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Tying Decorative Bows

Parun Pereira
Using bows as decorative accessories are always visually pleasing. Tying different ribbons and laces to make decorative bows sounds simple, but using the right technique to tie them takes a formidable amount of skill. The following lines shed light on the ways to tie decorative bows.
Intricate work on ribbons and laces looks beautiful, but without a proper tying technique the efforts are a waste. Decorative bows on gifts add glitter and beauty to the surprise element.
A shabby knot or fold is an eyesore for sure. Although tying bows is no rocket science, a creative insight along with some basic knowledge about decorative arts is definitely needed. The upcoming passages reveal some unique, fun, and simple techniques in this regard.

Bows

  • You need an appropriate length of ribbon to make the desired bow.
  • First use the center of the ribbon to form loops on both sides in the center.
  • Once that's done, cross the loops over each other to form a shape of the letter X.
  • Bring the back loop ahead through the opening underneath the X and twist the tail end and center in a manner that the appropriate side is exposed.
  • Pull the loops and tails of the ribbon to shape the bow properly.
  • Bows like these can be used as a decorative object on various gifts for different occasions.

A Bow Tie

  • A bow tie always makes one look good, but getting down to tying it is relatively complex. This is something that has never gone out of fashion. Although tying a bow tie is not as easy as tying a regular tie, with a little practice you can definitely master this art.
You could start off by adjusting the length of your tie in accordance with your neck size. Once that's done, lift the collar of your shirt and place the tie around your neck with the ends hanging in front. See to it that one end hangs about two inches lower than the other.
  • The next step would be to take the longer end of the tie and slip it over the shorter end to form a knot. Pull the knot in such a way that it slightly grips your neck.
  • Use the shorter end of the tie to make a fold where the hourglass shape roughly appears, and hold the formation of the bow in a horizontal position.
  • Bring in the longer end of the tie over the front area of the shorter end, and make a fold in the longer end of the tie where the hourglass shape begins to narrow forming a second bow.
  • Bring in the second bow, and tuck it in the available space behind the first bow. Finally, adjust the two bows together to shape them properly.

Wreath Bows

  • Choose the ribbon of your choice in accordance with the flowers. Slightly twist the ribbon to form a loop on the rear side, and then turn it around and twist it again.
  • Repeat this process until you have the desired amount of loops or reach the tail of the ribbon. Ribbons are generally slippery, so make sure you grip the loops firmly.
  • Take a slightly heavy craft wire, and twist it through the material to form beautiful bows to decorate your bouquets.
Apart from the aforementioned tying techniques, you can go ahead and try your own methods of tying bows. Although the use of velvet is becoming popular, satin ribbons are most commonly used for decorative purposes.
The trial-and-error method used while tying bows works in most cases, hence do not give up easily. A neatly tied decorative bow always adds a spark to every occasion.