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DIY Softball Hair Bows

by Carla Schauer 7 Comments

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For fastpitch players, softball hair bows are practically part of the uniform.  From the littlest coach-pitch players to the college athletes, fans will find ribbons on ponytails.  I made these “softball streamer” or “pony-o” style softball bows for my daughter’s team, making sure they were made as tough as the girls are.  Customize ribbon colors for teams, school spirit days, or occasions. Be sure to check out all the softball gifts for players and teams for more fun ideas.

Make streamer-style hair bows for fastpitch softball or other sports using this easy tutorial from Carla Schauer Designs at carlaschauer.com

This page may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my link, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

To Make Softball Hair Bows

Softball Bow Supplies:

  • 5-6 styles of coordinating ribbon, varied patterns and widths as desired
  • Elastic ponytail band, no metal pieces
  • Scissors
  • Needle and coordinating thread
  • Beacon Fabri-tac Adhesive or hot glue
  • Lighter or heat tool

Softball Bow Instructions:

Step 1.  Cut ribbon in 24″ lengths.  I find that older girls (10+) like the longer length rather than the shorter, poofy, style.  If you’re looking for short and poofy, cut ribbons to 15-20″.

*tip*  If you’re making bows for a whole team, cut all the ribbon at once and make them assembly-line-style (all of step 1, then all of step 2, etc.) rather than making one full bow at a time. It cuts down on having to switch out supplies over and over.

How to make sports bows in bulk. Great tutorial from Carla Schauer Designs.

Make Sports Bows in Bulk|Carla Schauer Designs

Step 2.  Arrange ribbons and sew together.  Next, line up ribbons in desired order, with narrower ribbons toward the top.  Thread needle, knot end, and sew ribbons, weaving in and out of each ribbon as shown. Once all the ribbons are sewn, gently tighten thread to gather ribbons together.  This method will produce more volume than simply stacking the ribbons flat and stitching through them.

How to make ribbon hair bows for fastpitch softball and other sports. Easy to follow tutorial from Carla Schauer Designs at carlaschauer.com

Stitch ribbons for volume and security.

 

Coordinating Softball Craft:
Make a Softball Bag Tag.
Just what I needed! Make softball crafts using this free softball svg from Carla Schauer Studio

Step 3.  Attach ribbons to ponytail holder.  These are sport bows, they need to be as strong as our players are.  Stitch through ponytail holder and ribbons, wrap thread around both pieces 4-5 times, and stitch through holder and ribbons again.  Knot thread, and trim excess.

 

Make a "pony-o" ribbon bow for softball or other sports. Complete tutorial on carlaschauer.com.

Secure ribbon stack to ponytail holder.

Step 4.  Cover thread with ribbon. Use 2″ length of ribbon (1/2″ to 5/8″ wide).  Tie a half-knot in the center for a bit of extra detail, then glue knot directly in center of stitching.  Hold in place for a minute or so until glue dries.

 *note* Do not use anything containing hard plastic or metal as a decorative accent in this area if you are planning to use these bows for sports. Those materials are illegal for safety reasons, and won’t be permitted on the field.  The ribbon knot is perfectly legal.

Make Pony-O Ribbon Sports Bows|Carla Schauer Designs

Use fabric glue for attaching ribbon knot accent.

Wrap loose ends of ribbon piece around ponytail band, trimming excess if needed, and glue in place.

How to make athletic hair bows for fastpitch softball (or other sports). Easy to follow tutorial from Carla Schauer Designs at carlaschauer.com

Secure ribbon ends under band.

Step 5.  Trim and seal ribbon edges.  Then use scissors to trim edges of ribbon so the ends of each ribbon type are even, cutting at an angle.  Ribbons can be cut all the same length, or varied lengths and angles, depending on preference.  Then to seal ribbon edges and prevent fraying, pass end of ribbon lightly over tip of lighter flame or heat tool until the cut edge just becomes glossy.  (Alternately, dab white glue or decoupage medium on edges if flame or heat tool is unavailable.)

How to make ribbon softball hair bows. Easy to follow tutorial from Carla Schauer Designs at carlaschauer.com

Even-up ribbon ends with angled cuts.

Once the ends are trimmed and sealed, you’re finished.  And if you made softball hair bows for everyone, you’ll have a team full of happy girls at the next practice. Yay you!

DIY pony-o streamer bows for fastpitch softball and other sports. Great, easy-to-follow tutorial. | Carla Schauer Designs

DIY Pony-O Sports Bows | Carla Schauer Designs

Thanks for stopping by, have a great season!
Carla

Coordinating Softball Gifts:

Make more DIY Softball Gifts for team goodie bags, softball coach gifts, or your favorite player.

Pin this Softball Bow tutorial to make later:

Girl wearing yellow, black and white streamer hair bow, with text for pinning.
Collage of yellow, black, and white ribbon hair bows, with text at bottom for pinning

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suzzette

    May 5, 2016 at 1:46 pm

    LOVE these Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Carla Schauer

      May 20, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      You’re welcome Suzzette, I’m glad you like them!

      Reply
  2. Melissa

    September 26, 2016 at 11:35 am

    So cute and your directions made this super easy!! Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Lisa

    June 15, 2017 at 12:34 am

    Love these and super easy to make used 12″ length ribbon. They turned out super cute. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
    • Carla Schauer

      June 15, 2017 at 2:07 pm

      Awesome! I’m glad they worked well for you!

      Reply
  4. Judy butler

    November 6, 2019 at 2:08 pm

    Carla, where did you get the ribbon?

    Reply
    • Carla Schauer

      November 6, 2019 at 2:26 pm

      Hi Judy, Most of the ribbon for this bow came from Hobby Lobby. The exception might be the small black glittery one, which I picked up on Halloween clearance at one of the big box craft stores. I like to comb the clearance after each holiday to get cheap things like that I can use year-round.

      Reply

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Carla Schauer photo Welcome! I'm Carla, a licensed artist, maker, and creator of quirky art and craft projects. Here, I share DIY crafts and creativity of all kinds, occasional studio updates, and a wee bit of everyday life. New? Start here.
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