs to the clip. Just about anything else can be sown, tied, threaded or wired together. However, a good gun with good quality glue sticks will make your work significantly easier.
· Scissors
Don’t cheap out when it comes to the scissors. Buy a good pair of tailoring scissors and make sure to keep them sharp. Grosgrain is rather abrasive, so your hair bow designs might take their toll on the blades. Yet, unlike paper scissors or any other type, tailoring scissors are made for cutting into fabric, so they will fare better through the process.
· Needle and thread
This one is self-explanatory and only comes with one recommendation: make sure to choose sturdy embroidery thread for your ribbon hair bows. Also, keep a wide assortment of thread colors and needle sizes close by as you work.
· Optional materials and tools
Depending on the type of hair bow ribbon you want to make, you can add several items to this list. But, first off, there are two things that will make your work easier and far safer. A cutting board is a good idea, because you’ll be working with scissors. Also, you can buy a commercially produced ribbon hair bows device, which makes hair bow creation a breeze. Then, consider adding embellishments, such as rhinestone ‘jewels’, spare buttons you’ve got lying around the house, flowers, feathers, and anything you feel might add a bit of personality to your hair bow designs.
Just remember that, when creating hair bows for babies under 3 years old, you will want to avoid excessively small items, such as charms or tiny jewels. They risk swallowing them and you definitely don’t want to jeopardize your child’s health and safety.
Image Sources: DeviantART, Studio DIY