Ok, so I admit, it has been an entire year since I have written, ashamedly so. Well, hopefully that will change. Here is my first post back. We've had a little girl born into our family this May - Maggie. She's a beautiful little troublemaker already. I LOVE making bows for her and dressing her. I have had a problem, however, keeping the bows straight, finding headbands and keeping them organized but out of the hands of her enterprising older brother. A friend of mine made one for her daughter when Malachi was a wee one, and I decided I would make one for Maggie. Here's how I did it. (PS I am not sure why the photos are junky... hm...have to ask my Hubby about that...)
Supplies needed:
(1) Corkboard -without frame ( I used one that was roughly the size of a poster board)
(1) piece of fabrib (big enough to cover your corkboard and about two extra inches all around)
(4) lenghts of ribbon (long enough to stretch across your corkboard with 2 inches extra on both sides
(1) lighter
(1) Staple gun and staples (optional - you can just use a glue gun for it all)
(1) Glue Gun
(2) inches of sticky velcro
(6) 5" sections of ribbon - you can use fewer if you want fewer headband holders
(20) buttons (I used (8) simple 1/2" white buttons, (6) larger 1" (apprx) buttons and (6) 1/2" color buttons
Step One:
Cover your corkboard in the fabric. I chose to forego sewing a hem and simply folded over the fabric and stapled it to the back of the corkboard. You can hot glue the fabric instead. I am the queen of overkill when it comes to tape, glue or anything adhesive as my family can attest to - so I chose to use both staples and glue. I dare that sucker to come undone.
Step Two:
Stretch out the ribbon across the board leaving approx. 2 inches on each side. I measured about 4 inches from the top and between each ribbon and 5 inches from the bottom. Just space the ribbon evenly, measure from the bottom/top and make sure to mark the same distance on the other side of the board, this will make it easier to have straight ribbon.
Step Three:
You are going to fasten the ribbon to the back of the board. First, make sure you singe the edges of the ribbons with a lighter or match. It will melt the ribbon and keep it from unravelling. Double the ribbon over and either staple or hot glue the ribbon to the board. Repeat this for each ribbon.
Step Four:
Get your simple white buttons:
I added buttons to the ribbon in alternating patterns. Basically this was to disguise the hot glue where I reinforced the ribbon (and to remind me where it is when I clip barrettes on). This was done to keep the ribbon from sagging under the weight of the bows while still allowing the ribbon to come up from the board so that bows and barrettes can be clipped on.
Step five:
I didn't have any big colorful buttons on hand, so I used some of my smaller ones, and then hot glued them to bigger white ones. I think attached a length of the 5" ribbon pieces to each one (make sure to singe the edges again to keep from fraying).
I then cut the velcro into about 1/3" sections and stuck the soft portion on the board (six pieces approx 4 inches apart) and the rough side on the back of the button/ribbon combo.
I think hot glued the ribbon to the back of the board matching up where the button is velcroed to the front.
Final step: Hang on the wall, and fill with hair accessories! Enjoy!
