Tie the Perfect Bow, Step-by-Step

Every Christmas, we wrap our gifts and decorate our homes with festive ribbons and bows. But how often do we look at our finished product with real satisfaction? How many times is one loop too long and one loop too short? Or it falls apart before the holiday rolls around?

A red, green, and white plaid ribbon bow tied around a brown leather stool.

We were decorating the Ginny’s House and wanted to wrap the kitchen stools in festive Christmas bows. After some research and learning from some of the craftier Ginny’s Team members, we found the easiest method.

To start, pick out a ribbon to match the rest of the decorations or your gift wrap. Ribbon with wire is the easiest to work with and fluff up later. The tails can always be trimmed if they are too long when you are finished.

A woman's hand holding a red, green, and white plaid ribbon.

Step 1 : Cut a piece of ribbon that is quite a bit longer than what you are going to wrap.

A woman's hands tying a length of red, green, and white plaid ribbon around a brown leather stool.

Step 2 : Wrap ribbon (pretty or “right” side out) around the gift or in our case, kitchen stool.

Step 3 : Cross the tails and loop one under the other, pulling it tight. (Just like beginning to tie a shoe).

A woman's hands tying a red, green, and white plaid ribbon bow around a brown leather stool.

Step 4 : Make a loop out of each tail, one a little longer than the other

Step 5 : Turn the two loops towards each other and cross the longer loop around and through the hole or opening at the bottom to make a knot.

Step 6 :Pull both loops tight

Step 7 : Hold the tails in your palms and pull the loops tight to keep the tails from pulling through the knot.

Step 8 : Fluff the bow loops and trim or curl the tails if they are a bit too long.

Kick back, admire your work and have a Merry Christmas! Do you have any other tips for making flawless Christmas bows? Tell us about it in the comments below.