Directions for Tying a Ribbon Bow on a Christmas Wreath
- 1
Make a simple bow by using floral wire to hold the center.Red bow on fir-tree branch image by Lucy Cherniak from Fotolia.com
Cut 2 feet of ribbon---more if you want longer tails. Cut the ends at a 45-degree angle---this gives the tips classic points and reduces the risk of raveling. - 2). Create two loops for the Christmas bow: fold each end of the ribbon to the middle and cross the lengths of ribbon. Make the loops 5 to 6 inches long from the center of the ribbon to the tip of each bow loop---the loop has a back and a front, so it will take 10 to 12 inches of ribbon for each one. Cross the ends in the center so you have the two bow loops above the crossed ribbon and the lower half of an "X" below the two loops. Create multiple loops for a fuller bow.
- 3). Use green floral wire to hold the bow loops in place. Fold the floral wire in half and place it over the ribbon where the ends of the loops cross. One end of the wire goes above the cross, and the other goes below the cross. Reach behind the bow and twist the wire together three times right behind the ribbon so the wire forms a loop around the center of the bow with two free ends extending from the center of the back of the bow. This trick ties together a basic, foolproof Christmas wreath bow. Though it is possible to create a balanced bow from scratch, tying it by hand is more difficult than wiring the loops.
- 4). Cut 4 inches of matching ribbon for the Christmas wreath bow. Tuck an inch of the ribbon under the wired center of the bow. Make a ball of tissue or facial tissue the size of a walnut and flatten it slightly on the table under your palm. Place the tissue in the center of the bow on the wire. Fold the short piece of ribbon over the tissue and tuck it behind the center of the bow.
- 5). Turn the bow over. Apply fabric glue to one end of the short piece of ribbon. The padded front creates the center of the bow. Pull the other end of the short ribbon firmly. Press it down on the fabric glue on the other end of the short ribbon on the back of the bow. Hold it for a minute, or place a small weight on it such as a marble coaster. Allow the glue to dry.
- 6). Use the loose wire ends behind the center of the ribbon to attach the bow to the wreath. Attach it to the center of the top or the bottom of the wreath. Poke one end of the wire through the wreath above a branch or support, and the other end of the wire below a branch or support. Twist the ends of the wire together three times behind the wreath. Cut any excess wire with wire cutters.
Source...