Retro Barrettes

In this post on February 10, I wrote that I’d be making some ‘80s style barrettes for Katie as a Valentine gift. I worked on a few different sets, and gave them to her and she LOVED them. I even found some old photos of me and my cousin Catherine wearing some back in the day, and showed the photos to her. She was so excited to wear barrettes like the ones I used to have.

It was such an easy project. It helps that I remember making them years ago, but I think it would be an easy craft for any beginner too. I even worked on some in the car on the way to a Girl Scout activity, and another troop mom saw me making them and decided to make some for her daughter too.

Here’s a photo of the two-tone pink ones Katie wore this past Saturday to a reptile birthday party. (Yes, that’s her with a crocodile!)

One tip: if your daughter has fine hair, buy some adhesive Velcro and put a small strip inside the barrettes to keep them in her hair. It help the barrettes stay in place! The next set I make will also have some Super Glue under the final ribbon knot. I am hoping that will help keep the ribbons from slipping along the barrette.

I’m thinking of making these as birthday presents for Katie’s friends. They are so inexpensive. You can get a roll of 1/8” ribbon for about fifty cents at Michael’s or Wal-Mart. The barrettes were four for $1.00 at Wal-Mart too. String some beads on the end to finish the look, and you can make a set for just pennies!

Let me know if you make any. I’d like to see the results!

Project instructions can be found in Family Fun magazine’s February issue or online here.