Tutu Bow Holder

I've hesitated making a blog post about a Tutu Bow Holder that I made a couple years ago, especially since you can now find them at Hobby Lobby (wooden bodice with a tulle skirt). But... if you are like me, the ones at Hobby Lobby would never do... I would probably need two of them FOR EACH DAUGHTER. In fact, anytime, past or present, I've seen cool bow holders, they've been too small to hold our personal inventory. 

About two years ago, though, I was on a search for a bow holder that would be big enough to get the job done, and be cute for their room, too. I found several great ideas, but then I came across some online that looked like the tutu dresses, with ribbons on the skirt to hold the bows. I fell in love with them, but they were way too expensive, and this was before Hobby Lobby was selling theirs. So I made one.

I wasn't doing a blog at the time, so it didn't occur to me to take pictures of the process. Nor did I write anything down, so what I share is from memory.

Finished project. But I'm pretty sure I took those
buttons off and centered them better after
I took this picture!!

I found two pieces of thick, sturdy cardboard and cut out a bodice on each piece. I cut a thin bit of foam to match the bodice. I placed the foam on one of the pieces of cardboard and tacked it lightly to keep it in place, then wrapped my fabric around them like wrapping a gift and used hot glue to hold everything in place. I wrapped another piece of fabric around the other piece of cardboard, and then glued the 'ugly' side of the second piece of cardboard to the back of the padded piece of cardboard. I did this for three reasons... 

     1. So all the glue in between would hold all the fabric in place and be less likely to tear away.

     2. So the extra piece of cardboard would give extra stability.

     3. So the extra piece of cardboard would hide all the ugly on the back side.

Trying to show where it comes together in the back.

I then attached the tulle at the bottom of the bodice (maybe a yard of tulle), with four ribbons hanging down (you could do more, and my skirt hangs about 2 feet long). I put a wide strip of ribbon across the bodice to look like a belt... but this was really to cover up all the ugly parts were tulle met bodice... then added some buttons for decoration along with a flower brooch.

Here's what it looks like now with all the bows and
flowers, and even headbands are hooked on the neck.

I pinned a strip of ribbon on the back and used that to hang it on the wall. It was a project I hope to never repeat [LOL], but I love it and the girls love it, too.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39