The Perfect Bow

I am such a visual person! I recently bought a Bow Maker and have all sorts of trouble trying to follow the instructions, and until I make lots and lots of them I will forget every time and still seek help! In all my playing around and trying to 'follow' instructions, I came across this way to tie a perfect bow to sit on any creation! Just to make sure that I did have it right I must have made a hundred at least!! What I have done is write up the instructions and then add the photos in sequence, the latter being for people like me who need 'visual'!

THE PERFECT BOW

This is such any easy, easy way to make the perfect bow to go on your creations. If you already own a Bow Maker you can utilise that to make these bows too.If you don’t and you have access to a piece of timber and a couple of 5 or 6” nails then you are on your way.

If you are going to make a bow maker (and I did) and didn’t realise it, because what I made was for ribbon storage! It was after I bought one that I realised that it was the same as what I made but for my ribbons.

YOU WILL NEEDTO MAKE YOUR BOWMAKER

A piece of smooth timber about 6” long and drill some holes in it about 1” apart. I used a drill that was about ¼ in diameter.

Go to your local hardware supplier and get a piece of dowel to fit the holes (take your wood with you) and get dowel that fits snugly.

Cut the dowel into lengths to suit but I cut mine about 5”, and now you have your own bow maker.

You can use any size dowel the bow in this little Tutorial is rather large for what you would want, but I made it bigger so it was easier to see.
Remember you can use nails too they will work just as well.
Now onto the exciting part:-
1. Cut your ribbon to the length you need (or to be more economical cut it when you have finished the bow there will be less wastage – thanks Kris).
2. Wrap ribbon around dowels/nails like below
3. Pass top ribbon under and out the other side

4. Bring back piece of ribbon over the top as below

5. Tie a single knot

6. Do not pull tight until the bow sides are even, and this is the time to do it, just slide the centre bit. This is how it will look

7. Front View

8. On cardstock

9. On a finished card

Now Go and have fun!
Gwen 
Follow the pictures to achieve your 'perfect bow'