Sew a Bow Tie or Bow Tie Headband for Your Toddler
I had been searching for patterns for bow ties and headbands to make for Easter. I wanted to make bow ties to give to my nephews and niece for Easter and another headband for my little girl to wear for Easter as well. I thought it might be fun to give them all matching accessories for Easter. After looking for bow ties for little boys, I thought it would be fun utilizing the same bow tie pattern for the little girls headbands. I could not find any, so I made up a pattern. You too, can make matching toddler accessories for Easter, a wedding or any special occasion for the little loves in your life. This pattern was made for toddlers from 1-4 years old.
Bow Tie:
Cut three pieces of fabric. Depending on what size you will need for your toddler, the sizes will vary slightly.
See pattern below for details and dimensions.
Bow Tie Directions:
Sew with a ¼” seam allowance unless stated otherwise.
- Cut your three pieces of fabric according to what size Bow Tie you are making.
2. Fold each piece of fabric in half lengthwise (with right sides together) and stitch along the raw edges, leaving ends open to turn tube inside out.
Tip: Use a safety pin to turn a tube right side out. See instructions below:
Tie a string onto a closed safety pin.
Thread it through one side of the tube, inching it up with your fingers until you come out the other side.
Open safety pin and pin it to one side of the side you just came out of.
Turn the edges under to help ‘encourage’ the fabric to turn inside out. Pull the string on the opposite end to turn the tube inside out.
Once your safety pin comes out the opposite end you can remove the pin and pull the rest with your fingers.
3. Turn each piece right side out and iron flat. The seam can go along the center of the back side of each piece.
4. Fold the large Bow piece in half width-wise with the seam side out and sew the two raw ends together.
Tip: If using fabric that frays, simply zigzag stitch over seam to prevent fraying.
5.Turn the Bow fabric right side out and flatten.
Center the seam along the middle of the back side of your Bow and iron your seam flat and open.
(Note: If you zigzag stitched your seam, you will want to iron the seam down flat to one side.)
6. Pinch the middle of this fabric, right along that centered seam creating an accordion fold and forming the Bow’s shape.
Holding in the middle of the Bow’s accordion fold, thread a threaded needle up through the center bottom straight to the center top and out. Snug thread and then wrap thread around the middle to cinch and keep it tight.
Knot the thread ends with your needle and trim ends off.
7. Center and place the front side of Neck Strap against the back of the Bow.
8. Start your needle thread into the back side of the Bow, wrapping more thread around the neck strap, securing it snugly into place next to the bow. Make sure not to thread through the neck strap, as this would prevent it from moving.
9. On the center Wrap, stitch an 1/8” seam allowance along both of the raw edges to prevent it from unraveling further.
10. Place one end of the center Wrap piece on the back of the Bow and pin it in place. Wrap the rest of this center Wrap piece completely around the Bow folding the top under on itself and pin into place to secure this seam for hand stitching.
11. Whip stitch this Wrap into place, careful to not go through either your Neck Strap or the Bow. This center Wrap is used to simply hold everything together and cover up your sewing. The centered Wrap also ensures your Bow slides nicely back and forth on the Neck Strap.
12. Fold each end of the Neck Strap under a 1/4 inch, then another 1/4 inch, and then sew in place. Again, if you have fabric that you want to prevent from fraying, you could zigzag stitch the ends first, then fold under and sew.
13. Sew on your Velcro to each end of the Neck Strap, making sure that one piece is on the “right’ side and the other piece is on the “wrong” side of the Neck Strap. This way, the Velcro will secure properly without the Neck Strap getting twisted.
That’s it, time to find a little fella to wear this cute Bow Tie!
Bow Tie Headband:
Cut four pieces of fabric. Depending on what size you will need for your toddler, the sizes will vary slightly.
See pattern below for details and dimensions.
Bow Tie Headband Directions:
Sew with a ¼” seam allowance unless stated otherwise.
1. Cut your four pieces of fabric according to what size Bow Tie Headband you are making.
2. Fold each piece of fabric in half lengthwise (with right sides together) and stitch along the raw edge, leaving ends open to turn tube inside out.
Tip: Use a safety pin to turn a tube right side out. (See instructions above in the Bow Tie directions).
3. Turn each piece right side out and iron flat. The seam can go along the center of the back side of each piece.
4. Fold the large Bow piece in half width-wise and sew the two raw ends together.
Tip: If using fabric that frays, simply zigzag stitch over seam to prevent fraying.
5. Turn the Bow fabric right side out and flatten. Center the seam along the middle of the back side of your Bow and iron your seam flat and open.
Note: If you zigzag stitched your seam, you will want to iron the seam down flat to one side.
6. Pinch the middle of this fabric, right along that centered seam creating an accordion fold and forming the Bow’s shape.
Holding in the middle of the Bow’s accordion fold, thread a threaded needle up through the center bottom straight to the center top and out. Snug thread and then wrap thread around the middle to cinch and keep it tight.
Knot the thread ends with your needle and trim ends off.
7. Center and place the front side of Top Headband against the back of the Bow.
8. Start your needle thread into the back side of the Bow, wrapping more thread around the Top Headband, securing it snugly into place next to the Bow. Make sure not to thread through the Top Headband, as this would prevent it from moving.
9. On the center Wrap, stitch an 1/8” seam allowance along both of the raw edges to prevent it from fraying.
10. Place one end of the center Wrap piece on the back of the Bow and pin it in place. Wrap the rest of this center Wrap piece completely around the Bow folding the top under on itself and pin into place to secure this seam for hand stitching.
11.Whip stitch this Wrap into place, careful to not go through either your Top Headband or the Bow. This center Wrap is used to simply hold everything together and cover up your sewing. The centered Wrap also ensures your Bow slides nicely back and forth on the Top Headband.
12. Cut elastic to size and thread it through Bottom Headband. Make sure to stop before the end gets pulled all the way through and stitch the one end into place making several passes.
Continue threading the elastic until it reaches out the other end and sew together, making several passes to secure the hold.
8. Tuck each of the raw ends under about a ¼” on Top Headband. (I used the head of the safety pin to sort of help push the fabric down)
9. Take the Bottom Headband elastic piece and fit it into one of the tucked in ends on Top Headband and sew them together. 
Repeat on the other side of the headband, making sure elastic is not twisted before sewing closed.
There you have a pretty little Bow Tie Headband to dress up your little lady.
You can make matching or different sets as gifts, too! If you do make them, please share your photos in the comments below!
Comments