Most people associate the pretty bows with ribbons. There are a number of ways you can make ribbon knots depending on how you want them to be used. You can use these bows as hair accessories, to decorate gift packages, to adorn clothes, etc. The possibilities are endless!
Steps
Method 1 of 6: Tie a basic knot
Step 1. Cut a ribbon
Make sure it is long enough to tie a knot. Always plan for plenty of length to be able to work on the shape of the knot and leave long enough tails.
Lay the ribbon flat on a flat surface
Step 2. Fold both ends in the middle
Overlap the two ends of the ribbon in the middle of it to form two loops and two tails. If the curls are not distinct, give them the correct shape.
Step 3. Adjust the proportions
Make sure the curls and tails are the size or length you want and that they are symmetrical.
Step 4. Pass the left loop over the right loop
Go around the right loop from behind and pass the left loop through the small central loop that forms. Tighten this knot firmly in the center.
Step 5. Awesome
Method 2 of 6: Tie a knot with grosgrain ribbon
Step 1. Measure and wrap the tape
Cut a grosgrain ribbon 2 m long. Wrap it lengthwise around the gift package. Use glue or duct tape to attach the tape to the package, but do not cut off the protruding ends. You will use the two long ends of the ribbon to make a nice knot.
This bow is ideal to adorn a gift package. You will tie the ribbon around the package
Step 2. Make a loop
Form a loop with one of the loose strips of ribbon and bring it to the center. Hold this loop in place with one finger. Mark the fold in the ribbon at the top of the loop. Fold this fold in the center to make a loop. If you want, you can hold the tape in place with glue or duct tape. Repeat one last loop in the same way.
Step 3. Make more loops
Take the other loose strip of ribbon and make three loops in the same way, bringing the ribbon to the center and securing the ends in place after each fold.
Step 4. Awesome
Method 3 of 6: Tie a ribbon knot with a wire tie
Step 1. Cut a ribbon
You can use it to decorate a gift package or a bouquet, accessorize your hairstyle or even complete party decorations. Lay the ribbon flat on a flat surface.
Step 2. Make two loops
Bring the two ends of the ribbon to the middle of it and overlap them so that two tails protrude.
Hold the ribbon in the middle to prevent it from coming undone
Step 3. Wind up and hide the wire
Wrap a thin wire around the middle of the knot, pulling it tight. Wrap tape or duct tape around the wire to hide it. Use the same color as the ribbon or a color that goes well with it. Secure the piece of ribbon you just wrapped with glue or a small seam.
Step 4. Adjust the curls and tails
Adjust the size and position of the curls and free tails to achieve a symmetrical knot. Trim the ends of the ribbon to prevent fraying. Use this bow to adorn a gift wrap or decorative wreath.
Step 5. Great job
Method 4 of 6: Tie a "flower" knot with a ribbon
Step 1. Cut a ribbon
Cut a 120 cm strip of ribbon. When you are done, the knot will look like a large flower. You can use it as a decoration, as an accessory or to adorn a gift package.
Step 2. Measure the loops
Starting 20cm from one end of the ribbon, make a 2.5cm loop. Hold it with your thumb and forefinger to keep it from coming undone.
Step 3. Fold the loop back
Fold the longer part of the ribbon to form a second 2.5 cm loop to the left of the first. Also hold it with your thumb and forefinger to prevent it from coming undone.
Step 4. Switch sides
Repeat the same loop, but this time do it to the right of the others. Continue in this way, alternating the loops to form them in pairs. Make between three and five pairs of loops to complete the knot.
Step 5. Tie the knot
Wrap a thin wire around the middle of the knot. Tighten it well and cut off the excess. Conceal the wire with a piece of ribbon. Wrap the ribbon around the wire and tie it with glue or a small seam.
Step 6. Separate the loops
Arrange the loops in a circle to create a knot that looks like a large flower.
Method 5 of 6: Take care of the ribbon tails
Step 1. Don't forget the tails
The tails (the free ends of the ribbon) are just as important as the curls in creating a beautiful knot. Knots don't always have tails, but when they do, it's important that those parts are clean and neat.
Step 2. Make long tails
When making a knot, make sure the tails are as long as possible. You can always cut them back to make them shorter when you're done, but it's almost impossible to lengthen them without messing up the loops in the knot.
Step 3. Cut the tails
You need to cut off the end of each tail to prevent the ribbon from unraveling and to achieve a neater effect. Use sharp scissors with which you can cut fabric. You can cut the ends of the ribbon in several special ways.
- Cut the ribbon fabric at an angle.
- Cut the fabric in a chevron: choose a point close to the end of the ribbon and in the middle in the direction of the width. Cut the fabric at an angle towards this point starting from each side. The two incisions must meet at the chosen point. If the cut part did not fall off on its own, gently remove it.
Method 6 of 6: Choose the ribbon
Step 1. Determine the function of the node
This will help you choose the color and texture of the ribbon. For example, if the bow is added to a garment you sew or is used to accessorize an outfit, choose a color and texture to match the fabric of the garment (s).
Step 2. Choose the material
Satin is often used to tie knots, but it can be slippery for beginners. Grosgrain ribbon may be easier to use when learning to tie knots. You can also use ribbons made from other materials such as printed ribbon, velvet, metallic fabric (Lurex), cotton or organza. Ribbons with wire edges are ideal for bouquets and gift packages.
- In general, if you can tie a simple, tight knot with the ribbon, you can tie it into a decorative knot.
- Some types of ribbon are too stiff to tie knots without the help of wires or seams.
Step 3. Experiment
Try out ribbons of different types and widths to find the style you are looking for.
Remember that you need a very long ribbon to tie a knot. The different curls take a lot of length
Advice
- Search the internet for other styles of ribbon knots.
- To estimate the length of ribbon needed to wrap around a gift package and tie a knot, wrap the ribbon loosely around a standard size package or box and add 60cm on each side (i.e. 120cm) to tie the knot.
- If you are using glue to attach the ribbon, test it on an unseen part first and allow it to dry. If the glue shows through the ribbon when it is dry, you will either need to tie the knot in such a way that the glue will not show, or you will need to use a different glue.
- If you don't dare or don't want to tie a knot by hand, you can use a special tool to help you or just buy a knot already made in a store or online.