How to Make a Bow-Making Jig

A bow-making jig can assist you in creating ribbon bows in a matter of seconds and each bow will come out exactly the size you want, whether it’s small bows for handmade greeting cards, larger bows to decorate wreaths for any holiday, or embellishments for clothing. Wow your crafting friends with this simple tool you’ll use over and over again. It’s amazing how easy it is to make a bow-making jig and the resulting ribbon bows are always perfect!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Scrap of lumber, 8 to 12 inches long, 1-by-3, 1-by-4 or 2-by-4 works well
• Two 1/4 inch dowel rods, 6 inches long
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Drill with 1/4 inch bit

1. Draw a line down the center of your scrap lumber.

2. Mark 1-inch increments along the pencil line.

3. Beginning with the second mark (2 inches), drill a hole most of the way, but not all the way through the board.

4. Continue drilling at each of the marked 1-inch increments.

5. Glue one of the dowel rods into the first hole.

6. The second dowel rod can be placed into any of the other holes depending on the size of ribbon bow you are creating.

7. Now you are ready to make ribbon bows. See related article for “How to Make a Perfect Ribbon Bow.”

Tips & Warnings

• Place your scrap lumber in a vise or clamp to keep it from shifting when drilling.
• Bow-making jigs can be sanded and stained then given as gifts. Crafters really appreciate the results they get when using this jig to create ribbon bows for their projects.
• When making a series of ribbon bows, clamp the bow-making jig to a table for ease in handling.
• Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes when drilling.
• Drill on an appropriate surface. There is a good chance the bit will go all the way through the board.
• Don’t worry if the drilled hole goes all the way through, it doesn’t really matter.
• Know how to operate a power drill safely before beginning this project.