How to Make a Bow from Ribbon

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For many people, bows are synonymous with ribbons. There are many ways to make a bow from ribbon, depending on what you intend to use them for. A ribbon bow can be used as a hair accessory, gift wrapping, dress decoration, crafts, etc.

Table of Contents

Basic Bow Tie

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Cut a piece of ribbon. Cut long enough to make a bow. Always cut a little excess so you can adjust the bow and make the tail. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Place the ribbon horizontally on a flat surface.

Fold the two ends of the ribbon to the center. Place them on top of each other and then drag diagonally downwards. So your bow has two wings and two tails. Adjust the bows if they are not clearly shaped. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Adjust the ratio. You have to check that the wings and ends of the bow are the size you want, and that the bow looks proportionate.

Take two bows and tie them together. Bring one bow under the other, thread it around the hole in the center. Tighten tight. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Complete!

Bow Tie with Horizontal Silk Ribbon

Measure and wrap the ribbon. Cut 2 meters of silk ribbon horizontally. Wrap the ribbon perpendicularly in both directions of the gift box. Use glue or tape to secure the ribbon to the box, but don’t cut the ribbon in a hurry (you’ll need to leave it long enough to create the bow). ^{[4] X Research Sources}

This bow attaches to the gift box very beautifully.

Bow Tie with Thread Ribbons

Cut out a piece of ribbon. You can use this bow style to wrap gifts, bouquets, hair accessories and party decorations. Lay the ribbon horizontally on a flat surface.

Create two bows. Cross the two ends of the ribbon together in the center. Leave a little extra tail. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Hold the center point with your hand.

Wrap and cover the knot. Use a thin piece of string to wrap tightly in the center of the bow. Wrap or glue a small piece of ribbon over it to cover it up. Use ribbons of the same color or another color that works. You can glue or sew to fix it. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Adjust the wings and tail. Adjust the wings and tail of the bow to balance. Trim the tail to limit the phenomenon of yarn thrush. Attach a bow to a wreath or gift box for decoration.

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Complete!

Tie a Bow to a Flower

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Cut a piece of ribbon. The length is about 1 meter. This bow looks like a blooming flower. You can use it for decoration, gift wrapping or as an accessory.

Measure the bows. Mark a point that is 2.5 cm and 20 cm from the ends of the ribbon, respectively. Use your thumb and index finger to hold it in place. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Bend into a bow. Bring the longer string to the left to form a 2.5 cm long bow. Use your thumb and index finger to keep it in place. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Change direction. Do the same as above to create another bow in the opposite direction. Keep doing this to create more bows that are symmetrical with each other. Make three to five pairs of symmetrical bows to complete. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Fix the bow. Wrap a thin wire in the center of the bow. Tighten to secure and cut off excess. Cover it up by wrapping the ribbon over it. Glue or sew on to secure. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Unfold the bows. They should form the shape of a round flower.

Styling the Bow Tail

Don’t forget the end of the bow. Along with the bow wings, the bow tail will also make the difference of each bow. Not all bows have tails, but if they do, make them neat and sharp.

Always pay attention to the end of the bow. Keep the tail as long as possible when tying the bow. You can trim them down if needed, but conversely, you won’t be able to lengthen them without damaging the bow. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Cut tail. Trimming the tail will help prevent the ribbon from unraveling and the bow will look neater. Use a sharp pair of scissors suitable for cutting fabric. The bow tail can be cut as follows:

Cut diagonally: You will cut a diagonal line at the end of the bow.
Cut in a V shape. Pick a point in the center of the bow. Cut a diagonal line to this point from the right, do the same from the left. The two diagonals must intersect exactly at the midpoint. Carefully cut off the excess if it doesn’t come off on its own. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Ribbon Type Selection

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Consider the intended use of the bow. This will help you choose the type of ribbon by material and color. For example, if you’re using a bow to attach it to an outfit or to make an accessory that goes with it, choose the same color and material as the outfit.

Select by quality. Satin is the usual ribbon used to make bows, but the material is quite slippery for the inexperienced. It’s easier to make bows from grosgrain silk ribbons. Printed ribbons, velvet ribbons, metallic ribbons, cotton or chiffon ribbons are all great for making bows. The thread-rimmed type is great for wrapping gifts and bouquets.

At its most basic, if you can tie a ribbon into a knot, you can already make a bow.
Some ribbons are too stiff, for example yarn or knitting cord, if you’re making a bow out of them you’ll need tools.

Experiment. Try different ribbons of different widths to find exactly the bow you like.

Always remember that you will need a lot of ribbon to make the bow. The folding and knotting stages will be very costly with ribbons.

Advice

For more bow tie ideas, check out other articles in this category.
To get an estimate of the length of ribbon needed to wrap a gift, wrap it loosely in the gift box, then add about 60cm to each end to make a bow.
If you’re using glue to glue the ribbon, try a little glue on the ribbon first. If after drying, the glue is seeping and showing through the ribbon, you will have to adjust the bow to cover it, or use a different glue.
For those who don’t want to tie their own bows, try a bow tie machine. Or you can buy pre-made bows online or at craft stores.

Things you need

Ribbon
Steel wire for bouquets (thin wire)
Drag
Glue

Steps