Finishing Your Cheer Bow

So you've successfully folded your bow... Now what? If you finished our "Folding Your Cheer Bow" tutorial, you have a folded piece of ribbon that looks quite unfinished. In this tutorial, we'll show you how to add the finishing touches and make your cheer bow wearable.

This is the finished bow I'm going to be making today.

DISCLAIMER: For this step, you will need to use a glue gun. Glue guns are very hot and can cause burns if you are not paying attention. You will also need to use a lighter briefly. Always get an adult's permission and help when using hot equipment.

What you will need:

• Your folded cheer bow
• 3/8-inch grosgrain ribbon
• Scrap piece of ribbon
• Ponytail holder
• Glue gun
• Transparent/clear glue for your glue gun
• Parchment/silicone paper and tape (I recommend painters tape or something that can be easily removed and doesn't leave residue)
• Scissors
• Lighter

Glue Gun Tip: Go with a glue gun that has a precision tip. This will make it much easier to keep the glue where you want it.

Everything you need to make a really pretty bow.

For my space setup, I usually tape down a piece of parchment or silicone paper to my workspace. This protects my workspace from any hot glue that may leak out of my glue gun. Not only will this protect your desk or other surface, but the glue can be peeled off if you need more space.

For some reason, my glue gun likes to leak so I put my silicone paper underneath it to protect my workspace. I also keep Q-tips around to remove any globs of glue that could accidentally end up on my bow.

Why you do this glue gun? Why?

Step 1: Warm up your glue gun

Step 2: Trim the twist ties

Step 3: Glue down your ponytail holder

Let the glue dry for a few seconds before holding the ponytail holder down.
It can be very easy to burn your fingers so be careful!

I usually place the ponytail holder in the valley between the first and second fold. A small dab of glue is all you need. Add some glue to the scrap piece of ribbon and let it cool for about 5 seconds before pressing it firmly (but carefully - it will be hot!) over where the ponytail holder meets the bow. This will hold the ponytail holder firmly in place.

Arrow is pointing to scrap piece of ribbon. 

Step 4: Glue down the grosgrain center ribbon

There are two ways to do this. One way is to glue down the center ribbon so that it ties off in the back. The other way is to start by gluing down the end of the center ribbon and wrap it around once before cutting it off and gluing the other end down.

I personally prefer to tie the center ribbon off as this creates more stability for the ponytail holder. If you glue on the center ribbon using this method, you can always apply a second center ribbon so that it wraps around and creates a cleaner look.

You'll need to flip your bow over for this part.
This is what the front of my bow looks like.

I added a spot of hot glue before holding down my center ribbon.
The glue will be hot so avoid directly touching the center part of the ribbon.

Gluing down the top of the center ribbon. You'll need to do this for the
bottom of the bow as well.

This is what the back of your bow should look like. Make sure you put
the center ribbon through the ponytail holder.

Step 5: Tying the Back of Your Bow

Tying the center ribbon can be a bit tricky. Essentially you want the center ribbon on the top of the bow to lie flat. This will make the ribbon ends go sideways. It may take a couple tries to get this knot exactly the way you want it.

Make sure to make the knot so it is above the ponytail holder -
the knot should act as an anchor the ponytail holder.

Pro tip; Make the knot first before adding your glue to the back of the bow. This way you don't have to rush. It's O.K. if the back gets a bit messy - you can pull off excess glue once it is cooled.

Pull the knot tight and hold it tight for about 20 seconds or until the hot glue cools. Add a second knot with more hot glue.

It looks a bit messy right now but the excess glue can be removed once
you're finished with the bow.

Step 6: Cut the Excess Center Ribbon

Make sure to leave a small amount of ribbon - you'll need enough to glue to the back of the ear. By cutting the excess ribbon at an angle, you'll prevent the grosgrain from unraveling over time. Do this for both sides.

Cut the excess ribbon at an angle. 

When it's time to add hot glue, carefully add your glue to the ribbon. Let it cool slightly before pressing the ends down into the back of the bow ears. Be very careful with this step as you can burn yourself if you attempt to do this while the glue is still too hot.

This is what the back of your bow should look like after you glue down the excess ribbon.

Step 7: Finishing the Tails

Your bow is almost done! Now you just have to do is finish off the tails. I don't have pictures for this, but this is an easy step as long as you have parental supervision.

Fold the tail in half and make a straight cut down the middle using the scissors. Then make a cut from the corners of the tail to the end of the center cut.

Tip: To keep your tail triangles even, mark your scissors for easy reference. 

Run a lighter quickly along the edges of the tail to keep the grosgrain from unraveling. Ask for help from an adult for this step! Do not hold the flame on the bow for too long as you can burn the bow. All you need to do is run the lighter around the triangle cut once or twice. You should feel a slight ridge form as the glue melds with the fabric.

Step 8: Bow Cleanup

Clean up any lose glue strings and globs that are stuck in the knot. You can use tweezers to help out.

Your cheer bow is now complete!