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How to make a DIY Bow Garland

Love bows but want them to make more of a visual impact on your home? Here’s how to make a DIY bow garland for easy holiday decor!

There’s just something about a big red bow that makes everything feel special.

This Christmas season, bows are really trending, and I’ve been enjoying decorating with them!

But, what’s better than one bow? A whole string of them!

red bow garland DIY christmas decor

Inspired by bow garlands at Michaels Craft Store and Anthropologie, I decided to make my very own bow garland.

These are so easy to make – I made them in a couple of sizes for different spots around the house. So fun!

how to make an easy diy bow garland

How to make a DIY Bow Garland

Here’s how easy it is to make this beautiful bow garland – in any size – for Christmas or for a party!

Supplies needed:

  • Hot glue
  • Pre-made bows – or tie your own

Here are the bows that I used for my garlands:

pile of bows

Steps to make:

STEP 1: Line up your bows

Lay your bows out in a row, side by side, to determine how many you need to create the length that you want your total garland to be.

STEP 2: Glue edges

Apply hot glue to the edge of the left side of one bow loop. Connect it to the right side of the next bow loop in the row.

NOTE: I first tried to do this on the actual seam of the fold on the loop. This was very, very hard to get to line up correctly.

It was much easier to just lay one bows loop so that it overlapped over the front face of the second bow by about 1/4 of an inch. This may vary by bow type, but know that it’s an option.

STEP 3: Press and hold

Work carefully because hot glue is – well, hot – but I suggest carefully holding the 2 bows together for about 60 seconds until the glue has begun to cool.

If you skip this step, the bows might not be very securely connected once the glue dries. Just take your time and make sure everything is well adhered!

pressing bows together

STEP 4: Repeat

Repeat bow-by-bow until you are happy with the total length.

Let dry completely – honestly, waiting 1 hour+ while it lays flat is best – before hanging.

STEP 5: Hang

Determine how you will hang your bows. My large bows had a twist tie loop on the back of each, so I hung those from nails or hooks.

You could also hot glue on a knotted loop of twine or ribbon if needed to hold it in place.

glueing loop of twine onto red bow garland

Or, hang on your tree and you don’t need hooks at all!

red bow garland DIY christmas decor

I love how these garlands turned out – so fun for the holiday season!

how to make an easy diy bow garland

Get my Christmas Color Scheme Cheat Sheet!

With our free printable cheat sheet, you can easily bring your vision to life and create a festive atmosphere that will be remembered for years to come.

christmas color palette mock up (8 x 8 in)

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