Decorating for Halloween: Making bows!

In this blog I want to show you how to make a bow. The photo's I am showing are photo's of how I made two different bows, placed them together. It may be difficult but keep trying. It's like riding a bike, once you learn you never forget. The more practice you have the better you get. So...on to the bows.

Making bows are easy if you know how. There are many different types of bows, but they follow the same basic rules for making them. They can have a button in the center. They may not have a button. They can have from two loops to 10 loops. You can use one ribbon or more. I know I said this before but your imagination is the only thing stopping you from making some very beautiful and unusual bows.

Choose ribbon with wire edges. This is much easier to use to make a bow.

If both sides of the ribbon are the same there is no front or back. Make one loop and pinch between your thumb or forefinger. If you twist the ribbon once it is easier to hold.

Make your second loop going the other way and again pinch or twist between your thumb and forefinger. Repeat this until you have as many loops as you want for your bow. I would suggest starting with two or four loops until you feel more comfortable with your new skill. 

After you have your loops finished (keeping them on the correct sides), push a green floral wire to wrap around the ribbon loops in the very center where you have pinched or twisted the ribbon. (Make sure you are in the center or your loops will be smaller on one side than on the other.) Twist the wire so that it is tight. Be careful not to break the wire or your bow will unravel.

The last step is to pull and fluff your loops to where you want them. Now you can use just this bow in an arrangement or you can go a little further. Make another bow slightly smaller and place it the center of this first bow and place it in your arrangement. Here are a series of pictures in which I made a four loop bow and added another. I didn't fluff the loops out to much. This is a smaller bow. The same principle for making the bows remains the same no matter what the size.

Stay tuned for upcoming articles showing and describing a variety of bows.

Hi, it's 2 years since this blog...I'm inserting a how to video. No sound, but with written directions from above and a video you should be able to make a bow! Feel free to turn sound off. Hubby was making me nervous.