How to Make Christmas Tree Bows - Part 1

I have finally put my Christmas tree up (I am normally begging to do this from about the 25th November, so putting the tree up on 6th December is late for me!!).

My tree is a fairly sad old plastic tree so I try to cheer it up with some pretty decorations. I'm not a big tinsel fan, so to hide all the gaps between the branches I cover the tree in homemade fabric bows. They vary in difficulty and 'Part 1' will give you a quick "how to" on making a very simple Christmas Tree Bow. I'll post at least a part 2, if not a part 3 with some more complicated bows soon.

What You'll Need

46cm of wired ribbon with a pattern to suit your Christmas tree theme

Double sided sticky tape

Scissors

Ruler

(The ribbon I used for this bow was 6cm wide and had thin wire down each edge of the ribbon so that it can be bent into shape. I bought this from a local craft store)

Method

1. Cut an 8cm section off the end of your ribbon (this will become the centre of the bow later). 

2. Using the long section of the wire ribbon, fold the two ends into the middle - they should overlap slightly. My 'paint' diagram skills are not amazing, but this should give you an idea of what I mean. 

3. Next, pleat the middle of the ribbon where the fabric joins just by pinching the middle inwards. 

4. Make your ribbon centre by folding the small piece of ribbon lengthways into three. I was lucky and was able to work this so I had a heart right in the middle. This then needs to be wrapped around the centre of the large piece of ribbon as in the photo below:

5. Put some double sided sticky tape on the bottom half of the centre-piece (you can just about see this in the photo above - the bottom 'tab' is shiny where the double sided tape is stuck. Next, fold the top half of the centre down and then the bottom half up so that it sticks in place. 

6. The final step is to plump up the bow - just use your fingers on the inside of the bow curve the wire out and round off the edges. 

If you wanted to make this a little more permanent (although mine has lasted about 3 years with just the double sided tape!) you could sew the middle onto the bow (use a strong needle) and perhaps sew a short piece of thin satin ribbon to the back to tie it to the tree.