How to Make a Big Door Bow

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Things You'll Need

  • Roll of cloth ribbon, 2 inches or wider

  • Scissors

  • Floral wire or other bendable wire

  • Wire cutters, optional

A big bow makes your door festive and welcoming.

A big door bow stands alone or enhances decorations for a colorful greeting at the entrance to your home. Door decor goes beyond holiday wreaths and swags. Wreaths, garlands or sprays of seasonal flowers, fruit, vegetables or foliage set off by a big bow create personalized decorations for every season. Door decorations to celebrate the change of season, holidays, special events and simply to greet visitors have become more popular, according to Dr. Leonard Perry of the University of Vermont. With a basic florist trick, you can create an even, professional-looking big door bow the first time.

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Step 1

Cut a wide ribbon 1 inch longer than the width you want for your door bow. Cut a 25-inch ribbon for a 12-inch wide bow. Fold each end of the ribbon to the middle and overlap the ends 1/2 inch.

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Step 2

Wrap floral wire twice around the middle of the ribbon to secure it into the two loops of the bow. Twist the floral wire three times and clip off the excess wire, or twist the part you want to remove until it breaks off.

Step 3

Cut a piece of ribbon for the bow's streamers. Make the streamers at least 50 percent longer than the bow's width. For example, to make two 18-inch streamers for a 1-foot wide door bow, cut a 36-inch long piece of ribbon -- 36 inches is one yard of ribbon. Cut the ribbon in half at a 45-degree angle to give each streamer a classic point.

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Step 4

Wrap one end of a 4- to 5-inch piece of floral wire three times around the top of each streamer, 1/2 inch from the straight-cut end, gathering the ribbon in the loop of wire to hold it securely. Twist the short end of the wire around the other end of the wire next to the gathered ribbon three times to secure it. Wrap the loose end of each wire around the middle of the big bow's loop to attach the streamers.

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Step 5

Cut a 4- to 6-inch piece of ribbon to make the loop at the middle of the bow. The thicker the ribbon, the longer the loop needs to be to fit around the middle of the bow's loop. Set this short piece of ribbon good-side down on your work surface -- if it's velvet ribbon, put the furry side against the table.

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Step 6

Center the bow's loops on this short strip of ribbon with the streamers face down. Fold each end of the short piece of ribbon over the middle of the bow's loops and overlap the ends. This covers the wires and creates the center of the bow in front. Fold an 8-inch piece of wire in half and wrap it around the overlapped ends of the short piece of ribbon. Wrap the wire around the overlapped ends four times and twist it around itself. Make the free end of the double wire into a loop to hang the big bow, wrapping the free end of the wire around the secure end four times.

Tip

Go green with your decorations by choosing reusable fabric instead of plastic ribbon. Store the bow in a box to prevent creases or donate it to a school or charity when you're finished with it.

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