Repurposing Ribbons and Beads

I'm so glad to be crafting with you today!

I came across this necklace in an old catalog:

It's made up of two kinds of grosgrain ribbon, beads, baubles and gems. While it may be quite an over-the-top accessory, it inspired me to create something similar using ribbons and beads from my craft stash.

These stripe grosgrain ribbons once decorated a gift I received. I never throw things like these away. I save them with this ribbon storage technique until I'm ready to use them.

 

I decided that I'm making hair clips with the grosgrain ribbon. For that, we'll also need a set of barrettes in various sizes that I got from the craft store. 

I found a necklace and two bracelets that I no longer wear. Time to give them a new purpose.

I unfastened the beads from the jewelry findings using a pair of pliers. 

Now that all the materials for the hair clips are ready, let's begin.  

I took a strip of grosgrain ribbon (this is 5.5 inches long). I made a running stitch on one end of the ribbon with needle and thread. 

Pull the thread so that the grosgrain ribbon gathers up into a circle.

Make the ends of the grosgrain ribbon meet and sew them together with the needle and thread. Finish the stitch with a few tight knots. 

Instantly, we made a ribbon rosette...TADA!

Embellish the middle of the ribbon rosette with beads, sewed on securely with needle and thread.

Take another strip of grosgrain ribbon (this is 6.2 inches long).

Connect the ends together by sewing. We'll end up with a circle like this one.

Press the ribbon circle to form a bowtie. Pinch the middle section together and sew so that it stays in place. 

Attach the ribbon rosette and bowtie by sewing them together on the back side.

Then sew on the barrette (sew it on both ends and at the center). 

Take a look at what we made: a grosgrain ribbon hair clip...TADA!

Now, let me show you another kind of hair clip.

Take another strip of grosgrain ribbon (this is 13 inches long) with the tails cut on an angle. Form the ribbon into a bow and stitch the center to keep it from unravelling.

Next, make a bowtie using another strip of ribbon (this is 6 inches long). 

Join the two by sewing them together on the back side and attach a barrette. Decorate the bows with a smattering of beads.

Pretty hair clips for young ones and adults. That's how I turned some grosgrain ribbon and beads from blah to TADA! 

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