Am I the only one who still can't tie a decent bow?
 

After 9 years - seriously!!!!!!

NOPE you're not the only one - I'm 46 and have been crafting/sewing for 19 years and STILL can't tie a decent bow............ :*(

raising hand!!! and I have the "bow not easy"!!

Actually, I finally "mastered" (yeah, right) the Bow Easy. But when I am at the demos without it I am lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never could tie a decent bow either. I got a Bow Easy and sat with a you tube video and figured out how to tie a BEAUTIFUL bow every time with it! It just takes a little practice. Once you figure it out it is VERY easy!

I can do that - and then I can add it to the card. . . what I have a hard time doing is putting the ribbon around the card (or panel) and having two ends to have to tie into a bow. Does anyone KWIM??????

I do know what you mean :D. I was so pleased when one yesterday turned out to look quite good. My theory is it depends on the ribbon, LOL, some ribbon likes being tied in knots.
Seriously, though, whatever way I tie mine when I'm doing it like that, I always have to do it so that it feels as if it's going to be upside down, otherwise the tails go the wrong way. And it's so hard getting it tied perfectly round the panel, not too tight, not too loose.
But I'm not a big ribbon user - maybe more practice would make better. Note I don't say perfect ;-).

Yeah, I am totally lost without the Bow-Easy (which I love). On my own, I can tie a bow...if you want one that's lopsided and flat!

I have three ribbon tying video tutorials on my blog that may help. One espeically shows a trick on how to tie the two ends when putting the ribbon around the card. You can easily use the technique to tie a knot or bow. I hope this may help.

Have any of you tried using a fork?

Stamping With Di: Let's Fork!

Oh, you are so not alone!! I was at a stamp camp the other night and
struggled to get a bow tied while attached to the spool of ribbon. Talk
about getting hot and turning red! I finally got it done but it was a
sorrowful sight to see:(

My bow tying "secret" (or maybe it's not a secret, I don't know) but I wrap the ribbon around the card and do the 1st part of making a bow (just tie the ribbon one time) and then I turn the card upside down and make a bow just like tying shoelaces and it always looks right side up and nice and even.
Maybe this will help?

here's one I did this way last night.

Amuse Studio bow maker is my secret, there is a video on the main site https://www.amusestudio.com/index.asp under techniques.



Here is a card: srk-AUG11VSNMINI1 by sami02usc - Cards and Paper Crafts at Splitcoaststampers

What a great idea! It does seem like some (most) of my bows end up laying the wrong way. Maybe that will take care of the problem. I'm going to try
that tonight. Thanks for the tip!!

I am hit or miss with it. Sometimes,it comes out great sometimes not. My successes usually involve turning my project upside down as another poster mentioned, but even that doesn't give me great results every time.

I have purchased a Bow Easy but have not practiced with it enough yet. For some reason I would RATHER use one continuous piece of ribbon and just "tie it" on the card rather than attach a flat piece of ribbon around the card and add the bow on top. Weird, I know.

I, too, can be bow-challenged, but these are great suggestions. That fork idea is so great and Jimmi, that card is just adorable. Love it! I'm going to try both and see what works for me. Thanks for sharing.

Kittie, I looked at your tutorials ----- and I couldn't find which one shows how to tie two ends together. Into a pretty bow. I think your blog is awesome, by the way!!!! You are sooo talented

It was the first one showing tying a knot. I don't try and tie my ribbon onto the card front. I will place the ribbon around a jar and tie into a knot or bow, slide it off, cut the back loop of ribbon that had been around the jar and then attach to the card front. This way the ribbon and bow is on the card fron very tightly and secure.

Oh geez, Joan, this is exactly what I call that little sucker! On top of everything else, I'm left-handed, so when I go to YouTube or someone's blog to try to refresh my memory on how to use the darn thing, it's never a lefty doing the video, and I'm no good at reversing that type of stuff. If I fiddle with it long enough, I might remember how to do it, and then months go by before I need it again -- by which time I've forgotten how to do it, and I start all over again. When I'm able to "get" it, I love the results!

Becca Feeken did a fantastic video tutorial on making what she calls a Peg Bow. I promptly made myself one (peg bow thingy) to make bows and have never looked back. It works perfect every time!
Becca Bit: Peg Bows

I still consider myself a newbie to stamping and paper crafting. I remember the first time I tried to tie a bow. I sat staring at the two ends and thinking what the (bleep) do I do now. Finally, it dawned on me to tie it like shoe laces. The my mind froze. I could not remember how to tie my shoe laces. I bent over to try and tie them I could, but when I sat back up and tried it, I could not get me hands to coordinate with each other at all. Looking back on it now, I just laugh at myself. I did watch a couple of videos on You Tube though and have learned at least to make Rabbit Ears!

