Free Instructions! How to Make Korker Bows

No, it's not crochet, but I thought I'd share how I make korker bows (or curly bows, as my daughter calls them). Perfect for any little girl, korker bows are a great way to add a little spark to any outfit. Korker bows allow you to mix and match ribbons, with color combinations as endless as your creativity.

You will need the following supplies:

3/8th inch grosgrain ribbon in desired colors

Wooden dowel rods

Wooden clothes pins

Starch

Aluminum Foil

Needle and thread in coordination colors

Glue gun and hot glue

Scissors

Hair accessory to put the korker on

Lighter or wood burner

* To start, preheat your oven to 215 degrees. Choose the ribbon colors you would like to use for your bow and plug in your glue gun to get it warming up.

* Next, begin to wrap the end of your ribbon around one end of a wooden dowel. Clip this end with a wood pin to secure it, and continue to wind the ribbon in a spiral around the dowel until you reach the end. Cut the ribbon when it reaches the end of the dowel and secure this end with a clothes pin as well. Continue this process with three to five more dowels so there will be enough korker ribbon for your hair bow.

* When all your dowels have been wrapped with ribbon, spray heavy starch on each wrapped dowel, turning them to cover all sides.

* Place each of your covered dowels in the oven, preferably on a piece of aluminum foil. Set a timer for fifteen minutes, removing the dowels promptly when the timer sounds. Allow the dowels to cool for a few minutes, then unwrap them.

* Once the ribbon has cooled, use scissors to cut the korker ribbon into 1 to 2 inch lengths. Once these lengths are cut, use the lighter and pass the flame gently across the ends of each ribbon length. This will seal the ribbon to keep it from unraveling in the future.

* With the needle and thread, begin to thread the lengths of ribbon by inserting the needle through the center of each length and gathering the ribbons together. This should create the pom-pom effect, with ribbons going in all directions. When you have threaded the desired number of ribbon lengths, secure the bow with a tight knot and cut the thread.

* Finally, it's time to glue the bow to the hair clip or accessory of your choice. A lined alligator clip works well, but the korker can also be attached to a french clip or hair band. Use the hot glue gun to adhere the bow to the accessory and let the glue dry. Your bow is complete!