Anthro Knock Off Tutorial: Brocco Bobbies

Need a fun, fast, update for your hair? I can always answer that question with a yes, and was so excited when I spotted Anthropologie’s Brocco Bobbies:

My first thought was how easy it would be to make something similar. They aren’t made of anything more than a fabric yo-yo, a bit of ribbon, and a little bling. The best part is you can customize your own bobbies to your own style and preferences, and the possibilites are endless!

Let’s get started…

Materials:
1. fabric scrap – approximately 4″x4″
2. 1/4″ or 1/2″ wide ribbon scrap – 3″ in length
3. needle and thread
4. glue gun
5. vintage brooch or button (my pink and gold “brooch” pictured was part of a vintage bracelet I found at DI)

6. bobby pin

7. small felt scrap

Instructions:
1. First we’ll make a fabric yo-yo as the base of our hair pin. Using a bowl or other circular item that is approximately 4″ in diameter (the finished yo-yo will be close to half the size of your initial fabric circle, so adjust accordingly if you’d like), trace a circle onto the wrong side of your fabric.

2. Cut along traced line.
3. Thread your needle and knot the end of the thread, keeping the thread doubled. Stitch around the entire circumference of your fabric circle, 1/4″ from the edge. Leave the needle and thread attached for now.
4. Pull on the thread to very slightly bring the edges of the fabric circle toward the center. This will make the next step easier.
5. Press fabric circle 1/4″ toward wrong side around entire circumference. The right side will look like this:
6. Pull on needle and thread, gathering all edges of fabric circle in to the middle area. The tighter you pull the thread, the flatter your yo-yo will be. I left mine fairly loose to make the yo-yo a bit more bulky. Tie off threads and snip close to knot.
7. Cut piece of ribbon slightly wider than yo-yo and use a match to seal edges from fraying if desired.
8. Using glue gun, place a small amount of glue in middle of yo-yo, and position ribbon over top, pressing it down slightly into the center of yo-yo.
9. Place a small amount of glue on center of ribbon and glue brooch or button in place.
10. Cut a 1″x1″ circle from felt and glue to center back (flat side) of yo-yo.
11. Place a small amount of glue on center of felt circle and adhere flat area of bobby pin in place.
Great job, you are done! Now go and make some more :).
Make a statement with red…

Try adding a feather or two…
Or ditch the bobby pin for a headband!
Be sure to add pics of your bobbies to the Sew Much Ado Flickr Group! I can’t wait to see what you come up with :).

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32 Comments

  1. Very cute!!! I am glad you shared the yoyo tutorial because I would have attacked them in a very different manner. Ashley of LMM also made these for a guest post somewhere, but she had used yoyos from a quilt, so the tutorial wasn’t part of her post. Thanks again.

  2. Very cute! Great tutorial! I’ve been thinking about making something like this – thanks for the inspiration! :) Have a wonderful week!

  3. I just found your blog and am your newest follower! These hair clips looks amazing! Thanks for creating such a fab blog full of inspiration.

  4. AWESOME! I need to make a few of these… bobby pins are the things that I wear the most in my hair, and I’m always looking for cute ones!

  5. I love these! More than the original, I think – something to add to my to-do list :) Thanks for the very clear yo-yo instructions too.

  6. Thank you so much for a great tutorial! These are just what my teen is into right now! I may just have to surprise her with some or better yet, teach her how to make them herself!

  7. 1) Super cute!
    2) The whole time I was reading this, I kept reading “customize your own boobies.” I must have preschoolers in the house…*sigh*

    Great job!! I wonder if my mother would wear these…they’d make a great gift!

  8. Pingback: Accessorize with Bobby Pins- Part One | Brandywine Jewelry Supply Blog
  9. Pingback: Anthro Knock Off Brocco Bobbies | Copycat Crafts

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