Tying your shoelaces is something you learn as a child. Tying a great looking bow, however, is something that even most adults haven't mastered. Read on to find out how to tie a bow that manages to give your presents some presence!
How To: Tie the Perfect Bow
Thanks to LeAnn Dolan of Portland's Ecru Modern Stationer, we've got a step-by-step tutorial that will have you looping and pinching in no time. Here's the quick and easy version -- for more photos and a video, head over to Neighborhood Notes.
What you'll need:
- 5–7 yards of ribbon (length depends on size of box and how fluffy you'd like your bow)
- Scissors
Step 1: Wrap the ribbon around the box, making sure that the knot is on the top. Leave the ribbon tails.
Step 2: Take the second length of ribbon and start with a twist. It doesn't matter if it's clockwise or counter-clockwise.
Step 3: Make the first loop, twist the ribbon (doesn't matter which direction) and then add it to the ribbon pinched in the other hand.
Step 4: Make another loop, twist and pinch. The loops should be a uniform size.
Step 5: Continue to loop, twist and pinch.
Step 6: Repeat until there are seven or eight loops on each side. The more loops, the fluffier the bow!
Step 7: Set the bow on top of the knot (on the gift box). Keep it pinched tightly, so it doesn't untwist.
Step 8: Use the ribbon tails to secure the bow to the gift box.
Step 9: Start to gently pull the ribbon to arrange the bow.
Step 10: Voilà!
Comments (10)
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Uhhhhhh, so how do i make a bow?
view littlebrownbird's profile
Yeah, I was just going to ask too!
How?
view cojaclynsy's profile
Yes how?
view sprgrl007's profile
Am I missing something? Are the directions not visible above? If you need greater clarity, I'd check out the video and/or the complete set of photos on the Neighborhood Notes site...
view liseah's profile
Wow, she made that ribbon so fast that I was afraid to blink! It's like going to a beginner's cooking class and watching the chef cut an onion in ten seconds. You have to go slow lady!
view sspros's profile
I prefer to tie the ribbon so it crosses flat underneath the box, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqF-rv2Yo3s
view bipolarbear's profile
Here's a tip that I had to learn the hard way: When you BUY the ribbon, make sure it's the same on both sides! I just bought some velvety ribbon to make bows for a little tree at work, and the sides flip a lot when you make a bow.
view TrueTex's profile
Loop, twist, pinch and . . . huh? Unclear!
view Griffin's profile
That's freakin awesome!! That woman in the neighborhood video is rough with that poor piece of ribbon, lol like a misbehaving child. LOL
view nickel525's profile
Easy way to make a pretty bow:
Buy some ribbon that matches a stick-on bow you want to use. Wrap the box in the ribbon like first picture, but cut the ends rather short (so they'll be hidden under the stick-on bow). Take the stick-on bow and one by one trim the loops like this:
Flatten the loop so that the middle (extended) part is the point, and the ends (bottom) are pressed together. It's okay if flattening them makes a crease in the loop (that gives it a slightly different look). With the "point" of the loop (closed, extended end) facing you, make about three or four vertical cuts so it looks like the prongs of a fork. Make sure these cuts go almost to the bottom of the loop (but not all the way) and don't cross each other or go off the edge. Fluff out the loop. Do this to each loop (or every other loop for a different look) and your stick-on bow no longer looks like a dull everyday bow.
Tape bow on top of the ribbon knot on the box.
Ta da! You can do this very quickly, very easily, and looks like you put effort into it when really you didn't.
Let me know if I didn't explain that clearly and I'll try to clarify.
view Mrs.Mack's profile