Tuesday Tips & Tricks: Bow Tying

Bow Tying

Today let’s talk about how to tie a bow for cards, scrapbook pages, crafts, gifts and more. I hear from many of you who struggle with tying bows, and I’m here with a couple of tips and tricks to help you tie a perfect bow every time.

I’ve read that the type of ribbon you’re working with can make or break your bow. This is true. I recommend a soft ribbon with just a little bit of stiffness, because stiffness allows you to manipulate the bow when you’re done. Slick ribbon causes problems, as does very thick or stiff ribbons. You probably want to avoid these types of ribbon until you are fairly comfortable tying bows.

Traditional Method:

How to tie a bow for cards or other crafts is a traditional method. Begin with a loop held between the thumb and index finger of your right hand. Bring the tail up and over the loop, then insert through the loop in the center. Pull upward and to the right to create the second loop. With this method, you always want to be pulling the second loop upwards to create a nice-looking bow.

Two Loops Method:

My go-to method for teaching new crafters to tie a bow. Begin with two fairly large loops. ((I call this the bunny ear method)) Hold one in your right hand and one in your left. Then tie the two loops together, creating a knot. It will look very messy, but once you straighten it, it should look very nice!

When all else fails tie a knot!

Let’s say you’re not having luck with tying a bow, or you just aren’t in the mood to do so. A knot is a very nice alternative! When tying a knot, you need to wrap the tails left over right the first time, and right over left the second (or vice versa, just make sure the second time is opposite what you did first). Pull the ends straight as you’re tightening, and you’ll have a perfect square knot!