How to make a breathtaking summertime swag

Add a touch of summer charm to your décor with this beautiful Summertime swag, perfect for adding to a lantern! Joette of the Bowdabra Design Team will show you how to combine ribbon, florals, and greenery to create a cheerful seasonal accent that’s perfect for your home. Use this swag on wreaths, door swags, and on lanterns to brighten up all your summer spaces!

Supplies

• Small Boston Fern Bush
• Linear Filler Flower Bush
• Small Bundle, Pick, or Bush of Millet
• Small Strawberry Bush
• 3 Yards of 1.5” Wide Wired Gingham Ribbon
• Rose Bloom Pick or Stem
• 2 Yards of 5/8” or 7/8” Wide Wired Velvet Ribbon
• Medium Lantern
• Bowdabra® Bow Wire
• Large Bowdabra®

Instructions

First, cut a long piece of Bowdabra bow wire.  Then, fold it in half and insert it into the Bowdabra.  You will have a loop on one side and two loose wires on the other side.  This will serve as your slipknot. Tuck the ends under to stay out of the way while you are making your swag.

Next, fold a fern bush in half and place it in the Bowdabra, having the fronds on both sides.

Create the top and bottom of the swag.  Bend the end of some foliage so it doesn’t slip, and place it in the Bowdabra on the bottom side of the swag. Then place a shorter millet piece on the top side of the swag, balancing it out.

Now bend the strawberry pick in half and place it in the Bowdabra, adding strawberries to each side.

Next, using some gingham ribbon, twist and lay in a short tail, then continue with a fold and twist bow. To make a multi-loop twist and fold bow, Scrunch in the ribbon, then bring the ribbon across and scrunch down, twist, and repeat.  Continue making loops back and forth, twisting and scrunching down into the Bowdabra.  Make sure the wrong sides are always on the inside of the bow.

Lay in a rose pick. Then, make a shoe lace bow with the thin green velvet ribbon. For a shoelace bow, find the center of the ribbon and scrunch it down into the Bowdabra.  Now bring one side across and scrunch down, then bring the other side across and scrunch down. Curl the ends.

Finish the summertime swag:

To finish, scrunch everything down with the Bowdabra wand.  Then, insert the loose wires through the loop and pull tight while the bow is still in the Bowdabra. Then, remove the bow from the Bowdabra, separate the ends, turn to the back, and tie a knot.  Tie a double knot for extra security. Separate the loops and fluff them, and tie the swag to a lantern, wreath, or use it as a door bow!

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