How to make a paper bow | How About Orange

April 18, 2013

How to make a paper bow


I've gotten some questions asking how I made the paper bow on the bottom package in this post. Here's a quick tutorial. I made a template so you can see the parts. Download the free file you need:

The PDF template
Files for digital cutting machines:
The zipped Silhouette .studio file (double click the .zip file after downloading)
The .svg file
The .dxf file

If you print the PDF on colored paper and cut out the pieces, you'll have enough parts to make two bows. Or you can just freehand cut some pieces like I did originally; I folded my paper in half so that both sides of the bow would be symmetrical when I cut. Sort of like you do when cutting out paper hearts, you know?


Anyhow, whether you wing it or use the template, you'll need three parts for each bow: the band in the middle, the loops, and the tails.


Grab the two outer tabs on the "loops" piece, bend them to the center, and glue them down.


Layer the loops piece on top of the tails with a dot of glue, then wrap the band around the center and secure it in the back with a little more glue. All done!

71 comments:

Grandma G said...

You're so nice to your readers. :)

Mum

Anonymous said...

@ grandma g: i agree =)

Denise said...

Great idea....so cute!

Renee M said...

Very cute bow and I know the template will come in handy! Thanks so much for sharing it :)

Fiona said...

This bow is so cute, thank-you so much for sharing!!

Unknown said...

Very beautiful. Thanks for the "sewing pattern".

Åpent^hus said...

love it!
me and my little girl have a new little project this afternoon! :)

thanx!

toko baju muslim murah said...

This is a great posting I have read. Thanks lot for this useful article, nice post

Dallas IT Consulting said...

Could you do this with ribbon if you made the strips bigger? please write back :')

Anonymous said...

That looks so real! You're so good at these designs!

Anonymous said...

So sweet, thank you! :) /Vera

Anonymous said...

Now you had me wondering how these would look if I were to use newspapers/magazines instead of 'regular' paper :) thank you for all the awesomeness you share with us!

Lilach- papercutsongs said...

I love it! thanks

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

this is really clever! You are definitely a paper engineer. Blessings!

Beth Norman said...

So perfect and beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us.

Lauren said...

How have I not seen this before?! This is a perfect alternative to store bought bows and it could be recycled or composted afterwards. I am so doing this on the next gift I give.

Amber said...

I appreciate you sharing this!

surgical girl said...

mind = blown. what a really great idea....

Unknown said...

I love these so much! Thank you for posting them, I hate buying bows! I featured this post on my blog if you'd like to check it out!
http://littlebitsofeverythingqce.blogspot.com/2013/04/pinned-it-friday-rachel-edition_26.html
Have a fun weekend!
~Rachel

Rachel (Lines Across) said...

These are beautiful and fun. Thanks so much for sharing the template and tutorial with us!

Unknown said...

These are seriously beautiful! So much better than something you'd buy at a store. I'm gonna try making them. Thanks for the template!!

Anonymous said...

This is so simple and.....AWESOME.! I'm having a real tea party for my daughters birthday and this will be such a frugal way of decorating!

Unknown said...

Just found your blog and I love this. I can't wait to find a reason to use a paper bow. So sweet. I'm so glad I found you.

swisssidejewelleryetc said...

Absolutely awesome - and I'm already thinking could you make them from magazine pages, like the ones you've made in the past....pass me those old magazines someone...

DarkYuna said...

Great idea ^^

Jô Turquezza said...

Adorei a ideia! Facílimo! Obrigada por compartilhar. Beijos.

Janis Godwin Spear said...

I have been looking for this tutorial for ages. Than you for sharing your template as well. xxx

Anonymous said...

I love it please make more tutorials for us thanks.

Anonymous said...

So adorable and I love the simplicity. Thank you for sharing!

GOOFY'SGAL said...

Awesome job! Thanks for sharing.

Helena, Craft and Creativity said...

Hi Jessica!

I really like your paper bows. Made my own and blogged about them today. I linked to How About Orange for the template. :) Thank you for sharing this with your readers!

