Matching Hair Bows for 18" Dolls

So, in the great need for accessories for 18" dolls, like American Girl Dolls, I'm making matching monogrammed hair bows. This is great for pictures, or just for everyday. I wanted to make something special for my niece for a gift... She has an American Girl doll, so I thought "why not make her some matching hair bow sets?"

The result was a success with my niece, so I'm sure any girl who likes these 18" dolls and loves bows will be sure to agree. I'm going to start offering these in my etsy shop very soon,but wanted to offer everyone a sneak-peek to the new addition. If you have anything you'd like to see in my shop, drop me a comment. I will do my best to try and see what I can come up with.

Thanks for your continue support and helping me pursue this livelihood and hobby.

Elegant Monogrammed Hair Bow

Blue with White Elegant Monogram Hair Bow

Monogramming began as lettering and/or symbols to mark prestigious and noble families' items. Here in the South, it really doesn't matter your background.. Monogramming is Big! and the Bigger! the Better!

I made this monogrammed blue hair bow, with a white, elegant lettering for a client. I was tired of the same old interlacing vine font, so I found this font. While it's much different, it's every much just as elegant and includes scrolling script. 

I love making things that are different, and tinkering with patterns. I just haven't decided if I like the looks of the letters on the bow to go down the ribbon, or across the ribbon best. Some fonts won't work across, and this is an example. That's why sometimes, these type of font is more suitable for different style bows, other than the boutique bow. 

Kindergarten Hair Bow!

I had a request a few years ago to make a back-to-school hair bow for a little girl. The original was made with white ribbon and a green center. I made this bow in 2016 for a little girl's first day of kindergarten to match her school uniform. I have to say, that I'm liking it more than the original. However, I know the colors are less than traditional back to school apparel.

Once I'm out of nursing school, and can purchase a commercial embroidery machine, I want to start doing more with applique clothing. Hopefully, I can make back to school outfits in time for my niece's first day of school. The variety of back to school outfits are overwhelming, but they are so cute! We never had stuff like this when I was a kid. I remember I had a green dress with a yellow apple on it, and that was about the extent of it.

What to do when the ends of your bows start to fray!

We've all had hair bows that began to fray out after so many wears. So, you may find yourself asking "How do I fix frayed hair bows or keep hair bows from fraying?"

Well, there are a couple of different things you can try... but the first, most important step is figuring out what the ribbon is made of. Most ribbon is made of polyester, nylon, or some other synthetic fiber. There are some ribbons made of cotton, and cotton blends.

*caution - use caution and at your own risk. I am not responsible if you destroy your bow, burn yourself or something/somebody else*

If the ribbon is polyester, the best fastest thing to do is to run a lighter quickly along the edge. If it didn't seal the ribbon the first time, just repeat. You do have to move quickly or the ribbon will melt too much or black will appear (especially on white ribbon).

If you'd rather not risk melting your bow, setting it on fire, don't know the material the ribbon is made of etc.. you can use fray check on it. I personally did not like the stuff in the clear bottle that's labeled "fray check". I did find this hand quilters fray stuff from a sewing store that is lovely.

*warning, you may check to see if the fray check will stain the ribbon on the underside before using.


I'm in the process of starting a youtube channel. I got my camera, but my tripod hasn't arrived yet. I plan to release a video series and will include a video about sealing ribbon and repairing hair bows.

Go Bama! Made this Alabama themed hair bow as a gift for my Bama friend.

Bulldozers for Girls

I've neglected this blog for awhile, as I've spent the past two years in nursing school. So, I'm getting passionate again about hair bows. I made this little bulldozer hair bow for little girl. Her brother's birthday party was bulldozer themed. She had a matching outfit, and her mom requested I make a hairbow. I have to admit, at first I didn't know how I'd make this thing girly, but I was pleased with the results.

The black, yellow, and white compliment each other well, in a scheme that's different from the typical bumble bee colors. I did have a hard time trying to decide what type of center to place on the bow. I wanted a hard hat feltie... but in my search for designs, I didn't see any I was fond of. So I went with this circle monogram feltie on this bow, that made everyone happy! Yay!

I couldn't decide if I wanted to purchase more bulldozer ribbon and make these on a regular basis. It's hard to know if there would be a demand, so it's my hope that throught this blog post, I will see how popular it is. Tell me what you think. Best wishes to everyone for a happy new year!

Bulldozer Monogrammed Hair Bow

Is Grosgrain Ribbon Washable?

You might find yourself in a situation that leaves you asking "Is grosgrain ribbon washable?" Most varieties/brands of grosgrain ribbon is made from 100% polyester. Unless the ribbon is of poor quality, it's really durable and can stand a washing. However, before you wash grosgrain ribbon, there are a few things to consider...

