By CraftingStepByStepPublished
Based on a video by Michaels Stores.
Bows look like something you either can or cannot do. They are not. The whole thing is one move - pinch, twist, repeat - and the only real rule is that every loop should be a little longer than the one before it.
Two things matter more than they sound. Use wired ribbon, because the wire is what holds the loops open. And leave the ribbon attached to the spool until the very end, so you are never short. The bow in this tutorial has four loops a side, but you can keep going as long as your patience holds.
10 steps · about 4 minutes.Check off each step as you go and your progress saves automatically.
Pull a length of wired ribbon off the spool and let a tail of about 12 inches hang free.
Leave it attached to the spool. You cut at the end, once the bow is built, and that way you never run out halfway through.
Tip
Wired ribbon is not optional here. Unwired ribbon collapses and the loops go flat.
Form a loop roughly 3 inches across and pinch it shut at the base.
That pinch is the centre of the bow. Everything else stacks around it, so get it where you want it now.
Twist the pinched base to lock the loop closed.
Keep the two tails separate as you work - one runs back to the spool, one hangs free. Letting them cross is the fastest way to lose track of the bow.
Unroll a bit more ribbon, tuck it under and bring it back to the centre.
Make this loop about an inch longer than the centre loop, then pinch it against the base with the others.
Every loop flips the ribbon over, so the printed side ends up facing the wrong way.
As you pinch, give the ribbon a twist to bring the print back to the top. Do it now rather than trying to fix it later.
Tip
On a plain or double-sided ribbon you can skip this. On a printed one it is the difference between a neat bow and a muddled one.
Build the mirror loop on the opposite side, the same length as the one you just made.
Pinch and twist exactly as before, gathering it into the same spot at the centre.
Carry on adding pairs, making each loop slightly longer than the last so the bow grows outward rather than upward.
Hold every pinch between your forefinger and thumb as you go. This bow has four loops a side; more loops make a fuller bow.
Tip
Do not let go to admire it. The whole thing is held by your fingers until the chenille stem goes on.
After the last pinch, pull about 12 more inches off the spool so the second tail matches the first.
Then cut the ribbon with scissors, still holding the centre tight.
Push a chenille stem through the middle of the centre loop, bring it down underneath all the pinches, and twist it tight at the back.
Leave the ends long. They are what you use to tie the bow onto a wreath, a garland or a tree branch.
Tip
A length of florist wire does the same job if you have no chenille stems.
Fold each tail in half lengthwise and cut across at an angle for a clean dovetail finish.
Then work through the loops, twisting and pulling neighbouring pairs in opposite directions until the bow sits round. It looks a mess at first. Keep going.
Tip
Fluffing is most of the finished look. Do not stop early.
Keep going
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E6000 Craft Adhesive, Clear (3.7 oz)
The industrial-strength craft glue that bonds glass, wood, ceramic, metal, fabric, and concrete. The one adhesive most craft projects reach for.
Gorilla
Gorilla Dual-Temp Full-Size Hot Glue Gun
Dual-temp so it handles delicate florals and heavy materials alike. A precise nozzle and built-in stand make it the everyday craft-table gun.
OLFA
OLFA 18" x 24" Self-Healing Cutting Mat
The pro-standard cutting surface. Gridlines for square cuts, self-healing so blades never leave grooves, and big enough for paper, fabric, and leather.
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