The size of your loops will depend on the size of your tree. For large trees, your loops should be 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) long which means you’ll need to pull at least 20 inches (51 cm) of ribbon to form each loop. [2] X Research source Use wired ribbon. Wired ribbon will hold the shape you put it in while other ribbon will go limp. Most ribbon is one sided. Twist your ribbon so that the decorated side will be on the outside of your next loop.
Make sure your second loop is the same size as the first. You want all your loops to be uniform. At this point you can hold your loops against your tree to make sure your bow will be the right size for it.
Remember to pinch and twist the bottom of each loop tightly. You should have the bottoms of all the loops in your bow scrunched up between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. The decorated side of the ribbon should be on the outside of each one of your loops.
Floral stem wire comes in a green, silver or white. Make sure to pick the best color to match your bow. The lower the gauge of floral wire, the thicker and less moldable it is. Twenty-six gauge floral stem wire is recommended for fastening bows.
The length of your streamers depends on the size of your tree. They should be as long as the entire length of your tree. [5] X Research source You can make as many streamers as you want, but your tree may look cluttered if there are too many.
Make sure you hide the tops of the streamers under your bow. You want it look like your streamers are connected to the bow.
Don’t press or pinch your streamers while you’re making waves. Unnecessary prodding can put unwanted ripples in your streamers that can keep your waves from standing out. Don’t overdo it. Too many waves can make your streamers look stiff.
Don’t fold too many branches around your streamers or they’ll look cluttered.
