How to Make a Duct Tape Hair Bow
Cut four 12 inch (30.48 centimeters) pieces of duct tape and place them on a cutting mat., Stick two strips together, so that you have a set of 12 inch (30.48 centimeter) pieces of tape with no sticky sides showing., Take one strip and cut it in...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cut four 12 inch (30.48 centimeters) pieces of duct tape and place them on a cutting mat.
Try getting a cutting mat with a grid and ruler printed on it; you can these as a guideline.
Keep the tape sticky-side-down on the cutting mat.
Use an craft knife with a sharp blade and a steel ruler to make straight cuts.
Cut four ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.
You will use these later.
Cut two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by
7.62 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.
You will use these later. -
Step 2: Stick two strips together
Take a strip and grip it tightly by both ends.
Align the long, bottom edge with the long, bottom edge of another strip.
Press the top strip down firmly onto the bottom strip.
One strip will make the bow loops.
The other one will make the tails. , Fold the strip in half, widthwise first, then cut along the fold with a pair of scissors.
You should end up with two 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by
15.24 centimeters) pieces of duct tape. , Line the strips up together, with the folded edges on the same side.
You will be cutting both at the same time in the next step. , Turn the bundle so the open edges are facing you, and the folded edges are face away from your.
Cut a half-triangle shaped notch towards the fold.
This way, when you open the strips, you'll have a triangle-shaped notch at the bottom of each one. , Take a tail, and fold it in half, lengthwise.
Bring the long sides down towards the fold and pinch them at the top; make sure that you are pinching the flat, un-cut end.
It is okay if the rest of the tail is flat and not folded.
One side of the tail will have a single folded edge.
The other side of the tail will have two folded edges.
Pay attention to this. , Flip tail over, so you have the single fold facing you, and the two double folds on the bottom.
Cut a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape, and fold it over the top part of the tail.
This will hold your folds together.
Repeat this step and the previous one for the other tail.
Consider using clothespins or paperclips to hold the accordion folds together while you work on the other steps. , Take the other strip and fold it in half to create a crease.
Do not cut it.
Instead, unfold it, and bring each narrow end towards the crease.
Take a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape, and tape the two narrow ends together so that you end up with a 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by
15.24 centimeters) duct tape ring.
This will create the loops of your bow. , With the ring still flattened into a 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by
15.24 centimeters) rectangle, pinch it by the middle, so that it sort of looks like a bowtie.
Fold the two top edges down towards the back/center fold.
You will still have a bowtie shape, but the center will be folded accordion style. , You may have noticed that your bowtie has two folds and a groove on one side, and one fold and two grooves on the other.
Flip the bowtie over so that the side with the two folds and one groove is facing you.
Fold the small, ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) piece of tape over the two folded bits in the center.
Do not press the sticky ends of the small piece of tape down just yet. , You will now have a bowtie shape, with a single fold in the center, flanked by two cut edges.
You should also have the sticky ends of the little tape facing you. , Take one of the tails by the accordion folded/taped part, with the single fold/taped part facing you.
Slip the tail into the bottom of the bowtie, keeping it to one side of the sticky tape center.
Secure the tail to the bowtie by taping it to the center fold of the bowtie with a small piece of tape.
Repeat this step with the other tail.
If you used clothespins or paperclips to hold the accordion folds together, make sure to take them off before taping the tails to the bowtie. , Start with the bottom piece, closest to the tails.
Once you have that side folded down, press down the top piece. , Cut two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by
7.62 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.
Wrap one of the pieces around the center of the bow.
When you are done, wrap the second piece around the center of the bow.
Make sure that the seams are in the back of the bow. , Pry open a bobby pin, and slide one of the prongs under the central piece of tape. , The bobby pin may not be strong enough to hold a ponytail together, so you will need to secure your hair with a hair tie first.
Once you have the style you want, slip the bobby pin into your hair, just above the hair tie.
Try putting your hair into a half-up, half-down ponytail first, then attach the hair bow.
Put your hair up into a high ponytail.
Once it is secure, attach the hair bow. -
Step 3: so that you have a set of 12 inch (30.48 centimeter) pieces of tape with no sticky sides showing.
-
Step 4: Take one strip and cut it in half to make the tails.
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Step 5: Fold both strips in half lengthwise
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Step 6: so you end up with a bundle of two 1 by 6 inch (2.54 by 15.24 centimeters) strips.
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Step 7: Cut a notch into one of the narrow ends of your bundle.
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Step 8: Fold the un-cut
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Step 9: narrow end of each tail
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Step 10: accordion style.
