For many people, the words bow and ribbon are synonymous. In this case, bows from ribbons can be made in various ways, which depend on what exactly the finished bow will be intended for. For example, a ribbon bow can be used to decorate a hair accessory, a gift box, clothes, crafts, and so on.
Steps
Method 1 of 6: Making a simple bow
Step 1. Cut the tape to the required length
To make a bow, the ribbon must be quite long. Always cut the ribbon off a little to allow for proper bow shaping and fairly long ponytails.
Spread the tape out on a flat surface
Step 2. Pull both ends of the tape to the middle of the tape
Lay them on top of each other so that you get two loops and two tails. Form loops if they are not explicitly formed when the tape is folded.
Step 3. Adjust the proportions of the bow
Check that both stitches and bow tails are the correct size, and also inspect them for symmetry.
Step 4. Fold the left loop to the right
Wrap it around it and bring it forward through the hole formed in the center. Pull the middle tight.
5 Finish
Method 2 of 6: Making a bow using wire
Step 1. Cut the tape
A bow made using this method can be used to decorate gifts, flower arrangements, hair accessories and festive decoration of premises. Spread the tape out on a flat surface.
Step 2. Form two loops from the tape
Bring the two ends of the tape to the center and overlap. Remember to leave the ends of the bow tails long enough.
Keep the center point so that the bow blank does not fall apart
Step 3. Wrap the bow in the center with wire and mask it
Wrap the middle of the bow tightly with thin wire. For camouflage, wrap an additional piece of tape around the place of fixation. Moreover, it can have the same or a different color combined with the main color of the bow. This piece of tape can either be glued or sewn on.
Step 4. Finish the bow design
Adjust the loops and tails of the bow, making sure they are symmetrical. Cut off the ends of the ponytails to prevent shedding. Attach the finished bow to a gift or other item for which it is intended.
5 Finish
Method 3 of 6: Tying a thick ribbon bow
Step 1. Use a thick ribbon bow to decorate the gift box
This type of ribbon is ideal for decorating gift boxes. In this case, the box will be tied with tape.
Step 2. Measure out the tape and wrap it around the box
Cut two meters of thick tape. Wrap the long side of the box with tape. Use glue or tape to secure the tape to the box and hold the ends together, but do not cut the tails of the tape (you will continue to work with them, forming the bow loops).
Step 3. Form a loop from the ponytail of the tape
Bring it to the center point of the tape ends on the box. Hold the tape in this position with your finger. Fold the fold of the ribbon at the end of the loop. Fold the tail of the tape in the opposite direction to form a second loop. If desired, the hinges can be fixed with glue. Make another loop in the same way.
Step 4. Make more loops
Move on to the second ponytail of the bow. Repeat the procedure for creating three loops from it, bringing them to the center and gluing in the desired position.
5 Finish
Method 4 of 6: Making a flower bow
Step 1. Cut the tape to the required length
You will need 115 cm of tape. This bow will look like a large flower. It can be used for decorative purposes, to decorate a gift or accessories.
Step 2. Form the first loop
Make the first loop 2.5 cm long from the ribbon at a distance of 20 cm from one of its ends. Pinch the loop with your thumb and forefinger to secure it.
Step 3. Form the second loop
Make a second loop 2.5 cm long from the long end of the ribbon on the opposite side of the first loop. Continue to hold the loops with your thumb and forefinger.
Step 4. Alternate the sides of the loop formation
Make another loop again on the opposite side. Continue working in the same manner, alternating the sides of the loop and forming pairs. For this bow, you need to make three to five pairs of loops.
Step 5. Fix the bow
Wrap thin wire around the center of the bow. Twist the ends securely and cut off any excess. Disguise the wire. Wrap a piece of tape over the wire. Glue or sew it on.
Step 6. Straighten the hinges
To simulate a flower, the loops must be spread out to form a ball.
Method 5 of 6: Decorating the Ribbon Tips
Step 1. Always remember to design the ribbon tails
The spectacular appearance of a bow is influenced not only by the neatness of its loops, but also by the design of its ends. Not all bows have ponytails, but for those that do, care must be taken to keep them neat.
Step 2. Remember to leave enough ribbon on the tails of the bow
When making a bow, you need to make sure that the tails of the bow are as long as possible. You can always shorten them later, but you cannot lengthen the ends of the bow that are too short without undoing the already folded loops.
Step 3. Cut the ponytails
Trimming the ends of the bow prevents shedding of the ribbon and makes the final look neat. To do this, you need to use sharp fabric scissors. In this case, the ends of the tape can be cut in various ways.
- Diagonally. In this case, the ends of the tape are cut diagonally from one of the corners.
- A corner. Determine the midpoint line of the ribbon tip. Make diagonal cuts to this line, first from the left and then from the right corner. Moreover, they must meet at one point. Carefully remove the cut piece of tape if it does not fall off on its own.
Method 6 of 6: Choosing a Ribbon
Step 1. Decide on the purpose of the bow
This will help you find the right texture and color for the ribbon. For example, if a bow is to decorate an item of clothing that you are sewing, or any accessory to it, then the ribbon should match in color and texture with the fabric used for sewing.
Step 2. Make your choice of tape based on the quality of its workmanship
Satin ribbons are the classic choice for tying bows, but they can be too slippery for the inexperienced. It is easier for beginners to work with denser textured ribbons. Also, for tying bows, you can use ribbons with patterns, lurex, velvet, cotton, nylon and other types of ribbons. Ribbons with wire-reinforced edges are great for decorating gifts and bouquets.
- You should remember the most important thing: if you manage to tighten a tight knot on the ribbon, then a bow from it can be tied by hand.
- Some ribbons are too thick to be made into a bow without the use of wire auxiliary materials and securing stitches.
Step 3. Experiment
Try experimenting with different types of ribbons, including ribbons of different widths, to find the one that works best for you stylistically.
Always remember that making a bow requires a lot of ribbon. All loops and knots eat up quite a lot of her length
Advice
- For other bow-tying ideas, check out the "related articles" below.
- To determine the required length of ribbon for tying the box and making the bow, wrap the ribbon loosely around the medium-sized gift box and leave an additional 60 cm at both ends for the bow.
- When using adhesive with tape, first test it on an inconspicuous area and let it dry. If the glue shows through the tape after drying, then you will need to make the bow in such a way that the gluing points are not visible, or take a different type of glue.
- If you are not very good at tying bows, try using a special bow-tying device. Alternatively, you can simply buy ready-made bows from a craft store or online.