DIY Ribbon Pom Pom Bow

When you want to add something extra to your gift or add another element of creativity to your gift wrapping, try making your own ribbon bow. There are many types of bows such as floral bows, pom poms, layered bows, dior bows & tailored bows. In this tutorial, we go over how to make the basic pom pom bow. It might take you a few goes to get it right but remember, practice makes perfect and once you master it there are never-ending options.

Skill Level: Beginner

Estimated Time: 5-10 minutes

Tools and Materials:

• Ribbon (pick from a variety of ribbons such as tear ribbon, grosgrain ribbon, satin ribbon or organza ribbon)
• Craft Scissors

How To:

• Step 1 To make your pom pom bow, first roll your ribbon into a loop. For a pom pom that is approximately 15cm in diameter, we have made a loop about 10cm. Our pom pom will have 14 loops so we have  wrapped the ribbon 7 times over. Tip: If you want more loops in your pom pom, wrap it a few more times. Once you have wrapped your ribbon, cut the ends at an angle as these will create the tails of your pom pom.
   
• Step 2 Once you have your loop, bring two sides of the ribbon together in the center and fold the loop in half.
   
• Step 3 With your scissors, cut the 2 corners of the folded area leaving approximately 1cm being careful not to cut too much off. 
  Tip: Make sure you use sharp ribbon scissors to ensure a clean easy cut. Once you have cut the ribbon, unfold it to reveal your notch cut out in the center.
   
• Step 4 Next, tear a thin piece of ribbon approximately 20cm long and tie it around the notch to secure the ribbon together. Make sure to double tie the knot so it doesn't come undone. You should now have two sides of loops.
   
• Step 5 Now comes the tricky part, starting from one side of the ribbon, take one of the loops and pull it outwards away from the others. Pull upwards and twist to ensure it is released from the fold. Alternate the loops left and right to  Tip: To help with pulling, hold the other loops to provide some resistance.
   
• Step 6 Keep pulling out the loops until you finish one side and repeat on the opposite side.
   
• Step 7 Once you have pulled out all the loops, continue to pull the loops into place, to create your desired shape. Fan out the loops by pulling two loops away from each other.
   
• Step 8 Your pom pom is now complete. Trim the excess ribbons on the tails and use some tape to attach it to your gift or take some ribbon to tie it around a vase, the options are endless.

Here are a extra tips for when making your ribbon bows:

• Add more loops for a fuller pom pom bow
• Combine multiple ribbons in your pom pom
• Wired ribbon can help with holding your bows shape

Once you have mastered the pom pom, why not try making the perfect ribbon bow using fabric ribbon.