When I posted a sneak peek of my Christmas Decorations yesterday, it reminded me of the how to make a wreath tutorial I wrote last month and the fact that I promised to teach you how to make a holiday bow. Without delaying this any longer (Christmas decorating is likely almost over for many of you!) I thought I would share a how to make a holiday bow tutorial tout de suite here on ABCD Design. First, get your tools out and ready. You’ll need wire cutters, wire, scissors, and ribbon. I prefer to use wire-edged ribbon, it makes for a prettier bow in the end. Remember: that you shouldn’t cut wire-edged ribbon with the scissors that you prefer to keep sharp, so a dedicated pair for bow making is a good idea. Next, decide how long you want the tail of the bow to be. Always leave a wee-bit more than you think. Keep in mind: you can always trim it afterwards, but you can never magically make the tail longer after the bow is finished. Got it? Moving on…Now, decide what size your loops on the bow will be. Hold everything in your left hand and adjust the loops with your right. Make the loops on both sides of equal length and volume. Switch back at least four times. I like the way odd numbers look, so I usually do five loops per side.Lay a piece of wire about a foot long across the center of the fold. Give the ends a good three twists to secure the loops. Now, cut the ribbon off at the end of the second tail on the bow. Make this one a bit longer than the other tail, because you are going to make the center part of the bow with it. Decide what is going to be the bottom of the bow. Pull both of the tails to the bottom of the bow. Leave the shorter tail alone for a minute. Take the longer tail and loop it through the center and secure it in the back by twisting the wire in the back around it the same way you secured the loops earlier. Phew! Did you do it?

Posted by Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo / Holiday Decorations and Nesting and Uncategorized