How to tie a ribbon into a bow

We are all taught in kindergarten how to tie our shoelaces and we take this method to our gift wrapping table and wonder why this great method for shoes does not make an attractive bow on a gift.

As we are nearing Christmas, social media networks are flooded with 5-second videos that show us how to tie a bow properly. They are mesmerising to watch, but impossible to learn from.

There are innumerable ways to make a beautiful gift bow. Some methods for larger bows require you to create an ‘extra pair of hands’, for example you can tape two chopsticks to the edge of a table, giving you a sort of ‘fork’ instrument that helps you to wrap your ribbon into a bow. You can actually buy a tool called 'bow maker' which serves this purpose, but I have seen people use their feet, fridge handles or a plate stacker, and I have tried to utilise the necks of two wine bottles.

What is the best way to tie a ribbon into a bow?

You can find good tutorials on YouTube, but it can be time consuming to find the right one, and it still means you have to have a laptop or phone next to you when tying your bow, so I have created a printable bow-tying guide with diagrams and detailed instructions for each step of the 5 methods of how to tie a ribbon into a bow, which I consider to be the most useful.

Those of us who prefer gift wrapping to be a calm and mindful experience where no videos on laptops or phones are needed will enjoy it!

What do we need from a gift bow?

• Easy to tie

• Easy to open

• Suitable for single faced ribbon (e.g. velvet or ribbons with patterns on one side) as well as double faced ribbon

• Can be tied around a gift or a stand-alone bow that can be attached to something

• Has a neat looking knot

• No ribbon wastage - the two tails of the bow are the same length and you don’t have to cut off excess.

Video: The easy to open gift bow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEG2FKqyM-4

Free printable guide to tying a simple bow