Ribbons can be used with various craft components and everyday items to make unique projects for yourself, your home, and your friends. You will find it is so wonderful with just a touch of ribbon can turn something plain into something fabulous. Let the examples shown in this page be a starting point for your own creations. That’s what making things is all about—making it you!
How to Make Ribbon Bow
a) Ribbon Flower Bow
In this project select a ribbon for petals that have some body and maintain their shape. You can either choose grosgrain, double-faced satin or jacquard. This versatile little ribbon flower can be used on a variety of projects, from paper crafts to clothing to home decoration.
Materials and tools:
- 24″ (60cm) of 3 ⁄ 8 ” (9 mm) ribbon
- Needle and thread
- Button
Methods:
Step 1
Cut the ribbon into 4 with each length 6 inches (15.2 cm). Place 2 of the cut ribbons on the work surface with the right side facing up. Overlap at the center point to form a cross.
Step 2
Place center the other two ribbons as shown on the photo.
Step 3
Insert a double threaded needle down through the center of the cross. Pull the thread through all the ribbon layers. Turn the ribbons over.
Step 4
Hold the end of a ribbon and fold it toward the center to form a loop. Sewing in place at the middle. Repeat this for the rest of the ribbons to form the flower petals.
Step 5
Fix in place with a few stitches at the center of the flower in order to hold the petals firmly.
Step 6
Now sew the button to the center of the flower. Bring the thread to the back, tie the knot of the thread, and trim the excess.
b) One Sided Bow
Most of the time one sided bow is used for baskets or gift bag handles decoration. This bow is based on three coordinated ribbons that form multiple upward loops with a lavish cascade of six flowing tails. Anyway it is always flexible for you to make, you can also make a bow with only one ribbon.
Materials:
2 yd (1.8m) each of 3 ribbons or 6 yd (5.5m) of 1 ribbon
Methods:
Step 1
Cut a 9-inches (23 cm) wire and set aside. From one end of the ribbon, measure the desired length the ribbon (roughly 20cm). Pick up the ribbon at this point. Place the ribbon together by holding tightly with your thumb and forefinger as shown, let the ribbon tail hanging down and the working end of the ribbon turned upward.
Step 2
With the working end of the ribbon, now form a loop depend on your desired size. Gather the ribbon at the base of the loop, slip it between thumb and index, and hold the layers together. Now you have a downward tail and an upward loop.
Step 3
Turn the working end of the ribbon facing upside, just below your fingers. Pinch the ribbon and hold it with the first layer.
Step 4
Form another loop. Pinch the ribbon at the bottom of the loop and hold it together with the other layers.
Step 5
Repeat steps 3 and 4 twice, so that you will get four loops after this. Allow the working end of the ribbon to be hang down. Wire the loop cluster together tightly just above the loop bases, and cut the end of the wie end short.
Step 6
Repeat steps 1 to 5 for each of the other two ribbons, keeping the wire end of the last loop cluster longer. Use the long wires to wrap three clusters together. Arrange the loops, intermingling the different ribbons slightly together. Trim all ribbon tails on the diagonal.
c) Pompom Bow
Pompom bows is one of the most popular bow that can be made in nearly any size, scaled to the ribbon width and the size of the gift package or project. If you glue or stitch several large pompom bows together and hung from the ceiling at varying lengths, that will be cheerful decorations for festive party or wedding reception.
Material:
- 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 yd (1.4m – 3.2m) of ribbon, 5/8″ to 2 1/4″ ( 1.5cm – 5.6cm) wide
- scrap of cardboard
Methods:
Step 1
Cut a 9-inches (23 cm) of wire and set to one side. Cut a piece of cardboard in square shape with width to the desired finished width of the bow.
Step 2
Align one end of the ribbon to the bottom front of the cardboard. Wrap the ribbon around the cardboard about 8 to 10 times, ending on the back of the cardboard.
Step 3
Gently pull the ribbon off the cardboard and holding the loops together. Fold the loops in half and crease the
fold to mark the center.
Steps 4
Unfold the loops. On the side of the crease, cut into the ribbon edges at an angle to within 1/4″ (6mm) of the center. Repeat on the opposite side.
Step 5
Tightly encased with wire and slide the wire into an angled cut. Keep the end of the wire long.
Step 6
Turn the bow vertically. Slip your right index finger into the middle of the upper loops and pull out the innermost loop. Twist the loop a little bit and pull it toward the middle of the bow.
Step 7
Slip your left index finger into the middle of the upper loops and pull out the next loop.
Step 8
Twist the loop a little bit and pull it toward the center of the bow.
Step 9
Continue to pull the upper loops to the opposite sides and twisting them in various directions.
Step 10
Turn the bow so that the other stack of loops is at the top. Repeat steps 6 to 8. Adjust the loops and make the bow fluffy.
Step 11
If a ribbon tails are desired, cut a piece of ribbon that matches the size of the bow and attach it to the back of the bow with wire. Trim the bow tail diagonally.