Today I'm so excited to be sharing one of my favorite holiday sewing projects on the BERNINA We All Sew blog. Quick and fun to sew these bows can be used just about anywhere you like from gifts and garments to home decor and even your hair. I'm planning on putting one on my cat's collar for a festive holiday catfit. And if you want to become an extreme-crazy-cat-lady like moi, you can match your cat's bow to your holiday dress.
The project only takes a little bit of fabric and they look particularly festive in plaids and velvets. The bows can be attached onto any fabric item using a hand-sewn slipstitch or attached to things like your Christmas tree or wreath by slipping a piece of wire or a twist tie through the center band. Slide ribbon through the center band and use the bow to finish off a gift. The bows can be re-used year after year making them more environmentally friendly than disposable paper ones.
This tutorial was written and designed by Sew DIY and originally published on We All Sew in 2016.
These instructions are for making a small bow, about 3.5 x 1.75 inches. Note that the fabric is cut on the bias to make it extra easy to shape. If you’re using a plaid fabric, the bias cut will show off the plaid in a dynamic way.
Materials to make a fabric bow:
Fabric scraps or fat quarters
Matching thread
Hand sewing needle
Rotary cutter and self healing cutting mat (optional)
Step 1: Cut two pieces of fabric on the bias measuring 4 x 8 inches and 4 x 1.5 inches. The larger piece will be the main part of the bow and the smaller piece will be the center band that holds it all together.
Tip: If you’ll be making a lot of bows, cut a 4 inch strip of fabric on the bias. Then cut the strip into 8 inch and 1.5 inch pieces. A rotary cutter makes this especially easy.
Step 2: First, we’ll make the main part of the bow. Fold the larger piece of fabric right sides together so that the long edges meet. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, stitch the long edges. Press the seam open and turn right side out. Center the seam in the middle and press. The side with the seam is now the wrong side. Fold short ends right sides together and stitch using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Press seam open. Turn the seam to the inside and center it in the fabric circle. The side with the seam is the back of the bow.
Step 3: Fold the center band right sides together and stitch the long edge using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Trim the seam. Use a safety pin or tube turner to turn right side out. Press flat with the seam on one side.
Step 4: Pinch and fold the bow in the center with the outside edges angled down. The shape of the folds is kind of like a double humped camel or an “M”.
Step 5: While holding the bow in position, turn the bow over so the back side is facing up. Put one end of the center band inside the fold of the bow on the back side. Wrap the band tightly around the bow and trim away any excess. Fold in the raw edge of the band and hand stitch in place.
Since you might be thinking about different sizes, I tried out three sizes, shown above. The middle one is the size detailed in the instructions. For the smallest one cut one 3 x 6 and one 3 x 1.125. For the large size, cut one 6 x 12 and one piece 6 by 2.25. Be aware that the thicker your fabric is, the harder it will be to form the bow. I used flannel for the small bow and you can tell it’s a lot stiffer than the largest size. By the way, that big bow will be going on top of my Christmas tree this year!
I’ve had a lot of fun making these bows and can’t wait to use them all over the house. I even slipped one on my cat’s collar and he looks so handsome! I hope you enjoy this fun little project too. Happy sewing!
