You can make a big, fluffy bow by making several ribbon loops, cinching them tightly in the middle, then fluffing and trimming the tails. Wired ribbon makes this much easier.
What you need
- 1–3 yards of ribbon (wired ribbon holds shape best)
- Scissors
- Thin wire, twist tie, or a small piece of matching ribbon to tie the center
Basic big bow steps
- Cut a long piece of ribbon, leaving extra at the end for tails.
- Make a loop about as wide as you want the finished bow, and pinch the center between your fingers.
- Make another loop on the opposite side, pinching it into the same center point.
- Keep adding loops to each side (4–6 loops per side for a big bow), always pinching in the same center spot.
- When you have enough loops, wrap wire or a small piece of ribbon tightly around the pinched center and secure it with a twist or knot.
Adding and shaping tails
- Before you tighten the center, you can lay a separate strip of ribbon (folded in half) behind the loops so both ends hang down as long tails.
- After securing, trim the tail ends either at an angle or in a “V”: fold the tail in half lengthwise and cut from the folded edge toward the open ends at a diagonal.
Fluffing the bow
- Gently pull and separate the loops, spreading them out so they form a full circle rather than two flat wings.
- Twist and bend each loop until the bow looks round and puffy; wired ribbon will hold the curves and give volume.
Fastening the bow to things
- Leave the center wire or ribbon ends long so you can tie the bow onto a gift, wreath, banister, or ponytail.
- If attaching to a gift box, you can tie the bow around a base ribbon that is already wrapped around the package for extra security.