HOW TO MAKE CHEERLEADING BOWS

A guide to help you make your own cheerleading bows.

A complete cheerleading outfit consists of many things – cheerleading uniform, shoes, pom poms, and other cheerleading accessories. Among the most common cheerleading accessories that many cheerleaders use are cheerleading bows.


Cheerleading bows are more than just accents on the hairs of the cheerleaders. A cheerleading bow also serves as an accessory to hold the cheerleader’s hair. The stunts and moves that are performed by cheerleaders could cause a lot of hair whipping and swishing. The cheerleading bows provide adequate hair control so that the hair is kept in place and away from the cheerleaders’ faces.

Although you can easily buy affordable cheerleading bows like those from CheerleadingOnline.com, some cheerleading teams also choose to make their own bows. The activity of making their own bows also provides a bonding opportunity for the team. If you are planning to make cheerleading bows with your teammates, below is a guide on how to make them.

  1. Choose a ribbon. The design of the ribbon that you will use is obviously very important in how your cheerleading bows would turn out. Choose a design that will complement your cheerleading uniform. Depending on your preference, you can choose a texture and design that will either standout or blend in with your whole cheerleading outfit. One cheerleading bow will use up around 30 inches long so make sure you buy enough for the number of cheerleading bows you want to make. Also, choose ribbons that are around 2 to 3 inches wide.
  2. Cut the ribbons. Cut the ribbon into several pieces of 30 inches in length. One piece will make up one cheerleading bow so make sure to cut enough pieces for everyone in the team.
  3. Assemble the bow. To assemble the ribbon into a cheerleading bow, loop both ends of the ribbon. Make sure to position the loops such that both tails of the bow are pointing downwards. If you prefer a more elaborate cheerleading bow, you can add more loops and then pinch all the loops together.
  4. Secure the loops. There are many ways you can secure the loops of your cheerleading bow. You can use needle and thread to stitch them all together or you can use a zip tie instead. Make sure that the loops are held tightly and that they are secure. Once the loops are secured, you need to put another knotted ribbon over the stitch or the zip tie to cover it up. You can use a different ribbon or you can choose the same ribbon.
  5. Attach a barrette or pin. Use glue to attach a barrette or a hair pin to the back of your cheerleading bow. Wait for the glue to completely dry before trying out the cheerleading bow.

19 comments

  1. My daughter loves this information! She is into artworks and this would make a great addition to her DIY stuff.

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  2. Love Cheer Bows! Just made some for my website www.prettygirlcosmetics.com. I used your tips!

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  3. It's true that well thought off accessories can either make or break an excellent Cheerleader Costume as this is the first and last thing the audience can see. A while back I became a big fan of printed grosgrain ribbon which can easily be used for customized bows.

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  4. I was in cheerleading when I was in high school and the hardest thing to do are the Cheerleading Pom Poms. It is always nice to have a store where you can get them, it will definitely save time. Great post!

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  5. One of the things I look forward to during the the university basketball league way back college days is the Cheerleading competition, we used to create DIY Cheerleading Accessories. Thanks for this post,will definitely keep note of this tutorial for future use.

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  6. One of the things I look forward to during the the university basketball league way back college days is the Cheerleading competition, we used to create DIY Cheerleading Accessories. Thanks for this post,will definitely keep note of this tutorial for future use.

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  7. I'm into creating customized bows and ribbons for my daughter these days and although she is too young to be a cheerleader for now, these Cheerleading Bows will look great on her. I've read the step-by-step procedure and I find it easy to follow. I'll share the pictures of the finished product with you once done.

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  8. My cousin is a member of their school’s cheerleading team. They are a little tight on the budget but they can’t do away with a nice Cheerleading Bows. Thanks for sharing this information on how to make cheerleading bows. My cousin will definitely find this information very useful.

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  9. My cousin is a member of their school’s cheerleading team. They are a little tight on the budget but they can’t do away with a nice Cheerleading Bows. Thanks for sharing this information on how to make cheerleading bows. My cousin will definitely find this information very useful.

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  10. Very timely for me to stumble upon this post. My niece is the designated stylist of their cheerleading team and she is now looking for nice DIY Cheerleading Accessories. TFS!

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  11. It’s always fun to watch cheerleaders perform. Aside from their great moves, tricks and heart stopping routines, I never fail to take notice of their costumes and accessories. I’m sure your post about on How to Make Cheerleading Bows can help a lot of cheerleaders in making their own accessories.

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  12. I used to wonder where and how the cheer leaders in our school can make those beautiful
    cheerleading outfits. I know that they hire someone to do it for them but for the accessories I know that most of them do it themselves because often times they can’t buy it on one store only. It’s nice to know that there’s an online store where they sell variety of uniforms, accessories and apparel for the cheer leaders. Anyway thanks for the tutorial of doing the cheerleading bows it will definitely a big help.

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  13. This entry brought me back to my very 1st memory of being part of a Cheerleading group. I was not a good dancer nor do I am a cheerleader material but I guess those Cheerleading Uniforms made everyone (including me!) inspired to do our cheers and dance moves. I can't wait for my future daughter to be part of a cheerleading group as well!

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  14. During a reunion last week, my friend and I remembered our cheerleading stint in high school. Sure, our Cheerleading Outfits do not fit us anymore but we can still remember how fun and memorable the experience was for all of us.

    Thanks for the tips, by the way!

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  15. I used to be a cheerleader when I was in high school, and I remember how we seriously talk about our uniforms. You know, the funkier our Cheerleading Outfits is, the better!

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  16. Those Cheerleading bows will certainly complete the look of cheerleading outfits. If you have the talent to make one, then it will surely be a great idea since it will save you some money.

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  17. Been part of the cheerleading team when I was in HS. What I enjoy most about being part of the team is making our Cheerleading Pom Poms that took us days to finish. Lucky are the cheerleading teams these days because they can now get Pom-Poms from the stores.

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  18. great info for cheer bows thanks for sharing

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