Tying Bows (with a template)

Probably the one thing people ask me to show them over and over again the most is how to tie bows with their Bow Easy. I bought mine at Angela's Happy Stamper and use it in almost all of my classes (My name is Laura, and I am a bow addict!) Tying large bows is relatively easy to do with just your hands. However, if you are trying to tie tiny bows (and have them look nice), a bow maker really helps. The Bow Easy comes with directions, but it really helps to have someone show it to you the first time. After I show people how to use the device, I always tell them to go home and make about 20 bows...that way you will never forget how to do it. However, most people don't make practice bows and forget how to make them. I understand...no one likes homework! I am always willing to show people multiple times, but what if you need to make bows when I am not there? :) I thought it couldn't hurt to post my own instructions as a reference guide. Forgive me for posting so many pictures, but I couldn't seem to cut out any of the steps.

This is the Bow Easy. Oooh...aaahh

Pick two of the plastic prongs to be the size of the loops of your bow. Cut a long piece of ribbon (easier to work with when you are just starting out) and place the ribbon on the Bow Easy so that you leave yourself a tail on the left side (you can sort of see the tail underneath my thumb). Hold the tail down on
the Bow Easy using your left thumb. The rest of the ribbon should trail across the top of the Bow Easy.

Wrap the ribbon around the underside of the Bow Easy and back to the top. Move your thumb so that it now holds the tail and the the ribbon you have wrapped around the two prongs.

Thread the ribbon through the space between the two prongs. DO NOT pull the thread tight. You need to leave yourself a loop for tying the bow.

Pull the ribbon through the space between the prongs leaving yourself a loop.

Thread the end of the ribbon through the loop. **Important..you must go through the loop from the left side to the right side. If your loop is laying
funny so that it is hard to go through the left side, you have to physically move the loop so that you can enter it through the left side. If you feed the loop right to left, it won't knot.

Pull the ribbon through the loop and pull tight to form your knot. Technically, your bow is now tied. However, we are going to add an extra step to help the bow lay flat.

Once again, thread the end of your ribbon through the space between the two prongs.

Tug the ribbon from underneath the Bow Easy (out and away from you). This really does help the finished look of your bow. You can now slide the bow off of the bow maker.

Finished! I know it seems like a lot of work. However, you do get a lot faster with practice. I can whip out bows pretty fast now! I hope this tutorial helped.