How to Make Cheer Bows with a Cricut

Did you know that you can make cheer bows using your Cricut machine? I am walking you through the entire process of how to make a cheer bow and adding heat transfer vinyl to the tails. These can be customized with colors, mascots, and phrases to match any team. Your cheerleading squad will look so great with matching bows for any sports season!

Table of Contents

Cheer Bows

From making the bow to adding the decoration, I have everything you need to know below!

For this project, I am going to use a Bowdabra to make my bows as I find that easiest. This is especially true if you are making bows for an entire squad! However, you can definitely make these bows without the assistance of the bow maker, if you don’t have one.

Supplies Needed To Make Cheer Bows

Bowdabra Bow Maker
Ribbon
Heat Transfer Vinyl
Cricut Machine
Cricut EasyPress or Iron
Stiffen Spray (optional)
Ruler
Scissors
Lighter
Hot Glue and Glue Gun
Pony Tail Holders

Ribbon Type

I actually used a few different types of ribbons to make the cheer bows in this post. I would suggest a 2 1/2 to 3-inch wide ribbon for large bows and smaller widths when making smaller bows. You can use wire-edged ribbons if you want the bows to be able to hold their shape on their own. The large bows require about 28 inches of ribbon while the smaller bows need about 18 inches of length.

How To Make A Cheer Bow

Now that you have your supplies, it is time to make the bows and add some embellishments. Be sure to pick the colors that match your team and look for a design to cut from HTV that will coordinate.

Making Ribbon Bows

Step 1: Cut Ribbon

Cut your ribbon to length. I find that 28 inches works well for large bows and 18 inches for small ones. If you are NOT using wire-edged ribbon, see my tips below for stiffening the ribbon before proceeding.

Adding a Stiffening Spray (if needed)

For just plain grosgrain ribbon, you can use a stiffener spray over the surface and allow it to dry before beginning. This is optional but will keep your bows standing up. Just protect your work surface with paper and spray your entire length of ribbon. Allow to dry and follow the same instructions below for making a bow.

Step 2: Add Wire

Start by adding wire into your Bowdabra.

Step 3: Fold Ribbon

Fold your ribbon where you have two loops of equal size and two tails of equal size.

Step 4: Add Ribbon To Bowdabra

Add the ribbon to the Bowdabra.

Step 5: Push Ribbon Down

Push the ribbon all the way down to the bottom.

Step 6: Double Check That Ribbon Is Push Down

Use the piece for the Bowdabra to make sure the ribbon is pushed down well.

Step 7: Wrap Wire Around The Ribbon

Wrap the wire around the center of the ribbon and pull tight. Use the wire to lift the bow out of the Bowdabra.

Step 8: Tighten Wire

Tighten and twist the wire several times to create your bow.

Adding a Hair Tie

Now that you have your bow, you will want to add a hair tie to the back.

Step 1: Attach Bow To Pony Tail Holder

Use the wire to attach a pony tail holder to the back. Be sure to wrap several times and pull tight.

Finishing the Ribbon Bow

Step 1: Cut Ribbon Tails

Cut the ends of your ribbon into a “V” by folding in half. You can burn the ends of your ribbon with a lighter to prevent fraying.

Step 2: Cut A Piece Of Ribbon

Cut a small piece of a different ribbon. This ribbon can be the same or a different color. I like it to be fairly narrow.

Step 3: Hot Glue Ribbon To Bow

Wrap it around the center and secure with a bit of hot glue in the back.

wrapping ribbon around the middle of a bow

Step 4: Burn Ribbon Ends With Lighter

Trim away any excess and burn the cut end with a lighter.

burning the ends of ribbon to keep it from fraying

How to Put HTV on Cheer Bows

Step 1: Cut Out Design In HTV

Why not add a design with your Cricut machine? Pick out a cute design and cut from HTV. Be sure to mirror your design and place the shiny side down on the mat when cutting.

Step 2: Weed Design

Once cut, weed away all of the excess and put your design into place on your ribbon.

Step 3: Cover Bow With A Protective Sheet

I usually cover my bows with a protective sheet when ironing in order to protect the ribbon.

teflon sheet over a bow made from ribbon

Step 4: Adhere Design To Bow

Then use your Cricut EasyPress or your iron to adhere your heat transfer vinyl according to the directions on the package.

using easypress on a ribbon bow to add iron on

Step 4: Peel Away Carrier Sheet

Peel the carrier sheet away and you have just learned how to make cheer bows!

I ended up making a few different designs. You can pick and choose the colors, font, logos, or even mascots that will work well for your cheerleaders!

Grab your supplies and make a few cheer bows today! I know the entire team will love them or just make a few for your little cheerleader!

You can even change up this tutorial for other types of hair bows. Add cute designs to the ends with heat transfer vinyl or just leave them plain. Either way, your little one is sure to love them!

So, will you be making some cheer bows this season? Be sure to use the ribbon measurements and pick up plenty of ribbon if you are making bows for an entire squad. Nothing is worse than running out of ribbon and not being able to find the same type or brand.

FAQs About How To Make A Cheer Bow

If you have questions about our how to make a cheer bow tutorial, I have answers for you! Please leave your question for me in the comments if you don’t see it already answered below!

Where Can I Buy The Bowdabra?

You can buy the Bowdabra from Amazon!

What Type Of Ribbon Can I Use For This Project?

You can use whatever ribbon you have on hand for this project. However, if you are looking for a good place to start, I would recommend using Grosgrain Ribbon.

Can I Use The Cricut EasyPress Mini For This Project?

Yes, you can! The Cricut EasyPress Mini would be perfect for this project since we are not using a ton of HTV on each bow. If you want to learn more about the EasyPress Mini, check out my Cricut EasyPress Mini: Everything You Need to Know blog post!

Can I Use Regular Vinyl For This Project?

You can, but I found that HTV works better for this project because it can adhere to a variety of ribbon types.

Now, if you are still on the fence about using HTV, check out my How To Use Iron On Vinyl (a.k.a., Heat Transfer Vinyl) blog post to learn more about HTV!

6 More Cricut Crafts

Did you love learning about how to make a cheer bow, and are looking for more Cricut crafts? Then check out the projects below!