If you would like your home decor tutorial to be featured in an upcoming edition of Teach Me Tuesday, please email me at LivingWithLindsay@gmail.com and we’ll chat!
Today’s edition of Teach Me Tuesday comes from Jocie, the wife of my friend Ethan at One Project Closer. She’s put together a tutorial showing how to make some darling, easy, and inexpensive hair barrettes for the little girls in your life. With my own on the way, you know I couldn’t resist sharing it with you. We had an ultrasound this morning where the sonographer pointed out the hair already on Baby Emma’s head, so I’m dreaming of bows and barrettes.
Joice explains:
A friend of my daughter’s always has the cutest barrettes in her hair. One day, I complimented them to her mother, Colleen, who said they were home-made. Since I enjoy crafts, I thought it would be a fun activity to make some for Izzie (to anticipate the day that she actually grows some hair! haha!).
Materials
Two-prong Metal, Curl Clips
Ribbon
Glue gun with glue
Optional: Buttons, small flowers, beads, etc.
How to Make Ribbon BarrettesThe basic barrette:
1. Place hot glue on the underside of the first 1.5″ of ribbon. Quickly place the ribbon in-between the two sides of the clip, glue side up. (tip: I use a baby comb to place under the ribbon before gluing so the glue doesn’t burn my fingers. I remove the comb once the ribbon sandwhiches the clip, in order to press the ribbon flat with my fingers. Glue should be soft, but NOT cool.)
2. Before the glue cools, place more glue on the top side of the clip and fold the ribbon over the end of the clip, pressing the ribbon sandwiching the metal clip firmly together.
3. Place more glue on each of the two outter sides of the end of the clips, quickly wrapping the ribbon tightly around the end of the clip, pressing the ribbon to the clip until cool.
4. Cut the ribbon before the bottom prongs separate, and seal the ribbon with a very small bit of glue. (option: wrap the ribbon around the underside of the clip for a more polished look. However, this may cause the clip to more easily slide out of the hair. It also uses more ribbon, costing more money without looking any different once placed in the hair)
5. Gently remove any excess glue.
For a barrette with a bow:
1. Follow the above steps.
2. Cut a length of ribbon slightly less than twice the length of the clip. (tip: try using different patterns and colors of ribbon for contrast)
3. Place a small amount of glue on one end of the ribbon and attach it to the other end of the ribbon to form a loop. If the ribbon is single sided, the finished side should face out.
4. Place a small amount of glue of the inner seam of the loop, and press the opposing side to it.
5. If using fabric knot at the center of bow: Using a separate piece of ribbon, tie a small knot. On the underside of the bow, place a small amount of glue on the underside of the center of the bow (on the seam), and quickly wrap the knot around. Glue again to place the other side of the knot.
6. On the underside of the bow, place a small amount of glue and press the bow firmly to the center of the ribbon wrapped barrette.
7. If using a button, bead, or flower at the center of the bow: Place small amount of glue at the center of the top of the bow and press decorative piece on top. (tip: use the extra buttons from old shirts instead of buying new ones)
8. Gently remove any excess glue.
Why MAKE instead of BUY?
Its easy to buy these in the store. They are very popular and can be bought at Target, Walmart, or Amazon.com for $5 – $10. But, not only is this a fun activity that you can do with the kids on a rainy day, but you can save lots of money.I bought 5 small spools of ribbon in the dollar bin at Target (all five ribbons in one package for $1!) and the clips at a local Beauty4U (hair product discount store). Ribbon is easy to find – in addition to Target, Michael’s and Joann Fabrics sell cute ribbons starting at $0.99.
The clips were much harder to find. I went to every store imaginable before finding them at Beauty4U, costing $1.29 for 12 clips. If you have trouble finding the clips locally, check out Amazon.com – great for larger quantities and some have free shipping.
Plus, if you make your own, you can have barrettes to match every outfit!
Darling! Just darling! Thank you so much to Jocie and Ethan for sharing this great tutorial with us. Who’s ready to make some barrettes!
Thanks for this TMT. I know a little princess who will love these.
These are too cute! I may have to make some to sell at the salon. Thanks for the great tut!
So cute and looks pretty easy! You’re right, why pay when you can have fun making and choosing fun ribbon!
These are adorable, I’ve made similar ones for my little lady and even a few for myself! You can find the metal clips at Michaels also, usually on the ribbon aisle. Or if your lucky enough to have a hobby lobby close by they are on the jewelry aisle and are 1/2 off any time jewelry is.
What a sweet idea for a shower gift – or favors!!!
Those are great but I have to admit that I am thinking of myself. Now that summer’s here I love to have hair up but hate those loose danglies. A great barette with a little silk or velvet would be beautiful.
Carol@The Deisign Pages
The BEST place to get the hair clips is your local beauty supply store. You get a box of 100 for like 5 bucks, or around there. It is by far the best deal and you will never run out!
This is a fun activity, and you can get really creative with what you put on the clips!
Too, too cute!!!
look great!
I’ve made some barrettes for my baby girl too and I’ll tell ya that if they don’t have thick hair, IMO they’ll stay in better if you fully line the alligator clip.
These are great; I’ve seen them sold by local craft-moms, and they also put a line of hot glue inside the clip, on the underside of the top. When it dries, is sits between the 2 lower prongs, and the texture of the glue keeps the clips in place in baby-fine hair. Now if only there was a way to make them toddler-hands-grabbing-and-pulling-out-proof!
Your little lady is gonna be very well dressed!
Great tutorial… they are definitely so much easier to make and it’s great cause you can customize them to match outfits perfectly. I use a little strip of non-slip shelf liner or rug/carpet padding (you can buy it at the dollar store) on the bottom side of the clip (put dabs of glue along the ribbon and press the non-slip stuff on) to keep it from slipping out my daughter’s very fine hair. I tried the strip of glue technique as mentioned above, but this works much better in my opinion.
Super cute!! I’ve been wanting to make these for my daughter (& ME!!), & was just gonna muddle through it…but now I have directions!!
Thanks!! 
I’ve seen clips like that at Hobby Lobby in the jewelry making section, too. But I like the idea of getting them at the beauty supply store!!
More for your dollar!! 
These are sooo cute. I am a new follower.
I love meeting other crafty people.
Cheers!
Jen
FYI – You can usually find these clips in the Jewelry section at your local craft store!
I wanted to let you know that Sally Beauty Supply sells the 2-prong clips in large quantities. I believe they are about $5.50 for a box of 500. I make all my daughter’s hair clips and Sally’s always has inventory of the clips.
I give the hair bows as presents and little girls just love them.
Thank you for that tip. I need to make a trip to Sally’s anyways but now I have more of a reason to! Barrettes for my daughter and now also for gifts for my friend’s daughters, Christmas is coming soon enough.
I made a bunch of these last year. You can find the clips at Sally Beauty Supply. I bought a box of 100 for just a few dollars. Like I said, I made a BUNCH of them =). I did some with holiday themes. I used holiday ribbon and glued a holiday themed button to it.
I wanted to say go to sallys also I could not believe the craft store sales 10 or 12, for 3.99 sallys is like 5 dollars.
These are cute will have to make a few for my little girls…thanx