Farm-tastic First Birthday: DIY "First Place" Door Bow

My color palette inspiration for Quinn's party was a piece Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile Coloring Garden - Dusk. In fact, I made everything that uses this print from a single yard of fabric, including this "First Place" Door Bow. You know you're in Texas when you show your husband a 3 foot tall Door Bow and he exclaims... "HOW IS SHE GOING TO WEAR THAT??" Love it.

After the party, this will be used as a hair clip holder in Quinn's room!

Get the DIY "First Place" Door Bow/Hair Clip Holder/GIANT CORSAGE after the jump.


What you Need:

• 6"x52" piece of fabric for ruffle (can be stripped together)
• 6"x52" piece of single sided, med weight interfacing
• 2 - 8" paper plates
• 11" diameter circle of felt for center
• 2 - 4" x 26" pieces of felt for hanging ribbons
• Felt for number
• Ribbon for hanging
• Stapler (a long reach stapler is helpful)
• Needle & thread


What to Do:


1. Iron your fabric, and iron your fabric to interfacing.


2. Trim both long sides with pinking shears (I didn't do this but wish I had.)

3. Using a basting stitch (the longest stich on your machine, probably a 5) stitch along 1 long side, 1/4" from the edge.) You could also do this by hand and gather as you go. It might be easier, in fact)


4. If you machine stitch, gather your fabric by pulling one of the threads and simultaneously bunching the fabric. It's easiest if you start bunching from the center, doing one side and then the other.


5. Adjust the gather to make even all around.


6. You want to end up with a 5" radius in the center.

7. Line up the ends and sew together approx 1/2" from edge

8. If they dont' line up perfectly, trim edge to match.

ps. Crafting in jammie pants. Shower woman!

9. This is what it should look like from the front.


10. Now we will make the center of your "Ribbon."


11. Sew around the edge of your felt circle, 1/4" from the edge with a basting stitch.


12. Gather as described in step 4.


13. Slip one paper plate into the center and make sure it fits snugly. Gather as needed and evenly distribute gathers. Tie thread ends together.


14. Remove plate from circle.


15. Cut our your number from a coordinating felt and center on circle.


16. Hand stitch number to circle. Set aside.


17. Center one of your plate, wrong side up, over fabric.


18. Staple plate to fabric around circumference. I love my christmas stapler, as I have mentioned.



19. Cut a "v" into the bottom of your 2 felt rectangles.


19. Arrange felt strips on back and staple in place through paper plate.



20. Make a loop of ribbon for hanging and staple to back paper plate.


21. Place second paper plate directly over first.


22. Staple in place at center.


23. Slide felt "number" circle over outside plate and you're done!