The Easiest Way To Tie A Perfect Bow

The secret to wow-worthy holiday gift wrapping? A big bow that looks like it could have come straight from the set of your favourite holiday movie.

Below, a step-by-step guide on how to tie the perfect bow.

How to tie a bow with ribbon

Start with good quality materials—expensive ribbon falls better than its cheaper counterpart. A double-sided satin ribbon works best, as you don't have to fuss with the "good" and "bad" side of the ribbon.

You'll need about meter of ribbon to tie a good bow, plus however much ribbon you need to wrap around the gift.

1. Knot once or twice

Depending on how thick your ribbon is, you might or might not be able to tie a double knot before starting your bow.

2. Tie a bow

Reach way back in your memories to when you first learned to tie your laces⁠—that's how you tie a bow. Make two loops and tie them together in a simple knot.

3. Smooth it out

Smooth the knot cover over and pull tight, making sure both loops are the same size. Leave a long tail on both ends.

4. Fold back the “tail”

Now here's the magic part: take the “tail” of the ribbon and fold it back in towards the centre knot. Add a dot of hot glue right where you fingers are holding it down (above).

5. Cut the ends

Cut the ends of the tails on a bias or with a V-shaped notch. Now, that's a pro-looking bow!

More gift wrapping ideas:

How To Make A Beautiful Tissue Paper Bow

7 Cute And Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Wrapping Paper

Furoshiki Gift Wrapping: A Step-By-Step Guide