DIY Knotted Hair Bows – Easy Sewing Tutorial

This super quick sewing tutorial will show you how you can sew the easiest DIY knotted hair bows possible, with tails that actually match! They can be used on nylon headbands, hair elastics, and hair clips. These will effortlessly add a touch of beauty to your daughter’s outfits, and they also make perfect gifts for baby showers, birthdays, back to school, etc.

I love making these DIY knotted hair bows in linen because it blends seamlessly with styles like boho, cottagecore, vintage, and classic. They would also be adorable in a printed cotton!

Supplies and Materials

• Sewing machine
• Woven fabric like linen, quilting cotton, poplin, etc
• Free printable hair bow pattern (download here)
• Matching thread
• Scissors
• Seam ripper
• Iron and ironing board
• Nylon headband (I got these ones from Amazon for my etsy shop and have never been disappointed by them! But if you just need a few, check out your local dollar store.)
• Hair elastic
• Hair clip (I have these ones from Amazon, also for my etsy shop. They’re awesome for babies or toddlers. If you’re making it for an older girl with thicker hair, then you might want to use something more like this, or a combo pack with 2 sizes like this. Again, if you just need a few, check out the dollar store!)

Prepare paper pattern

Download the pdf pattern and print. There are 2 sizes to choose from. Cut and tape together, lining up the triangles so they form a diamond.

Cut out pattern and notch or mark the opening

Use the paper pattern to cut out your fabric pattern. Make sure to notch or mark the wrong side where the opening will be. The seam allowance is only 1/4 inch, so keep that in mind if you’re notching.

Sew all around, leaving an opening at the center for turning

Fold right sides together lengthwise and sew with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Sew along one short edge, then the long edge, and then the last short edge, making sure to leave an opening at the center to turn it right side out. Make sure to back stitch when you start and finish, as well as at the opening.

That’s the entire sewing portion of this project!

Clip corners

This is what it will look like at this point. Clip all four corners to reduce bulk. Make sure not to cut the stitching!

Turn fabric to the right side

Use scissors or a point turner to turn each end through the opening.

If you want to get the corners really nice and pointy, you can use your seam ripper to get inside and really poke that corner out. I’m always careful when I do this, and it’s never ripped the fabric!

Iron

Now iron the whole thing flat, making sure the seam allowance is folded in at the opening. I find it helps to roll all along the seams with my fingers first, to help them open up/unfold before ironing.

The opening doesn’t need to be closed up, because it will be in the knotted section of the bow.

How to tie a DIY knotted hair bow

I’ll show how to tie the knotted bow for a hair clip first with detailed instructions. Then there’s just one more step for a headband or hair elastic, which I’ll show at the end.

This process is simple enough, but there is a specific way of doing it so that the tails sit properly. So make sure to follow the next steps carefully! Realistically, you’ll probably hold the strip in your hands more, but I took these pictures on the table for clarity.

Step 1

Lay the strip on the table in the following way. Note how the angled ends both slant forward.

Step 2

Take the right half and fold it over the left half. Make sure it’s even!

Step 3

Then, fold the top down.

Then fold the bottom down. See how it makes an M shape. Make sure both ends are even with each other, otherwise it will be hard to make it even once it’s tied.

Open it up so it’s laying like this. Again, note the way the angled ends are sitting.

Step 4

Next, lay the right side over the left side in the following way.

Then take the top half (1) behind and through the loop (2), coming back out the front of the loop.

It will come out upside down like this. The part that my thumb is touching is the part that just came through the loop.

Step 5

Now you can turn it right side up and adjust a little. You want to get it as tight as you can while still having enough room to slide the hair clip into the back.

Step 6

Now slide the hair clip in the back. Then you can adjust a little more, although it’s a little harder to do once the hair clip is in.

Your DIY knotted bow hair clip is all done. Isn’t it cute?

How to tie a DIY knotted hair bow around a headband or hair elastic

Now to make a knotted bow headband or hair elastic, you first need to slide the headband or hair elastic onto the strip of fabric in the following way. Then do the exact same thing as above to tie the knot, and you’re done! Don’t worry about what the elastic is doing while you’re tying the knot. It’s super easy to move around once you’re done.

All done!

Aren’t they just so simple and cute? I think my favorite thing is the hair elastic version, because they’re just as easy to use as a plain hair elastic, but so much nicer! I love doing my daughter’s hair in a half pony or braid with them.

If you’re looking for more girls’ free sewing projects, be sure to check out my Shirred Girl’s Sun Dress blog post here, or my Shirred Baby Dress here 🙂