Slipcovering folding seats or plain dining seats gives them a joyous and more formal atmosphere, perfect for celebrations or even weddings. But even if you don’t have the time or resources to slipcover your seats, just tying fabric bows around the chair backs takes a plain chair from frumpy to fabulous.
Flip Knot
The reverse knot is the simplest and quickest tie for chair sashes. Stand behind the chair. Center the sash in the front of the chair’s back. Pull the ends of the sash so that it’s snug against the front of the chair. Bend the sash at a easy shoelace knot. Pull the front sash end the rear one straight up when you pull the knot tight. Allow the rear end of the sash flop down over the knot. Smooth it out with your fingers so that it curtains flat, covering the knot. Secure it with a safety pin positioned behind the sash ties so that it doesn’t poke through the outermost layer of material if you like.
One-Loop Bow
One loop bows are extremely tailored and classic. Set the sash flat against the front of the chair, and tie a fundamental shoelace knot. Make a loop with the right end of the sash. Wind the left end of the sash around the loop and thrust it through the knot. Pull the end through, leaving you with one bow loop using two sash ends hanging under it. Straighten from the loop, tugging on it gently till the sash ends are the same length.
Classic Bow
Few things are as simple or charming as a perfect bow, and there is a simple trick to ensuring they come out right every time. Center the sash across the front of the chair and tie a simple right-over-left shoelace knot. Make a loop with the right end of the tie and fold it back through the knot so that the loop is toward the left, and the free end is facing it toward the right. Complete the bow by bringing the left end of the sash down in the front of the loop and then pulling its loop up through and behind like you’d normally tie a bow. Pull the bow tight, and fluff out the loops. They should be level and even, with results of the same span.
Rosette
Rosettes are extremely refined and neat, as well as much simpler to create than they look. Bend the sash at a easy shoelace knot behind the chair. Twist both ends of the sash tightly together till you just have 2 to 4 inches of untwisted ends left. Wind the twisted ends around the knot, maintaining them flat against the chair back and making circular rows like a cinnamon bun. Poke the loose ends during the rows from two different places. Arrange them to resemble the leaves on a rose.
Embellished Bows
No matter how you tie your sashes, you can easily incorporate dried or fresh flowers, sprays, sprays of willow catkins and baby’s breath or perhaps sparkling hat pins or other ornaments. Use tulle or netting to create your sash ties, and spritz them with glitter spray to get an ethereal effect that’s stunning by candlelight.