I saw this bow in a shop for $25. Red velvet, tartan plaid, gimp trim and long dramatic tails. Gorgeous. But $25 for one bow? I knew I could make it myself, so I grabbed some ribbon, gimp and my hot glue gun and got to work. The total was about $9, and it looks just as good on my tree.
Fair warning: it was easy. Mostly. The final score was hot glue 1, me 0. More on that below.
What you’ll need (LINK)
- A stuffed red velvet bow with a loop in the center (I bought mine already made)
- Wide red tartan plaid ribbon
- Gimp trim (the decorative braid that runs along the plaid)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Sharp scissors
- A steamer to remove wrinkles
- Gloves. Trust me on this one.
Step 1: Cut the plaid ribbon
Cut the plaid ribbon into two pieces: one single piece for the loops and a second piece for the tail. Measure them against your velvet bow so the plaid sits nicely on top of the velvet loops and runs down the tails.
Step 2: Glue the gimp onto the plaid
Before the plaid goes anywhere near the bow, glue the gimp along the full length of each plaid piece. This is much easier while the ribbon is flat on the table than after it’s shaped into loops.
Tip: use a wider plaid ribbon. It leaves plenty of room for the gimp, and the plaid still shows on both sides of the trim.
Step 3: Thread the plaid through the center
Lay the plaid (with the gimp already in place) over the velvet loops. Tuck it under and through the loop in the middle of the bow. The center loop holds the plaid partially in place, so you can adjust it until the loops and tail look right.
Step 4: Secure with hot glue
Once everything is where you want it, use hot glue to secure the plaid to the velvet bow. The loose ends are adhered at the back of the bow under the center loop. This is where the gloves earn their keep. Hot glue soaks right through ribbon, and it found my fingers.
Step 5: Fluff, trim and hang
Puff out the loops, shape the tails and trim the ends. Wire it onto your tree, wreath or banister.
My tips
- Steam out the wrinkles. I bought stuffed velvet bows already made, and they came shrink-wrapped and pretty creased. A quick pass with a steamer took the wrinkles right out and brought the velvet back to life.
- Go wide with the plaid. It gives the gimp room and looks more like the high-end version.
- Glue the gimp first. Trim on a flat ribbon is quick. Trim on a finished bow is not.
- Wear gloves. Hot glue beat me this round. Don’t let it beat you.
- Use small dots of glue. Big globs show through ribbon and make the bow stiff.
The shop wanted $25. Mine cost about $9 and a little bit of my pride. Totally worth it. Let’s make it pretty again!
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