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Mrs. Lace, Pasadena, CA Age and Occupation: 29, Elementary school teacher Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Engineer Engagement Date: September 6, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: Orange County Performing Arts Center About Me: Born and raised in Southern California, my fiance and I are marrying in Orange County. We're planning a vintage wedding with a modern twist. I am an elementary school teacher by day and a wedding planner by night. I love reading, blogging, scrapbooking, trying out new DIY projects, buying awesome finds at incredible deals and spending time with friends and family. Trying new restaurants, traveling and shopping also top my hobby list. I'm anxious to share my wedding ideas and planning with the hive!
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How to Tie a Perfect Bow

March 18th, 2010 @ 4:18 pm by Mrs. Lace

When I discovered Martha Stewart during my high school years, I was addicted to her show and would watch it as often as I could. My favorite segment? Good things. She’d teach you one really cool trick to a problem that you never knew was a problem. In addition to learning how to fold a fitted sheet (what? You’re saying folding it in half and rolling it up isn’t right?), I learned how to tie a perfect bow. After that episode, I remember sitting there practicing and practicing until I figured out how to tie a perfect bow. I can’t remember if my bow is the same as Martha’s, but it works, so here’s what to do.

First, tie a knot. I go left over right. I like to try to keep the ribbon flat.

How to Tie a Perfect Bow :  wedding crafts pasadena tutorial Img 49502 IMG_49502

Make a loop with the ribbon end that is lower, in this case, it’s the right side. You’ll notice from here on out, I use my ring finger to hold the knot down and tight.

How to Tie a Perfect Bow :  wedding crafts pasadena tutorial Img 49503 IMG_49503

Now, take the ribbon end that is higher, in this case, the left, and put it over the loop you made.

How to Tie a Perfect Bow :  wedding crafts pasadena tutorial Img 49504 IMG_49504

Put the left ribbon end around the right loop and pull it through. Notice that all the ribbon lays as flat as possible.

How to Tie a Perfect Bow :  wedding crafts pasadena tutorial Img 49601 IMG_49601

Last, but not least, pull tight. You’ll have your loops on top and the end on the bottom! I used grosgrain here, but if you use a softer ribbon, the middle of the bow tends to look nicer than a firmer ribbon.

How to Tie a Perfect Bow :  wedding crafts pasadena tutorial Img 49602 IMG_49602

Oh and don’t forget to trim the ends to slant. I usually cut my ribbon at a slant hoping that it’ll just come out right, but as you can see, that didn’t happen here.

What’s your favorite “good thing” you’ve learned from Martha?

Tags: crafts, pasadena, tutorial |
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38 Responses to “How to Tie a Perfect Bow”

1 2 

1.
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Bee
Miss Scissors (message)  7,343 posts, Bee Keeper

Is it bad that I am totally unaware of how I tie a bow? I think I do it that way, but I’m not sure. When I try to break it down in my mind, the world starts spinning funny. :p

Beautifully tied, ma’am.

 
2.
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Bee
Miss Hamster (message)  4,045 posts, Honey bee

Very nice - I can’t tie a nice bow for the life of me! This will definitely be helpful. :)

 
3.
jordynrose
Member
jordynrose (message)  6,351 posts, Bee Keeper

Pretty snazzy! I remember watching the how to fold a fitted sheet segment. I still use Martha’s method to this day.

 
4.
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Bee
Miss Ribbons (message)  2,018 posts, Buzzing bee

This did sort of blow my mind. I don’t think my bows look that nice, but re-thinking the steps left me confused. Good pictures though :)

 
5.
jingle96
Member
jingle96 (message)  2,842 posts, Sugar bee

Thanks for the tutorial!! Sometimes I have a hard time doing just that!! I had to youtube how to tie a bow once, it was very helpful!

 
6.
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Bee
Miss Trail Mix (message)  6,312 posts, Bee Keeper

THANK YOU!!!! I wrote in another post about how frickin hard tying a nice bow is :) This was so very helpful!

