How to do a big bow with ribbon

Materials

• Ribbon (approx. 3 yards)
• Ribbon wire (or floral wire)
• Scissors
• Wire cutters

Instructions

1. Curl ribbon over to create the center loop and pinch it at the base. Twist the tail of ribbon where your fingers are pinched so that the front side of the fabric is facing up.
   
   
   
   
2. Fold the ribbon under to make the first loop. Twist the ribbon to make the front side face out and pinch it in the center. (Note: You will need to twist the ribbon after each consecutive loop in order to make sure that the front side of the fabric will always be facing out.)
   
   
   
3. Fold the ribbon on the opposite side of the first loop to create the second loop. Hold up both loops to make sure they are the same length. Twist and pinch the ribbon.
   
   
   
   
4. Begin the second set of loops using the same method as the first set. Use your fingers to measure the loops, keeping them at the same length.
   
   
5. Continue folding loops and twisting the ribbon until you have five loops on each side.
   
   
   
   
6. Insert ribbon wire through the center loop and wrap around to the back. Before tightening the wire, make sure the ribbon tail is folded back so that the front side of the fabric is facing toward the front of the bow. Leaving one end of the wire longer than the other, tightly twist the wire together at least 3 times. Don’t cut the wire just yet.
   
   
   
   
7. Trim the ribbon tail to your desired length. Feed the remaining ribbon through the center loop at least as high as the loops are long. Grab the longer piece of wire from the back and insert it through the center loop over the ribbon and around to the back.
   
   
   
   
8. Tightly twist the wire together in the back, trim it, and flatten it down onto the bow. Next, trim the second ribbon tail to match the length of the first.
   
   
   
   
9. Arrange each loop up or down to fill out the full circle of the bow.
   
   
   
10. Trim the top tail to the same length as the loops.
    
    
    

Don't let that big spool of ribbon and past Pinterest fails intimidate you. Follow our easy step-by-step guide and you'll learn how to make a bow with ribbon in no time.

What You'll Need

To start, make sure you have a few essentials on hand: scissors, chenille stems, and ribbon. If you're making large bows, plan to use two spools of ribbon per bow (more on that later). You'll also want to be sure to have a clear idea of how big or small you want your final bow. Also, keep in mind just how far that spool of ribbon will get you based on the intended size of your completed bow.

We tend to think fuller is always better—so, if you're going to battle on whether to make it big or make it full, opt for a more conservative size in order to maximize fullness. These directions should work with just about any variety of ribbon, though you'll have less trouble keeping shape if you opt for wired ribbon.

Our step-by-step bow guide is simple and results in a perky, rounded shape that attaches easily to gifts, treetops, garlands, wreaths, and more. Use longer or shorter pieces of ribbon to adjust the size of the bow. It's easiest to form the first loop before cutting the ribbon from the spool. The size and thickness of your loop will determine the size of your bow.

Step 1: Create Bow Loops

Start with a spool of ribbon of your choice. Remove the ribbon from the spool, then start looping the ribbon around to create a circle. The size of the circle with roughly be the size of your finished bow. The more times you're able to loop the ribbon around, the fuller your bow will end up, so opt for at least three full circles. Just remember: More is always better (not to mention easier to work with).

Cinch the loop in the middle with a length of twine or a chenille stem.

Step 2: Fasten the Bow

Once you're satisfied with your loops—or have reached the end of your ribbon—pinch the center so each side is a loop of equal size. Use a chenille stem to fasten. What you should have at this point is a flat figure-8 type bow. Don't be discouraged, it will start to come to life in Step 3.

Begin to pull individual bow loops out from the center, alternating pulls from each end.

Step 3: Fluff the Bow

To fluff the bow, pull one loop out from the center of the bow. Wire ribbon will allow you to mold the loop to create a rounded shape. Next, pull a loop out from the other side of the bow and, once again, mold the loop to create a rounded shape. Repeat this process, alternating sides with each pull, until all the loops have been pulled out and fluffed. At this point, you should have a nice shape—all that's missing are the tails.

Once all the loops are formed, tie a long piece of ribbon around the center to make the tails of the bow.

Step 4: Add the Bow Tails

This is where your second spool of ribbon comes in. Tie a long trail of ribbon around the center of the bow, being sure to cover the chenille stems from view. If you'll be fixing the bow to a tree, wreath, etc., you can opt to leave out the ends of the chenille stems to help attach the bow. Let the tails trail down to the desired length. To finish, snip each ribbon end at a diagonal. Whatever you do, don't leave those blunt ends—you've come too far.

How to Make a Bow with Thick Ribbon

If you're making a bow out of ribbon that is particularly thick, be sure to adjust the size of your loops accordingly. If you make them too tight, you'll have a hard time getting your bow to look like anything other than a round puff. Don't be afraid to start over if you realize you need to make your bow larger or smaller. The beauty of our process is that nothing is cut until the very end, once you've inspected your bow from all sides and are pleased with the size and shape.

How to Make a Bow with Wired Ribbon

As we mentioned at the start of this tutorial, it's best to make a bow with wired ribbon as it helps the final product hold shape much better than other varieties. Satin ribbon is particularly difficult to work with when creating anything other than a petite, flat bow. If you just returned home from the store and realized you inadvertently picked up a spool of wired ribbon, consider it a happy mistake. You're on your way to creating our 4-step bow with ease.

How to Make a Big Bow Out of Ribbon

For a Christmas Tree:

If you're looking for a giant bow to place atop your Christmas spruce, you'll just want to double the process above to create a fuller effect. It's as simple as creating one more bow following the same exact steps (1 through 4) listed above. When your bows are complete, attach one in front and the other behind the top stem of the tree. Now you've created a Christmas tree topper that dazzles from every angle.

For a (Really Big) Gift:

The trick to making your bow bigger is to simply buy a longer spool in order to create bigger loops. To ensure you don't lose any of the fullness that a smaller bow would produce, you should try to find a thicker ribbon as well and even create more loops than you would with a more petite version, so it still fills out nicely. Again, wire ribbon is the best route, particularly if you want to take your bow making skills to new heights. Oh, and if you're hoping to make a bow big enough to fit that new car you're getting her for Christmas, you should probably just go ahead and pick that up on Amazon. This one is Prime eligible and will only set you back around $20—far less than all that ribbon (and patience) a homemade version would likely require.