You don’t have to be a regular at Santa’s workshop to master this bow. Our technique is easy enough for beginners and works for all kinds of ribbons. If this is your first time making an intricate bow, we recommend starting with a wire-edged ribbon, such as this plaid wired ribbon ($9, Walmart) we used. The wiring will allow you to style the bow’s loops, easily hiding any imperfections.

How to Make a Pom-Pom Bow

Supplies Needed

Step-by-Step Directions

Follow these instructions to make a pom-pom ribbon bow that looks just as good as store-bought. You can use any ribbon for this, but a ribbon with wire edges will be the easiest to style.

Step 1: Form a Ribbon Circle

Form a ribbon circle approximately the width of the bow you’d like to make; ours measures about six inches across. Continue winding the ribbon around, forming at least eight circles. The more times you wrap the ribbon around, the more loops you’ll have in the center, so your bow will be fuller.

Step 2: Trim Corners

Step 3: Secure Center

After cutting the four corners:

Step 4: Fluff Loops

Working on one side of the bow, pull out the innermost loop, and twist it to the right. Pull out the next innermost loop, and twist it to the left. Continue in this way until all loops on one side have been twisted. Repeat for the other side of the bow.

Step 5: Adjust Loops

Arrange the loops as needed to finish the bow. If you used a wire-rimmed ribbon, the loops should stay in place as you style them. Use the thin ribbon or wire ends to attach the bow to the top of your wrapped gift.