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Step 11: Tape the folds together.
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Step 12: Fold the other strip into a ring
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Step 13: and secure it with a piece of tape.
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Step 14: Fold the center of the ring accordion style.
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Step 15: Secure the folds with a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by 5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape.
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Step 16: Flip the bow over.
-
Step 17: Attach the tails.
-
Step 18: Fold the sticky ends of the center piece down to hold the bow together.
-
Step 19: Secure the center of the bow with two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by 7.62 centimeters) pieces of tape.
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Step 20: Slide a bobby pin into the back of the bow.
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Step 21: Wear your bow.
Detailed Guide
Try getting a cutting mat with a grid and ruler printed on it; you can these as a guideline.
Keep the tape sticky-side-down on the cutting mat.
Use an craft knife with a sharp blade and a steel ruler to make straight cuts.
Cut four ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.
You will use these later.
Cut two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by
7.62 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.
You will use these later.
Take a strip and grip it tightly by both ends.
Align the long, bottom edge with the long, bottom edge of another strip.
Press the top strip down firmly onto the bottom strip.
One strip will make the bow loops.
The other one will make the tails. , Fold the strip in half, widthwise first, then cut along the fold with a pair of scissors.
You should end up with two 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by
15.24 centimeters) pieces of duct tape. , Line the strips up together, with the folded edges on the same side.
You will be cutting both at the same time in the next step. , Turn the bundle so the open edges are facing you, and the folded edges are face away from your.
Cut a half-triangle shaped notch towards the fold.
This way, when you open the strips, you'll have a triangle-shaped notch at the bottom of each one. , Take a tail, and fold it in half, lengthwise.
Bring the long sides down towards the fold and pinch them at the top; make sure that you are pinching the flat, un-cut end.
It is okay if the rest of the tail is flat and not folded.
One side of the tail will have a single folded edge.
The other side of the tail will have two folded edges.
Pay attention to this. , Flip tail over, so you have the single fold facing you, and the two double folds on the bottom.
Cut a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape, and fold it over the top part of the tail.
This will hold your folds together.
Repeat this step and the previous one for the other tail.
Consider using clothespins or paperclips to hold the accordion folds together while you work on the other steps. , Take the other strip and fold it in half to create a crease.
Do not cut it.
Instead, unfold it, and bring each narrow end towards the crease.
Take a ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) piece of duct tape, and tape the two narrow ends together so that you end up with a 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by
15.24 centimeters) duct tape ring.
This will create the loops of your bow. , With the ring still flattened into a 2 by 6 inch (5.08 by
15.24 centimeters) rectangle, pinch it by the middle, so that it sort of looks like a bowtie.
Fold the two top edges down towards the back/center fold.
You will still have a bowtie shape, but the center will be folded accordion style. , You may have noticed that your bowtie has two folds and a groove on one side, and one fold and two grooves on the other.
Flip the bowtie over so that the side with the two folds and one groove is facing you.
Fold the small, ½ by 2 inch (1.27 by
5.08 centimeters) piece of tape over the two folded bits in the center.
Do not press the sticky ends of the small piece of tape down just yet. , You will now have a bowtie shape, with a single fold in the center, flanked by two cut edges.
You should also have the sticky ends of the little tape facing you. , Take one of the tails by the accordion folded/taped part, with the single fold/taped part facing you.
Slip the tail into the bottom of the bowtie, keeping it to one side of the sticky tape center.
Secure the tail to the bowtie by taping it to the center fold of the bowtie with a small piece of tape.
Repeat this step with the other tail.
If you used clothespins or paperclips to hold the accordion folds together, make sure to take them off before taping the tails to the bowtie. , Start with the bottom piece, closest to the tails.
Once you have that side folded down, press down the top piece. , Cut two 1 by 3 inch (2.54 by
7.62 centimeters) pieces of duct tape.
Wrap one of the pieces around the center of the bow.
When you are done, wrap the second piece around the center of the bow.
Make sure that the seams are in the back of the bow. , Pry open a bobby pin, and slide one of the prongs under the central piece of tape. , The bobby pin may not be strong enough to hold a ponytail together, so you will need to secure your hair with a hair tie first.
Once you have the style you want, slip the bobby pin into your hair, just above the hair tie.
Try putting your hair into a half-up, half-down ponytail first, then attach the hair bow.
Put your hair up into a high ponytail.
Once it is secure, attach the hair bow.
About the Author
Lori Murphy
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Lori Murphy brings 10 years of hands-on experience to every article. Lori believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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