Oh, Kitty, what a GREAT idea. I would never have come up with that! I'm off to check out your videos too!

BTW, I have just discovered the fork trick....works GREAT when you need a teeny bow (or many teeny bows!)

When I use a fork I don't use your basic dinner fork. I have a couple different sizes that are larger... one is for tossing salad and another is a large meat fork. But your everyday forks work great for the teeny tiny bows.

A good trick that Darlene uses in her videos is to put down a tiny glue dot on the card where your knot will be then make your knot, and press it down. Then your hands will be free to to tie the bow without worrying about the ribbon becoming too tight or loose.

Great video! I don't use as much ribbon as I used to and I don't struggle too much with bows, but I'm going to get the bow maker. I think I could waste a lot less ribbon using this!

I'm still bow challenged! Someday I will get a bow easy and all will be well!

YES, I can relate! I saw a simple tip somewhere on SCS, wish I could remember where, (1) to punch a small hole where you want the bow to be, (2) place ribbon flat across the front continuing around to the inside, (3) poke both ribbon ends through the hole, pulling snugly, one above and one below the part stretched across the front, (4) and easily tie the bow. Always make your loop with the bottom piece and and come over it with the top to make an even bow. (Hope this is clear enough to make sense, it's not hard to do at all.) If one of you have a tutorial on this, I'm sure it would be explained more clearly.

When I use this trick I find it much easier, but I don't always want to... and that's when I fight with getting it tight enough and still managing to make a neat bow. Sometimes I'm just not sure how I want the bow and once the hole is punched thats where it'll be.

Try this...
PaperFriendly: Search results for bows

I love the fork bow. Perfect every time. I use a meat fork instead of a regular fork - much easier to work with.

I wanted a bow easy so desperately that I tried to make my own (not willing to pay shipping for that bitty thing!) Note that I said "tried"!:rolleyes:
Finally, finally I saw a video on YouTube here that uses your *fingers* as the bow easy! (plus, listening to her voice with that divine accent makes me happy!) YAY! It's tricky (just like I imagine using the bow-not-easy would be) and I always have to watch a few times - but it's getting easier.
AND, once I've tied it into a bow & snipped it off, I go back with a dental floss threader and extra ribbon and make it look like it was tied all in one piece. Extra work, sure. But worth my patience in the end!:D

Yes!! I've had times when I would tie a bow and it ends up upside down, as other posters have mentioned. No big deal. I untie it, turn the card around and tie the bow while the card's upside down. That should solve the problem, right? Uh, no. Bow's somehow still upside down. I try tying while the card is on the left side and on the right side, but the bow never manages to lie the right way. Sigh. Now I usually just avoid bow-making by tying a knot and trimming the ends. It's easier to mail that way anyway.

I had the same problem -- fixed it by bringing the ribbon ends to meet in the front and adhering them flat to the card, then making a bow out of the same ribbon and adhering it to the spot where the (2) ribbon ends meet.

I have the Bow Easy and it does help, but the width of ribbon you can use is limited due to the openings in the Bow Easy.

A good bow maker friend of mine gave this hint. begin to tie the bow normal--that first tie. Turn your card 90 degrees and make your bow. a little fussing with it and it will look really good. Otherwise I love my bow easy.

For anyone who is "lost" without their 'Bow Easy' or is just simply "bow impeded", Kittie's ribbon tutorials will make your day! ;)

This is my favourite too. I have to watch the video every time I want to tie a bow but it's worth it.

So entranced by them I have left a little pile of practice ones beside my computer to admire while I work. :)

Can't believe I actually created them.

Friend asked me if I had bought them ready tied.

Lesley

WIsh it came more naturally - I can do it with the computer tutorial in front of me but yikes, in a workshop or class I'm lost! Guess it will just take some practice. Thanks for the links, everyone

Here is a trick I use and it works every time. After you cross one string over the other, one string is lower than the other. This lower string (or ribbon) is the one you make a loop with. The higher one is the one you wrap over the loop. Does that make sense?

Beth

I have the Bow Easy, and it's on sale at The Bow Easy - $4.50 : Stamp and Create

I got 2 of them, one for my stamp room and one in my "go bag" that I take to stamp camps and classes. It's great.

Here is the Youtube video on it; Using the Bow Easy - YouTube

LOVE the bow easy