 
7.
Miss Nachos
Bee
Miss Nachos (message)  1,733 posts, Bumble bee

Oooo, I’ll have to try this for our favors!

 
8.
Roux
Member
Roux (message)  1,281 posts, Bumble bee

How do you fold a fitted sheet? We only have one sheet set, (that matches our room decor) so it goes from bed to wash to clothesline to bed in one day! But I’ve never known how.

Love the bow tute. I couldn’t tie a bow to save my life. Now I want to practice. *hunts for ribbon*

 
9.
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Bee
Miss Scissors (message)  7,343 posts, Bee Keeper

@Roux: I think you fold the underside part… under? and then fold it like a normal sheet? I remember reading it and learning, but mine might be a ghetto haxx of Martha.

 
10.
AprilBride10
Member
AprilBride10 (message)  528 posts, Busy bee

Hahahaha, my mom taught me how to fold a fitted sheet as a kid, and it amazed my FI to no end the first time he saw me do it. He thought that it was truly impossible, and they just made it look that way for movies and packaging.

 
11.
alivoo01
Member
alivoo01 (message)  2,622 posts, Sugar bee

Left over right, left over right, and PULL!!! Definitely going home tonight to practice - thanks for the tip!

 
12.
AprilBride10
Member
AprilBride10 (message)  528 posts, Busy bee

@Roux, its pretty easy, it basically just involves putting your index fingers into the “points” of the fitted corners, touching then together, and then flipping the sheet onto one finger. You then just repeat it with the other side. When you only have two fitted corners left (instead of the four you started with) put your index fingers into those two corners, touch them together, and flip the sheet onto one hand. After that, you should have everything flat enough to fold together (though the fitted parts will still be curved, and not folded at a right angle). Hope that was helpful - but I bet Martha has diagrams!

 
13.
kirabee
Member
kirabee (message)  1,402 posts, Bumble bee

YES! After I learned this trick, every crooked bow I see makes me crazy!

 
14.
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Member
Curlysue (message)  1,703 posts, Bumble bee

I loved Martha’s tip on how to fold a perfect t-shirt :)

 
15.
Miss Pretzel
Bee
Miss Pretzel (message)  1,893 posts, Buzzing bee

Thank you! I actually nixed bows on some projects cause I couldn’t get them to look just right!

 
16.
mander411
Member
mander411 (message)  735 posts, Busy bee

niiice work! but I got a headache trying to invision it lol

 
17.
labrat
Member
labrat (message)  472 posts, Helper bee

Thanks for the how to! I surely do need this as I keep getting funky bows that look like a 3yr old tied them on our invites.

 
18.
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Bee
Miss Parfait (message)  1,755 posts, Buzzing bee

I was wondering how other people tie bows! I did the bunny ears technique (like how kids tie shoelaces) for our bellybands and they worked out pretty well~

 
19.
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Bee
Miss Lace (message)  702 posts, Busy bee

@Miss Scissors: @Miss Ribbons: @mander411: I got a headache trying to take pictures with my left hand and slow down my ribbon tying process to do it with my right hand! :) So you are not alone!

@Curlysue: I saw that one too!! :)

 
20.
Miss Sayrah
Member
Miss Sayrah (message)  112 posts, Blushing bee

Thanks Miss Lace!! This is so useful…

 
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Mrs. Lace
Mrs. Lace

Mrs. Lace, Pasadena, CA Age and Occupation: 29, Elementary school teacher Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Engineer Engagement Date: September 6, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: Orange County Performing Arts Center About Me: Born and raised in Southern California, my fiance and I are marrying in Orange County. We're planning a vintage wedding with a modern twist. I am an elementary school teacher by day and a wedding planner by night. I love reading, blogging, scrapbooking, trying out new DIY projects, buying awesome finds at incredible deals and spending time with friends and family. Trying new restaurants, traveling and shopping also top my hobby list. I'm anxious to share my wedding ideas and planning with the hive!

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