The Fauxtique Bow (video)
The Faux Boutique Bow with ribbonandbowsohmy.com! This Faux Boutique Bow comes together without any sewing or folding! Although *disclaimer* for a super-secure bow, we'd recommend sewing in place of zip tie. But this quick bow looks awesome and doesn't require anyone to master the moves of a Boutique Bow ;D Just pay attention to your symmetry and make sure you pull that zip tie SUPER tight!
MATERIALS:
- 2 x 13 inches of 1.5-inch Grosgrain, sealed ends
- 4+ inches of matching 3/8-inch ribbon (for center)
- 1 small zip tie
- 1 straight pin
- 2 alligator clips
- 1 covered clip
- Scissors
- Glue gun
INSTRUCTIONS:
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Start with 13 inches of 1.5 inch grosgrain ribbon. You can angle your ends or leave them straight - we’ve left ours straight and the edge looks angled when it is folded into the final bow. Make sure you seal both ends.
Starting an inch down from the top, fold over and make a crease. This creates your tail. Bringing the bottom of the ribbon up to the crease, make another crease at the bottom of this loop. This gives you the center-line for your folds and helps you make symmetrical ears.
Repeat this move with your other 13-inch length of ribbon.
Starting with your tail on the left, fold your right end down on top of your crease at about a 60 degree angle and repeat this on the other side. When you place your ribbon and are satisfied with the angle, hold it firmly in place so that it does not slip when you move to the other side or go to clip. When you are satisfied that both right and left ears are symmetrical, clip all three layers into place with an alligator clip.
Repeating these steps with your second length of ribbon.
Notice that your tail will extend past the loops you’ve created - this is good. You may look at this move and be tempted to shorten the tail by laying it on top of the other two moves, but you actually want to lay it beyond. Don’t do this - it will cause your left loop to be way too big compared to your right loop. You want your third crease to hit in what will be the middle of your finished bow, about an inch past the edge of your loops.
When both loops appear to be symmetrical, rotate one set so that the tail is facing the opposite direction, then stack your separate loops. You want the top edge of one set to reach a little bit past the middle of the other set. Look to the back and make sure the back lengths of ribbon are running parallel to each other. Clip these into place then run a straight pin horizontally through the center picking up all layers in each set of loops.
Starting on the left side of the bow, start to accordion-fold. Fold the left edge towards you and create two more peaks, one valley in the center, before ending on the right edge. The right edge should face you as well. Because your loops are pinned firmly in place, you can unfold and repeat this until you get symmetrical creases with two peaks and three valleys.
Pinch your fold tight and bring your zip tie around the back of the bow. Keeping the mouth of the zip tie close to the crease, feed your zip tie through and cinch loosely - you want the zip tie to hug your center crease, but leave enough room to put your alligator clip into the back.
Push alligator clip into the back, move the knot of the zip tie around to the back of the bow, and cinch tight.
Wrap your knot by starting on the inside of the alligator clip - place a dot of glue inside, put your length of 3/8 on top, wrap your knot twice, then glue down over your first dot of glue. Trim and you are all done!
This is a fun, no-sew way to get a good Boutique Bow - and if you pay close attention, you can get a super-symmetrical bow! And we love how great of a center we can get with the zip tie - it creates the fluffiest of bows! If you want more security with this bow, we definitely think you could sew with upholstery thread - but if you don’t feel like sewing, this is a great little bow that only needs a zip tie!