How To Tie A Perfect Bow

1. Start with your ribbon around your card or project with ends pointing away from you.2. Cross left end over right end, wrap around, and pull through. Make sure to pull gently to avoid twisting or wrinkling your ribbon.3. Place your finger in the middle to hold ribbon tight. Cross right end over left end, wrap around, and pull through. Pull knot gently, untwisting and arranging ribbon as needed.4. Trim the ends. Notice how we’ve added a twist to this on our My Friend bag. We tied a classic knot leaving a loop of ribbon, and then threaded that loop through two holes in our bag. Tip: Wrap your ribbon around an object to tie your knot. Then just slide it off the object and you’ve got a loop to work with.
Tying a Classic Bow
(Nicole’s note: I got a kick out of the instructions for the classic bow. It uses a technique that a friend used years ago to teach my oldest daughter how to tie her shoes – bunny ears! ) Classic Bow aloneIf you simply want a bow without tying it around anything, the concept is rather simple.
1. Fold the ribbon back and forth to form two loops (or bunny ears).
2. Tie the two bunny ears together, left over right.
3. Pull gently, and trim ends as desired. This classic bow is an easy way to add an accent to your project without wrapping the ribbon around an element of your project.
Tie this classic bow, and adhere it to your project with Glue Dots.
Classic Bow around a card or object
1. Start with your ribbon around the card or object. Cross left end over right end, wrap around, and pull through.
2. Make a loop with the ribbon that is now on the right side. Bring left end toward you and around the loop.
3. Push left end through hole forming a second loop.
4. Pull loops gently. Once you’ve got the classics down, you’ll want to add some diversity to your projects by trying these variations. And honestly, you might find these variations easier than the classics. Experiment a bit and see what you discover.

Tying a Tiered Bow

1. Choose two or three widths and types of ribbon. We’ve used Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain ribbon and the wide Chocolate Chip satin ribbon from Theater Ribbon Originals®.2. Cut the widest ribbon the longest (Theater Ribbon Originals) and the narrowest ribbon the shortest (Chocolate Chip grosgrain). If you’re using a third width of ribbon, cut it to a length in between the others.3. Trim ends as desired.4. Layer the ribbon with the longest and widest ribbon on the bottom and the shortest and narrowest on top. Tie the stacked ribbons in the center with another piece of ribbon.5. Trim and conceal the ribbon tails or use them to secure the bow to the card or package.

Tying a Tailored Bow

1. Cut a piece of ribbon or paper twice the desired length of the finished bow. We used Old Olive Prints Designer Series paper.2. Form into a loop and secure ends together. Flatten the loop and secure in the center.3. Wrap another piece of ribbon around the center, and adhere the ends to the back of the finished bow. Now that you’ve learned how to tie a variety of bows, spend some time practicing. We all know that “practice makes perfect”, don’t we. After you’ve practiced, show me what you’ve made with some of the bows here. Post a comment here with a link to your project so we can all admire your work!