How to make the most beautiful autumn swag with Bowdabra

Create the most beautiful autumn swag with sunflowers, rich seasonal ribbon, florals, and decorative mesh—all without hot glue or sewing! In this beginner-friendly tutorial, Sandy Sandler, creator of the Bowdabra®, shows you how to build a full and beautiful fall door swag directly inside the Bowdabra®.

Materials:

Bowdabra®

Bowdabra® Bow Wire

3.5 yards – 7562.60/10-605 #7562 Sunflower Meadow Ribbon 2-1/2 in Yellow

2.5 yards – 7809.40/10-634 #7809 Elite Velvet/ 2-sided Ribbon 1-1/2 In Gold/Gold

1 yard – 7562.40/10-605 #7562 Sunflower Meadow Ribbon 1-1/2 in Yellow

1.5 yards – 21” wide deco mesh

Sunflower pick

Fall Berry pick

Fall eucalyptus stem/pick

Bowdabra ribbons:

Instructions:

First, cut a 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 bow.

Lay in the 21″ wide mesh in the Bowdabra, bring it across and make a loop. Make a matching loop on the other side.

Next, bend the stems of the flower into a hook like shape, and place them in the Bowdabra. Place them in the Bowdabra facing down. Now, using the large floral bend the stem in the opposite way and place it facing up.

Lay in a length of the sunflower ribbon for the tails.

Next, create a twist and fold bow with the sunflower ribbon. To make a multi loop twist and fold bow, bring the ribbon across and scrunch down. Continue making loops back and forth twisting and scrunching down into the Bowdabra. Make sure the right sides are always facing upwards. (This is why we twist and fold)

Using the gold/silver velvet ribbon place one length of ribbon facing up and cross over another length of ribbon facing down making and “X” shape.

Make another twist and fold bow with another length of gold/silver velvet ribbon. Scrunch everything down.

Finishing your beautiful autumn swag:

Finally, create a shoelace bow. Find the center of sunflower ribbon and scrunch the right side down into the Bowdabra. Now bring one side across and scrunch down, then bring the other side across and scrunch down.

Now 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. Shape the loops and tails and arrange the beautiful autumn swag.