Crochet Ribbed Bow Applique for Hair Clips and Bags

A bow tied from a crochet cord is soft and floppy. This one is built instead: one strip folded into a flat loop, a second shorter strip for the tails, and a tight wrap of yarn around the middle. The strips are worked in back-loop double crochet, which gives them ridges and enough body to stand up.

Elise uses this bow on the earmuffs in her next videos, and on hair clips and bags. It's one of the quicker projects on her lilthings channel.

Video tutorial by Elise on her YouTube channel, lilthings: watch "crochet ribbon bow tutorial | crochet beginner tutorial | crochet idea for beginner accessory" on YouTube.

Written from the video.

Materials

• 5-ply milk cotton in yellow or pink
• 3.0 mm hook
• Scissors, a darning needle and a stitch marker
• Optional: a hair clip or brooch pin, and glue

Main loop

1. Chain 32 (30 + 2 for turning).
2. Row 1: starting in the 3rd chain from the hook, work 30 dc.
3. Rows 2 and 3: chain 2, turn, and work 30 dc in the back loop only.
4. Fasten off, leaving a tail.
5. Bring the two short ends together and slip stitch or whipstitch them into a ring. Flatten it with the seam in the middle of the back.

Tails

1. Chain 17 (15 + 2 for turning).
2. Row 1: starting in the 3rd chain from the hook, work 15 dc.
3. Row 2: chain 2, turn, and work 15 dc in the back loop only.
4. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Putting it together

1. Lay the tail strip across the back of the flattened loop, centred.
2. Pinch both pieces together in the middle, folding them like an accordion.
3. Wrap a long strand of the same yarn tightly around the pinch, 15 to 20 times.
4. Knot it at the back and weave the ends in.

Glue or sew the bow onto a hair clip, a brooch pin, a bag or a pair of crochet earmuffs.

Tips

• Ribs run the long way. The ridges of back-loop stitches run along the strip, which is what stiffens the bow's loops.
• Pinch evenly. Fold the middle into two or three neat pleats before wrapping, so both sides of the bow stay the same size.
• Trim the tails at an angle. For a ribbon-like finish, fold each end of the tail strip into a V and stitch it in place.

Frequently asked questions