Have a great week!
/Helena, Craft & Creativity

ykelly said...

Great paper bow!! I just posted a link to this tutorial for my readers on my paper and crafts blog. You can see it here: http://www.etchedinpaper.com/diy-tutorials-and-ideas

Thank you for sharing this!

Alyssa said...

This is cool!

Lisa Marie said...

Your bow design is the prettiest of them all! Thank you for sharing ♥

Paru Mahtani said...

Love it!! Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

I specially bought a wrapping paper so the bow would stand out and it ended up looking so cute,thank you for the template,it helped a lot!

Jessica Jones said...

Great!

Michelle said...

Thank you for sharing this brilliant idea.

ninabakke said...

Thanks - so cool :)

Nähzirkus said...

Thank you <3

Sanna said...

This is awesome! Simple to realise and looks oh-so-so-so-good! Thank you!!

Zoumy said...

Merci c'est génial !!!

deb duty said...

This bow is so cute!! I created a silhouette cut file based on your template so I won't have to cut by hand. May I share it on my blog with a link to your post?

Jessica Jones said...

Sure, Deb!

Carol P said...

I looked for it on Deb's site and didn't see it. Made my own! Same question--can I pass it around with the ownership statement intact on the top, with link to your site?

Carol
Extreme Cards and Papercrafting
http://extremecards.blogspot.com

Carol P said...

I looked for the file on Deb's site and didn't see it. Okay to make my own and distribute it with your ownership info. intact, and link back?

Do you want the file to add to your post?

Carol
Extreme Cards and Papercrafting
http://extremecards.blogspot.com

Jessica Jones said...

Yes and yes, thanks!

Unknown said...

I always wondered how my friend made these beautiful bows! I was so jealous and i wanted to make one for myself. These instructions were very simple. Thank you!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Thank you very much for the cute template. It will come in handy for the christmas presents I still have to wrap :)
Happy HOlidays!

TaylorSwiftFan said...

I made hot pink ones <3

Crafty Mamma Mia said...

Thanks for the template - I'm going to have a go at these as it will be nice to make them in designer papers to match my cards! Thanks for sharing.
Helen x

cass said...

Thanks forthe template, cant wait to make a couple over the weekend.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so so much! Love it!!

pat said...

Thank you so much for this lovely bow template, just what I was looking for

Unknown said...

Awesome

J9nKidz said...

Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!!! I have been searching for this type of DIY and PDF everywhere!!!!!! This is incredible! I am SOO grateful you've shared this! You've made my Spring Cleaning Mood :D thank you

hedgewitch said...

This is so clever! Thank you so much for the template!

Being Mrs Miles said...

Oh TOTALLY thank you so much for this bow. Its exactly what I needed.

Blessings!
Barb

PS - hoping to share a cute download of my own in the next few days too!

Unknown said...

Thank you this is exactly what I was looking for. I may get round to buying a die for this for my Grand Calibur, however this is the template I did a search for and found you. I want to make all sizes so it will be very handy indeed.

I am now bookmarking you to check out all your tips.

Fiona said...

Thank you so much for sharing this ! My daughter just loved it !

Unknown said...

Thank you! Thank you! :)

Anonymous said...

the bows looks so cute all though i am not a crafty i am sure going to try this one

Jessica Jones said...

You can do it! (That's your pep talk.)

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing simple but great ideas

NurseLisa said...

I love these bows....and the tails can be rearranged to hang in a downward fashion like a traditional bow....it was super easy with your template! Thank You so much!
Does anyone have a CRICUT compatible file for these?
Ty xoxo

Anonymous said...

Thank-you so much!! Greatly appreciated

Anonymous said...

yearbook staff loves grandma g!

Anonymous said...

this is horrible um sorry but what can we use these for other then fun??

Bulles & Perles said...

Thank you it's so nice !

anitawilson595@gmail.com said...

This is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for posting!

claire123 said...

Thank you so much for making and posting the template! It looks prefect!