DIY & CRAFTS

How To
Tie the Perfect Bow

Learn how to make the perfect ribbon bow with these simple steps.

Tie the Perfect Bow

The holidays are upon us and we’ve been doing quite a bit of gift wrapping around here. In that spirit, I thought I’d share one of my favorite tips for making presents picture perfect. Let’s learn how to tie the perfect bow!

STEP ONE

Measure your ribbon by pulling it across the top and sides of the longest length of the box — you will need approximately 6 times this amount to wrap your gift.

STEP TWO

Find the midpoint of the ribbon by folding it in half. Wrap the ribbon over the front of the gift, keeping the midpoint centered on the box.

STEP THREE

Continue wrapping the ribbon around the box and flip it over so the back is facing you. Cross the ribbons as shown and pull them taught.

STEP FOUR

Flip the box over again so the front is facing you again. Tie an overhand knot under the vertical ribbon that’s already wrapped around the box.

STEP FIVE

Tie a second knot around the vertical ribbon.

STEP SIX

Take one of the ribbon tails and make it into a loop, pinching it at the bottom.

STEP SEVEN

Take the second tail and wrap it up over the loop, pulling it around, under and through to form a bow.

STEP EIGHT

Bows usually take a little bit of primping to get them absolutely perfect. You can adjust the bow and get the proportions just the way you want them by pulling the tails to loosen the bow, and the loops to tighten it again. Don’t forget to trim the tails of the bow so they’re a nice length and freshly cut.