How to Wrap a Ribbon Around a Box: 5 Simple & Stylish Ways

You've got your gift all wrapped up and ready to go, but it still needs a pretty bow—and tying a ribbon bow around the box will give you a nicer, fancier feel than using a stick-on bow. We’ll show you how to tie a basic Tiffany bow, as well as how to create an elegant diagonal bow, an intricate woven bow, and more! We’ve also included bonus gift wrapping tips from arts and crafts specialist Amy Guerrero and crafting and home DIY specialist Diane Henkler.

How to Tie a Bow on a Present: Quick Steps

Place the ribbon horizontally across the top of the box, then pull the rest of the ribbon underneath and back to the front. Cross each end over the front of the box, then wrap the ribbon around the back of the box and back to the front. Wrap both ribbon ends under the twisted area and tie them into a bow.

Section 1 of 5:

Tying a Basic Ribbon & Bow on a Gift

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Drape the ribbon horizontally across the top of the box. Leave about 4 to 8 inches (10.2 to 20.3 cm) hanging off the side for the tail of the bow. Do not cut the ribbon yet.^{[1]
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- It’s better to leave more ribbon hanging off the side than too little. You can always cut it shorter later.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Amy Guerrero is an arts and crafts specialist with over 15 years of design experience and a specialization in macrame, DIY crafting, and fiber arts.

Diane Henkler is a crafting and home DIY specialist who has been blogging about affordable decorating, creative DIYs, and lifestyle tips for over 15 years.
Don’t flip the box over, or you may lose your place. Instead, lift the box and bring the rest of the ribbon behind it. Set the box back down once the ribbon comes out the other side.

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Cross the ribbons across the front of the box. Bring the ribbon towards the middle of the box, then bring the shorter end to meet it. Twist the ribbons around each other so that they are oriented vertically.^{[2]
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- If your ribbon has a right and wrong side, you may have to twist it twice so that you don't see the wrong side of the ribbon.
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Wrap the ribbon around the back of the box and back to the front. Lift the box again. Pull the longer part of the ribbon behind the box and out the other side. Set the box down again.^{[3]
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- Place your thumb against the twisted part to keep it secure as you wrap the ribbon around the back.
Bring your ribbon back towards the middle of the box. Measure it against the end of the ribbon from the beginning and cut it to the same length.
Pull the ribbon across the front of the twisted part at an angle. Bring it under the twisted part, and back out the way you started. Pull on both ends of the ribbon to tighten the knot.^{[4]
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Tie the ribbon into a bow. Fold both ends of the ribbon into loops. Cross the left loop over the right one to make a smaller loop in the middle. Pull the left loop through that smaller loop, then pull to tighten into a bow.
- Don’t overcomplicate this part—this is just a cute, simple bow, says Guerrero. Just like tying your shoes!^{[5]
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Adjust the bow, then trim off the excess ribbon. Take a moment to adjust the loops and the tails. If you used a wired ribbon, you can fluff the loops up as well. For a fancier touch, cut the ends of the tails into angles or Vs.^{[6]
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- If you want to spruce up your simple bow a bit, “consider tucking foraged plant foliage under the ribbon, adding a pom pom or tassel, or a handmade clay tag,” suggests Guerrero.^{[7]
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Section 2 of 5:

Tying a Diagonal Ribbon & Bow on a Gift

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Leave about 4 to 8 inches (10.2 to 20.3 cm) hanging off the left side of the corner. Keep the rest of the ribbon on the spool on the top edge.
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Wrap the ribbon behind the top right corner. Take the spool-side of the ribbon and pull it behind the top right corner, down towards the bottom right corner.
- Keep your thumb over the ribbon on the top left corner so that it doesn't fall off.
Keep the wraps nice and snug so that they don't slide off the corners.^{[8]
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At this point, it would be a good idea to take a moment to adjust the positions of the wrapped ribbons on each of the corners. If they look like they are slipping off, pull them further from the corners.^{[9]
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Bring both ribbons towards the center of the top left corner. Measure the spool ribbon against the other ribbon, and cut it down to match.^{[10]
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Cross the left ribbon over and under the right, then tug on both ends to tighten them. Fold both ribbons into loops, then cross the right one over the left—just like tying a shoe!^{[11]
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Once the bow is tight and secure, snip off the excess ribbon at the tails.^{[12]
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Section 3 of 5:

