I know this might sound silly - but do you know how to tie a bow?
A beautiful bow... one for a package… a little girl's hair… a wreath… a staircase railing… a church pew?
Actually, it's very easy... if you know what you're doing! I sat down with a friend one night (over the phone, no less) and tried to explain how to tie a beautiful bow for a Christmas garland. It was a mess, a hysterical mess, but a mess.
Then I ran across a great step by step How to Tie a Bow (with pictures!). Now I'm going to share it with you for your reference. (You just never know when the knowledge of tying a beautiful bow may come in handy!)
How to make a Basic Bow
1. Using three yards of ribbon, measure about 7" for the first tail. Squeeze the ribbon together and hold it with your thumb and forefinger.
2. With the right side of the ribbon facing out, make a loop on one side using 6-7" of ribbon. Pinch the ribbon together and hold it with your thumb and forefinger as before.
3. Make a full twist of the ribbon so the right side is facing out and make a loop towards the other side.
4. The second and third sets of loops should be progressively smaller than the first set. Make a fourth set of loops still smaller than the first three. Be sure to fully twist each loop so that the right side of the ribbon is always facing out.
5. Twist the remaining ribbon around your thumb to make the center loop. Adjust the tail so the right side of the ribbon is facing out. Insert a piece of wire through the center and twist it tightly at the back of the bow.
6. Spread out the loops and cut the ends of the tails at sharp angles or inverted V's
Now, with any type of ribbon (grosgrain, wired, satin, etc) and the best quality of wrapping paper to match (of course) - you can wrap some of the most beautiful presents this year.
Want a little more inspiration?
