How to Make the Perfect Bow

by Maggie Lois

Hey y'all! I'm here to finally show you how I make my bows! I originally was not going to ever do a tutorial because it's a very weird process. Luckily I have a friend who talked some sense into me and explained even though it's a weird process, it would still be good to share so others can see how I do it.
It doesn't involve tying anything, just some pipe cleaners, a crap ton of hot glue and wired burlap ribbon.
Why wired burlap ribbon? Because the wire enables you to mold the bow how you want and the burlap is sturdy so the bow isn't flopping around all over the place while you're
trying to put it together. If you've tried to make a bow with regular ribbon, you know what I'm talking about. It's a very frustrating process. If you can make a nice looking bow with regular ribbon, you've got skill my friend.

how to make the perfect bow, crafts, diy, how to, seasonal holiday decor

Now let's get started!

Here's what you'll need:

-wired burlap ribbon (my favorite is this white burlap ribbon from Hobby Lobby)

-pretty patterned ribbon of your choice (doesn't have to be wired)

-pipe cleaners

-hot glue gun and glue

Step 1:

Cut two long and two shorter pieces of your wired burlap ribbon. I never measure I just eyeball it depending on how big I want the hoops of my bow to be. After you've cut your burlap ribbon cut two pieces of the pretty ribbon in a size in between the two longer and shorter pieces.

Step 2:

Take one of the longer pieces and pinch together at the ends.

Step 3:

Secure the pinched end with pipe cleaner. I don't use the whole pipe cleaner to do this, as I'm working I cut it into pieces based on how much I need to secure what I'm working on.

Do the same thing with the other three pieces of burlap ribbon.

Step 4:

Connect all four loops with a pipe cleaner.

Step 5:

Dispense some hot glue in the middle of the bow to attach one end of your pretty ribbon.

Step 6:

Then dispense some hot glue underneath the ribbon and attach the other end. Do the same thing on the other side.

Step 7:

Cut a piece of the wired burlap ribbon big enough to cover the middle of the bow. Then glue the ribbon together on the back of the bow.

Step 8 (optional):

I chose to not add tails to this bow but if you want all I do is cut some wired burlap, hot glue the patterned ribbon on top and then hot glue the top end underneath the bow on the wreath.

And that’s it!

Like I said, I know it’s a little weird but it works for me so hopefully this tutorial will help achieve the perfect bow!

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

To see the full tutorial you can go to my blog post.

Enjoyed the project?

You can do it! Saved to your projects

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this project?

Ask a Question

Comments

Join the conversation

4 of 6 comments

Lori on Dec 03, 2014
This is great, glad you posted. Never be shy, you can always help someone. Like me. :)

Like Reply
- Mlb907610 on Dec 03, 2014
  Thank you! I hope this can help you out!
  
  Like
Hannah V on Dec 03, 2014
Great tip! Thanks so much for sharing, I always struggling with bows! haha

Like Reply
- Maggie Lois on Dec 04, 2014
  @Hannah V Thank you! I was the same way until I came up with this method, hopefully it'll help you too!
  
  Like