How to Make the Perfect Bow

The holidays are coming up but really, it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is. From gifts to wreaths to hair bows and more, there are always lots of reasons you might want to add a beautiful bow as an embellishment. That’s why today we’re sharing a tutorial on how to make the perfect bow every time!

Many of you have asked us for these instructions. Bow making can be SO frustrating if you don’t know the simple tips and tricks for the process. Don’t worry! Once you see this tutorial and get in a little practice, you’ll soon find making bows quick and easy!

Do you ever feel like you’re all thumbs when it comes to making bows? Most people try to make bows the same way they do when tying their shoes and that doesn’t generally create the prettiest bows. They are often lopsided and it can be really frustrating to get them to lie properly.

All you really need to have on hand to make beautiful bows is your chosen ribbon and a good pair of scissors.

We’re working with a few different types of ribbon today. We’ve got 2 1/2 inch wired ribbon, 1-inch standard ribbon, and even one that’s a really thin ribbon – almost more like string than ribbon. Yes, it’s possible to make pretty bows out of all of these and more!

It’s the same process when working with all of these different types of ribbons and strings, but there are some important tips you need to make each of the bows absolutely perfect.

The first tip we have for you is one of the most important. When making a bow, you need to leave the ribbon on the spool. It can be really difficult to figure out precisely how much ribbon you need.

You could find yourself wasting ribbon because you’ve cut off too much or from needing to start over again because the ribbon was too short.

Begin by making a loop. Don’t worry too much about the size of it right now. You can adjust that later. Don’t forget to leave a long enough tail so you have some wiggle room for your bow.

Then, make a second loop. Again, it doesn’t have to exactly the same size as the first loop. We will be making some adjustments to get it to be absolutely perfect. For now, approximate is just fine. Be sure to leave a little bit of ribbon in between the two loops.

Cross one loop over the other at a bit of an angle.

Now, you’re going to take the top loop, fold it over the bottom loop, and then poke it back up through the middle section.

It may look like a hot mess at first but simply pull on the loops gently and your bow will start taking shape. Be sure to check out the video above if you need to see exactly how this is done!

Hold your bow in the center and simply pull on each string to adjust the size of your loops. Remember that the string on the right will change the size of the loop on the left and the one on the left will change the size of the loop on the right.

Once you have your bow the way you want it, be sure you have a nice, tight, secure knot in the middle!

Looking for some projects to make now that you know how to make the perfect bow? Check these out: Fast and Affordable Christmas Gifts Made with Vinyl

We’re going to follow the same basic procedure with our other ribbons too. You might find that the wider ribbons take a little more adjusting.

Just fluff out the loops and gently tug on the tails until you have it just the way you want it. You’ll notice we added a little cut detail at the ends of the tails to really finish off our perfect bow.

For this final bow, we’re working with wired ribbon but the process is still the same. Many people like to work with wired ribbon especially when making larger bows and using wider ribbons because of the way it helps to hold the shape.

This time we’re finishing off the bow by cutting each tail on an angle. Trimming the tails at angles not only makes it look pretty but it helps to reduce any fraying too.

There you have it! With just a few supplies and a little bit of patience, you’ll be making perfect bows in no time!