Wooden Ribbon Bow Maker Templates: Size and Use Guide

Choose a wooden ribbon bow maker template by its board width, the bow style you want to form and the result of a small sample. Do not treat board width as a guaranteed finished bow width: wrapping, folding and gathering the centre change the result. This set contains six separate wooden boards, each with a straight central slot open at the bottom. Their listed widths are 4.95, 8.45, 9.95, 12.45, 14.95 and 17 cm. Ribbon and other making supplies are separate. Start with one board and spare ribbon before cutting material for a full project.

Five checks before making a ribbon bow

• One order contains all six wooden templates, not one size selected from six.
• A template is a flat slotted board, not a peg jig or an automatic bow-making machine.
• Board width and finished bow width are different measurements.
• Ribbon, fastening materials and cutting tools are not part of the template set.
• Make a sample in your intended bow style before choosing ribbon cut lengths for repeat work.

Which template width should you start with?

Choose a board that gives you a manageable starting layout for the loops you want to form. For an unfamiliar bow style, use spare ribbon rather than the final material. Wrap and shape a sample, gather its centre, then measure the finished result. Adjust the board choice or arrangement if the bow looks too large, too compact or uneven for the project.

Keep three measurements separate: board width, ribbon width and finished bow width. The listing specifies the first, but does not supply a tested range for every ribbon width or a finished-size conversion chart. A different ribbon stiffness or fold pattern may produce a different shape on the same board.

What does the central slot help you do?

The slot provides access to the centre of ribbon arranged around the board, while the board supports the wrapping layout. Keep that centre area accessible so you can secure or gather it using a method appropriate to the bow style. Use the slot as a guide and access point, not as a cutter or a clamp that will hold every ribbon by itself.

Lay the board on a stable surface. Arrange the ribbon without twists, check that the loops are positioned as intended and keep the centre from shifting while you secure it. The set does not include fastening supplies. If the pattern you follow uses a temporary clip, thread or another fastener, prepare it separately and follow the relevant tool instructions.

Why is board width not the finished bow size?

Wrapping gives you a starting length and layout, but forming the bow changes how that ribbon is distributed. Pulling loops apart, crossing folds or gathering the centre can change its final width. Different bow styles therefore need different sample checks even when they begin on the same board.

Measure the sample only after shaping and securing it. Record the board used, ribbon type and width, wrap arrangement and cut length you actually tested. Those notes help repeat your own result; they are not a guarantee for a different material. The tutorial linked below illustrates different template-to-bow relationships using other templates, not a test of this wooden set.

How do you avoid wasting project ribbon?

Work through one complete sample before cutting multiple lengths. Check the centre, loop balance, tails and intended attachment after removing the bow from the board. If it needs adjustment, change one element at a time and make another sample. Do not copy a cut-length recipe for another template and assume that it must fit your board and ribbon.

The listing describes wooden boards about 14.9-15 cm high, but does not identify the wood species, thickness or a universal ribbon compatibility limit. Inspect the actual surfaces before working with delicate ribbon and resolve any roughness or damage before continuing. Keep cutting or heated finishing tools separate from the board and use them only as their instructions allow.

Six template widths: compare the boards, not promised bow sizes

All six widths are supplied in one set. Each board is approximately 14.9-15 cm high. The figures describe the boards, not finished bows.

Compare the template set and other craft tools

Use the product page for current photographs and set details. Browse the craft categories for separate supplies, checking each item's purpose and package contents before adding it to the project.

• Wooden ribbon bow templates: the complete six-board set
• Arts, crafts and sewing
• Craft tools and cutting

A bow-making technique reference

• The Ribbon Retreat: different bow styles made using templates