Making a Bow

Probably the most difficult skill that a beginning florist or other plant retailer must learn is that of bow making. The process looks simple, but is actually very difficult and is learned through many hours of practice.

This is approximately 2 feet and must be repeated 3 times.

Notice that the ribbon has a “shiny” side and a “dull” side.

Hold the ribbon at one end with the thumb and fore-finger of your right hand; shiny side toward you. Hold your left thumb in position as illustrated. Reverse hands if you are left-handed.

Pull this 2 inch piece under the thumb and to the left with the fingers of the left hand. This forms a loop that will hide the wire later.

Pull the ribbon half way around the thumb, lifting fingers as necessary and holding again. The ribbon should now be “dull” side up and away from your body.

The ribbon must be twisted to have the “shiny” side showing on the bow. Lift the 1 st finger, holding with the 2 nd, make a ½ twist directly behind the thumb nail and catch with the 1 st finger.

The shiny side should be now be up with the twist you just made under your thumb.

Make a loop about 1 to 3 inches in length by pulling the ribbon behind the thumb, lifting the fingers as necessary and holding again. The ribbon should now be toward you, “dull” side up.

Lift the 2 nd finger and make a half twist in back of the thumb to get the shiny side up.

Make a loop 1 to 2 inches in length as you did on the opposite side.

To finish the bow, continue this process from side to side, twisting the ribbon after each loop to get the shiny side up. It is not important at this point for the loops to line up exactly or look good. Do not give up!

When you reach the end of the ribbon, one or more streamers should added. Cut a piece of ribbon 5 to 10 inches in length.

Holding the streamer in the middle, shiny side up, crush it into the bow at the bottom tip of the thumb.

Grasp it with the left finger and thumb.

Push a piece of wire between the ribbon and thumbnail as illustrated.

Push the end between the 1 st and 2 nd fingers and under the thumb.

Pull the two ends of the wire together behind the bow.

Twist these wires together close to the ribbon until you feel that the wire is holding tightly enough to prevent slipping. Take the bow off your thumb.

Hold the bow up-side-down with your right hand.

Without crushing the ends of the bows, slip your left hand over the ribbon from behind and pull tightly. Twist the wire to tighten the knot.

Looking at the front of the bow, streamers hanging down, take each loop with your 1 st finger and shape the ribbon with a snatching/twisting motion. If the loops slip, you have not tightened the wire enough. Go back to that step.

Some florists use only the “thumb” method or a variation of it because it can be used for all florist work, whereas the pot bow has limited use.