No-Sew Felt Bow Ties

A bow tie adds a classy touch to every occasion! Whether it’s a wedding, school picture day, or National Bow Tie Day (August 28), here’s a quick and easy project to help you always be prepared. These No-Sew Felt Bow Ties take less than 5 minutes to make and only require a few very basic supplies.

Image contains three felt bow ties; one dark green, one light blue, and one navy, sitting on a white table near a faux plant.

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How to Make No-Sew Felt Bow Ties

The great news is that there are no special skills needed to make these bow ties. Just grab some felt, scissors, and glue, and you’re ready to get started. You can wear these bows with any kind of shirt, as well as on pet collars or even as hair accessories.

Materials

Felt
Scissors
Hot glue gun and glue sticks (I love my Surebonder!)
Bar pin or clip

Instructions

Cut your felt into one 4” x 2 1/2” rectangle and one 7/8” x 2 1/2” rectangle.

Image contains two pieces of dark green felt, a pair of silver scissors, and a faux plant on a white table.

Pinch the larger rectangle in the center and glue inside the folds.

Image contains Amy’s hand holding a green felt rectangle pinched in the center to form a bow.

Wrap the smaller rectangle around the center and glue in place.

Image contains Amy’s hand holding a green felt bow with the back side in view.

Glue a pin or clip to the back of the bow.

Image contains Amy’s hand holding a bar pin. In the background, a green felt bow and a faux plant sit on a white table top.

I love using my Cordless/Corded Mini Hot Glue Gun with a detail tip from Surebonder. It’s perfect for getting just a small amount of glue into tiny spaces, and I love the freedom to create that comes with not being attached to a cord.

Image contains Amy’s hand holding a black and neon green hot glue gun. A felt bow sits upside down on a white table beside it.

That’s all there is to it! This project is so quick and easy that you can create a bow in less than five minutes. Try experimenting with different colors of felt so you have one for every occasion.

Image contains three felt bows: one dark green, one light blue, and one navy blue, on a white background.

Project Tips

If you use a clip on the back instead of a pin, this same project can also be used as a hair bow!
Instead of felt, try this with fabric. Just iron two pieces of fabric together with a piece of double-sided fusible interfacing in between. Then, follow the same steps.
Try cutting the smaller rectangle from a different color felt than the larger one to create a multi-colored effect.
Protect your hands from hot glue by using a wooden craft stick to press down on the felt instead of your fingers.

Image contains Amy’s hand holding a light pink felt bow with a dark pink center. In the background, a two more bows (navy and light blue) sit on a white table.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the bow is too large or small for the person/pet wearing it?

No worries, just adjust the size of the original rectangles until it’s a perfect fit.

Is this a good project for kids?

Sure! The only thing to note is that hot glue can be very, very hot. So, you’ll want to make sure an adult is on hand to do or supervise the steps involving glue.

Where can I find that glue gun?

You can find it here, or explore all the other options at surebonder.com!

Image contains three felt bows: one green, one light blue, and one dark blue, on a white background.

More Felt Projects

Like this project? Check out these other fun things you can create with felt!

Embroidered Felt Cactus (free printable pattern)

Felt Heart Trees

Felt Groundhog Puppet

Felt Ghosts

Felt Animal Coffee Cozy

Felt Leaf Wreath

If you try making your own no-sew felt bow ties or any of these projects, I’d love to see how they turn out. Make sure you’re part of the Amy Latta & Friends Facebook Group so you can share your photos and we can all inspire each other. See you there!