Tying a Woven Ribbon & Bow on a Gift

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Cut four pieces of ribbon for the length of the box. You will need four pieces of ribbon that are long enough to wrap around the box lengthwise, plus an additional 2 inches (5 cm).^{[13]
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- For a unique look, consider using two pieces of thin ribbon and two pieces of slightly wider ribbon. You can also use two contrasting colors instead.
- Thick and/or wired ribbon is not a good choice for this option. Use thin satin or balloon ribbon for the best results.
Use the same ribbon as in the previous step. This time, cut the ribbon long enough so that it can wrap around the box widthwise, plus 2 inches (5 cm).^{[14]
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Set the first set of ribbons side-by-side on the table. Take the four long ribbons and set them down on the table. Make sure that they are parallel to each other and spaced no more than ¼ inch (0.6 m) apart.^{[15]
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- If you used different widths and/or colors, be sure to alternate them.
The box can be centered or off-center, depending on where you want the ribbons to be.
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Wrap the ribbons around the box and secure them with double-sided tape. Wrap and tape each of the ribbons one at a time; do not tape all of them at once. Pull the ribbons firmly around the box so that they are nice and snug. The ribbon ends will overlap each other by about 1 inch (2.5 cm).^{[16]
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- Make sure that you are only taping the top ribbon to the bottom ribbon; don't tape the ribbons to the box itself.
- You can also use glue dots (found in the scrapbooking aisle of an arts and crafts store) instead of double-sided tape.
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Secure the next set of ribbons right above the first set. Place a strip of double-sided tape onto the end of each of your short ribbons. Arrange the ribbons right above the first, long ribbon, making sure that the ends are perpendicular to it.^{[17]
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- Once again, keep the ribbons spaced no more than ¼ inch (0.6 cm) apart.
Pull your short ribbons around to the front of the box. Weave the first one over and under across the first set of ribbons. Weave the next ribbon under and over, and so on. Continue weaving until you have woven all four ribbons.^{[18]
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Secure the ribbons to the back of the box. Flip the box over again. Secure a strip of double-sided tape to the end of each ribbon, then press the ribbons down one by one to the back of the box. Make sure that the ends of the ribbons match up.^{[19]
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- For a nicer touch, weave the short ribbons through the long ribbons on the back, just like you did for the front.
The woven ribbons are part of the design. If you feel that your gift is lacking something, you can buy or make a matching bow, then secure it to the box. Instead of covering up all your hard work, set the bow off to the side so that the weaving is still visible.

Section 4 of 5:

Tying a Horizontal Ribbon & Bow on a Gift

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Lay your ribbon flat on the table so that it's running horizontally in front of you. Place your box bottom-side-down on the ribbon, ensuring that it’s right in the center of the ribbon. Use your hands to lift both ends of the ribbon and bring them together over the box. Loop the left side of the ribbon over and under the right side, and pull both sides of the ribbon to tighten.^{[20]
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Take the left end of the ribbon in your hand and make a small loop with it. Then, wrap the right end of the ribbon around the base of the loop.^{[21]
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Make a loop in the right end of the ribbon and pull it through the left end’s loop. Once the right end is looped around the left end’s loop, make a loop in the remaining section of the right end. Push that new loop through the original loop and pull to tighten.^{[22]
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- Finally, just tighten the bow to your liking and cut the ribbon ends to your desired length.

Section 5 of 5:

Tying a Fancy Ribbon & Bow on a Gift

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Place the box top-down and wrap a long length of ribbon from bottom to top. Place your box on the table so that it’s upside down. Slide a long strand of ribbon under your box and pull on the ends of the ribbon to make sure that they’re equal in length. Then, take one end of the ribbon in each hand, bring them towards one another, and cross them over one another.^{[23]
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- When in doubt, cut more ribbon than you may need. Henkler says that “if you’re cutting a ribbon to wrap around something decoratively…it’s a good idea to cut more than you think you need so that you can tie a nicely sized bow.”^{[24]
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Flip over your box so that it’s now right-side up. Take one end of the ribbon in each of your hands (again) and bring the ribbon together over the top of the box. Tie the two ends into a small knot on top of the center of the box. Make sure that you still have some (relatively) long ends left on either side of the knot!^{[25]
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Unspool a long length of ribbon and pinch the middle of the ribbon between your fingers. Then, on either end of the ribbon, make equally-sized loops that are each about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. After making each loop, keep its shape by pinching it together with the middle of the ribbon. Continue this process until you have about four loops on each side (eight total). Once you’re satisfied with your loops, you can cut the ribbon off the spool.^{[26]
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Place your bow on top of your box and tie a knot to connect it to your ribbon. Set your bow down in the center of your box, right on top of the knot you tied earlier. Take the long ends of this knot and tie them around the middle of your bow. Then, cut off any excess ribbon around your bow.^{[27]
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- You might need a second person at this point so that you can keep the middle pinched tight while also tying a bow. But you might be able to do it on your own if you’re a bow pro!
If you’re happy with your bow already, you could skip this step! Otherwise, gently grab each individual loop and slightly pull it out from the middle. Start at the bottom loops and work your way upwards. This should make your bow look more fluffy and poofy—and you can keep going until you’re totally satisfied with your finished bow!^{[28]
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Community Q&A

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How do I tie a really stiff ribbon?

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Try to "massage" and soften up your ribbon before you are going to tie it so that is less stiff.

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How do I tie a ribbon on the corners?

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You can just tape the ribbons to the corner of the box.

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When I twist the ribbons, they make it so the small jewelry box can't sit flat. What can I do to stop that?

HumanBeing

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Use two or even three lengths of ribbon. Wrap one length horizontally around the box and tape it in place on the bottom of the box, using tape that won't damage the box; it only needs to be long enough to go around the box. Wrap a longer ribbon vertically around the box and tie it so the bow is on the lid of the box, or use a length of ribbon just long enough to round the box and tape it on the bottom again. Tie a bow with a third length of ribbon around where the two ribbons meet on the box lid.

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Tips

Satin and grosgrain ribbons work especially well for gifts, but if you want to be able to shape the loops of the bow, you need to get a wired ribbon.

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Try a ribbon that has a contrasting pattern to the wrapping paper. For example, if the paper has polka dots on it, choose a ribbon with strips.

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If the ribbon is fraying a lot, you can heat-seal it by holding the ends over a flame for a few seconds.

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