How to Tie a Perfect Bow on a Chair
When tying a bow, my first inclination was to follow my shoelace-tying instinct. Wrong! This will create a figure eight! Follow these instructions to tie a great bow. This is perfect for tying a chairsash on a chair or over a chaircover for a wedding.
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Instructions
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Start with a sash (the one in the photo is 108" long). Cross the left side over the right. Your left hand should have the side that was originally on the right in it. Your right hand should be holding the the side that was originally on the left in it.
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Take the sash in your right hand down and back up behind the sash in your left hand. This is the beginning of a knot.
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With you left hand, create a loop. This will be one side of your bow. Making a loop is as simple as the loop made while tying your shoes. Just pull up fabric and pinch in your fingers like you would do while tying your shoes.
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Now take the sash in your right hand and bring it OVER the "neck" of the loop (the part where your fingers are pinching the loop.) This is the trick to making a bow look nice. This is the "knot" in the middle of the bow. After bringing it over the neck, shove the sash directly behind the loop, through the new loop you created by bringing it down over the neck, and pull to the left with the fingers you were using to hold the original "neck."
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Pull both sides of the bow to tighten the knot. Now you can adjust each side of the bow to make the bow larger or smaller. Getting the hang of this takes some practice. I find it difficult to undo my shoelace tying instinct and have to retrain myself each time I need to tie a bow.
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Tips & Warnings
The same steps can be taken when tying an pretty bow, whether with ribbon or material.
If you are tying a lot of bows on chairs, like for a wedding reception, make sure to bring with you an office chair on wheels! This will save your knees and back!
Remember - just with most things - PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT.