• Seal the ends! Sealing the ribbon will keep it from raveling out during a washing. Once that weave starts raveling, it doesn't take long for the entire strand to fray out.
• Be aware of color fasting. Some prints and colors (especially red) will run or rub off in the wash.
• Do not bleach or use harsh detergents and soak stains before washing.
• Hang the ribbon to dry so it doesn't melt or wrinkle. Wrinkling will be unavoidable, but hanging it to dry will help some. If you do use a dryer, use a low setting. There are ways to remove wrinkles from ribbon.

Why would I want to wash my grosgrain ribbon?

Well, it's not actually necessary if you are just using it for decorations, but I always recommend washing anything that will be worn against the skin. You can never be too careful of dyes and chemicals that might be there. You'll also want to make sure you wash any excess dye before attaching a trim to something like a dress. You don't want the ribbon to bleed off on the fabric in the wash. Now, if you're like me, I can't count how many times I spilled my soda on ribbon. So, I've found myself washing it for that reason. It usually comes out really well. Then some ribbon, with time can become very dusty. You might consider just spot cleaning already shaped items like hair bows.

How to Get Wrinkles Out of Hair Bows

Kids are rough on their stuff. Sometimes they wad up their hair bows or shove them in drawers causing wrinkles in the ribbon. How can you give new life to those old hair bows? Well, it depends on the type of bow and ribbon, but most bows are easily taken care of.

Most likely your hair bow is made of polyester. Most grosgrain and satin is polyester. However, some are blends.

Organza-
I don't recommend steaming organza at all. I once steamed a dress and it altered the texture of the organza. Getting the wrinkles out of an organza hair bow will be nearly impossible, to retain the shape. You can try wetting it and shaping it, but I've never had much luck.

Polyester-
Take the part that is wrinkled and hold both ends, sort of stretching the wrinkled part. Hold it over (not on) a burning light bulb of a lamp. Careful not to burn yourself or touch the ribbon directly onto the ribbon. Don't hold it in the same spot too long either. The heat of the light bulb acts as an iron, but gives a good shape to work with the loops of the hair bows.

You can also use a narrow, low setting flat iron. I would only use a cheap one! No Chi flat irons!

*Warning - My advice is based on my experiences with my bows. I'm not there and can't verify what type of bow or ribbon you have. So use this advice with caution and at your own risk.

How to Fix Fraying Ribbon

Learn how to fix fraying ribbon and add more life to your hair bows and dress sashes. Ribbon will ravel out and fray if the ends are not treated or sealed in some fashion. Even when they are sealed, with extended wear, ribbon can begin to ravel and fray. Try these tricks to fix your ribbons.

1) Heat Seal - It's VERY important to use this method on 100% polyester ribbon only. Most (but not all) organza, satin and grosgrain ribbon are polyester. Simply trim off any excess frayed ribbon on the ends. Then take a lighter and quickly run the flame across the ends. It must be quickly to just seal and not melt the ends. It might be necessary to run the flame across the end more than once. Some ribbon has rough, thicker edges than others. Organza and Satin ribbons will burn the quickest, so be careful!

2) Liquid Fray Check - This product will send the ends of any type of fabric or ribbon. However, you should check the fabric/ribbon ahead of time for staining. I don't like using liquid fray check unless necessary because it can stain or leave watermarks on the material. This type of sealing method seems less permanent to me as well. It doesn't hold up as well as the heat method. However, it is best to use the fray check if you are unaware if the ribbon is polyester or not and if there is a danger of ruining other parts of a hair bow or dress by using a flame.

To apply the liquid, place a small, thin stream directly above the end of the ribbon. Allow it to dry, then trim off the edge. It might take it several hours to dry. I would wait at least overnight before trimming. Be careful where you lay the material to dry. I like to hold the wet part up off any surface. The substance is kind of sticky.

If you have any questions about fixing your hair bows or sealing the ends of ribbon, please don't hesitate to ask me. I'm happy to help you get the most out of your hair bows.

Moonstitched Ribbon

What is moonstitched ribbon? It's a grosgrain hair bow ribbon that is edged with a crocheted type trim. The trim can be described as a scalloped edge lace. It's important if you are planing to heat seal the edges of this ribbon, that it be 100% polyester.

This adorable moonstitched ribbon was bought at The Hair Bow Center. The only draw back, is that it is a bit flimsy compared to some of the other brands. However, this can be solved by using stiffeners.

Moonstitched ribbon offers a bit of variety with bows, while retaining simplicity. Sometimes simple is better... or even better is simply elegant. Over-the-top bows are great at times, but not for every occasion. This trimmed ribbon can be used for other crafts and scrapbooking. It looks great fused over regular ribbons.

In the future, I plan to get more of this style in. However, if you want a special color or bow beforehand, just let me know. I do custom work with a smile =).