6 Bow Making Tips Every Wreath Maker Needs to Know
Y’all, bow making is one of those skills that looks incredibly intimidating from the outside but becomes completely second nature once you know the right techniques. The difference between a bow that looks professionally made and one that looks a little sad and flat usually comes down to just a handful of details.
6 Bow Making Tips
In this roundup, we are pulling together six of Julie’s best bow making tips, each with its own short video so you can see the technique in action. Whether you are a total beginner or you have been making bows for years and want to take things up a notch, there is something in here for you.
Check out all our full bow tutorials!
Determining Loop Size
One of the most common bow making questions Julie gets is “how big should my loops be?” And the answer is simpler than most people expect — you hold the loop up to your wreath and let the wreath tell you. There is no universal measurement that works for every project, because a loop that is perfect on a 24-inch wreath would look tiny on a 30-inch wreath and enormous on a 12-inch one.
The general rule: your bow loop should be roughly one quarter to one third of the wreath’s diameter. So for a 24-inch wreath, you are looking at a 6 to 8 inch loop. For a 12-inch wreath, think 3 to 4 inches. Before you commit to a loop size, make one test loop, hold it against the wreath at the attachment point, and trust your eye. It will tell you right away if the proportions feel right.
Adding Extra Loops After the Bow Is Made
Here is one that is going to save so many of you from completely remaking a bow you were almost happy with. You do not have to start over just because your finished bow looks a little flat or thin! You can absolutely add extra loops to a bow after it is already made and already on the wreath — and the result looks seamless if you do it right.
The technique is simple: cut a fresh piece of ribbon, make a loop or two, pinch it at the center, and attach it to the back of the existing bow with florist wire or a pipe cleaner. Tuck the attachment point behind the existing loops so it stays hidden. Then fluff and adjust until the new loops blend in with the originals. This tip alone is worth bookmarking because it completely takes the pressure off getting the bow perfect on the first try.
How to Mix Patterned Ribbon in Bow Making
Mixing patterns is where a lot of wreath makers freeze up — and we totally understand why! It feels like there must be some complicated design rule that separates the people who do it well from the people whose bows look like a craft store exploded. The good news? The actual rule is pretty straightforward once you know it.
The key is to vary the scale of your patterns and keep the color story consistent. A large bold print (like a wide floral or a big buffalo check) pairs beautifully with a smaller, finer pattern (like a stripe, a mini check, or a tone-on-tone print) in the same color family. What does not work is two ribbons with similarly sized patterns in the same colors — they blur together and neither one reads clearly in the finished bow. When in doubt, add a solid or a textured ribbon as a neutral bridge between two patterns. It gives the eye a place to rest and makes both patterns stand out more.
How to Bind the Ribbon Loops
The binding step is the moment that makes or breaks a bow — get it wrong and the whole thing falls apart or goes lopsided the moment you let go. Get it right and the bow holds its shape beautifully from the first loop to the last. Julie has a specific technique for this that she has refined over years of bow making and it makes the process so much more controlled.
Pinch all your loops together firmly at the center between your thumb and forefinger. Thread florist wire through the pinch point from the front, wrap it tightly several times around the center, then twist the wire ends together on the back. Here is the trick: turn the bow rather than the wire as you twist. Rotating the bow gives you much more torque and control than trying to twist the wire in place. Once the wire is secure, use the wire tails to attach the bow directly to your wreath base. If you don’t have florist wire on hand, a pipe cleaner works great as a substitute.
Don’t Use Limp Ribbon
This one might be the most important tip on the entire list, and it is the one beginners most often discover the hard way. Limp, unwired ribbon does not make good wreath bows. Full stop. It doesn’t hold its shape, it goes flat in heat and humidity, it can’t be refluffed, and no amount of technique can compensate for ribbon that has no structural integrity.
Always, ALWAYS use wired ribbon for wreaths and bows. The wire in the edges is what lets you shape each loop, bend the ribbon to face the right direction, and keep the bow looking full and intentional over an entire season outdoors. Quality wired ribbon costs a little more than the basic stuff, but the results are night and day. Julie has said for years that your ribbon is the single supply where quality matters more than anywhere else in wreath making and this tip is exactly why.
Don’t Be Afraid to Break the Color Rules
Okay, this is the one that is going to set some of you free. You’ve probably heard the “color rules” — stick to two or three coordinating colors, don’t mix warm and cool tones, don’t combine more than one dominant pattern. And honestly? Those rules are a useful starting point. But they are not laws. Some of the most beautiful, most show-stopping bows Julie has ever made came from combinations that technically “shouldn’t” work.
The real rule, as in the only one that actually matters, is that all the ribbons in your bow should share at least one color in common. That shared color is what makes the combination read as intentional rather than random. Beyond that, trust your gut! If you hold the ribbons together and feel a little spark of excitement, that energy usually translates to the finished bow. Play with unexpected color combinations. Try a ribbon that feels a little risky. The bows that get the most compliments are almost never the safe ones.
Bow Making FAQs Straight From Our Audience
Y’all ask the best questions! Julie put together a dedicated FAQ video answering the most common bow making questions she hears from the Southern Charm Wreaths community. Watch it below and then keep reading for the written quick answers!