How to Tie a High Cotton Crib Bow: A Styling Guide for Your Heirloom Sash

Five beautiful ways to style your handmade crib bow sash — from cribside to mailbox

There's a quiet moment every new mama remembers: standing in the nursery, the lights low, finally holding the piece you ordered months ago. Our oversized crib bows arrive folded carefully in tissue, hand-sewn here in Alabama, and ready to be styled exactly the way you envision them.

A question I hear often — and one I love answering — is: "How do I tie it?"

Here's the secret: there's no single right way. Each High Cotton crib bow ships as one long, flowing sash rather than a pre-tied bow, and that's intentional. It means your bow can be tied loose and romantic, crisp and structured, oversized for drama, or petite and tucked. It can move with your nursery as your little one grows. It can leave the nursery entirely and find a second life on a wreath, a mailbox, or in a newborn photo session.

This guide walks you through how to tie your sash beautifully on a crib railing — plus four more ways to style it throughout your home.

Before You Begin: A Few Heirloom Tips

A little preparation makes all the difference between a floppy bow and a magazine-worthy one.

Iron your sash first. This is the single most important step. Velvet, cotton, and linen sashes all benefit from a quick press on low heat (always test a small corner first, and use a pressing cloth for velvet to protect the pile). A crisp, flat sash holds its shape so much more beautifully than one straight from the package.

Work on a flat surface when possible. If you're tying directly onto the crib, that's fine — but for your very first bow, laying everything flat on the bed or floor helps you see what you're doing.

Decide your bow size before you tie. A larger loop creates a romantic, generous bow. A smaller loop gives you a tailored, classic look. There's no wrong answer — just your nursery, your style.

Method 1: The Classic Cribside Bow

This is the most popular way to style your sash and the look you'll see across our customer photos.

Step 1. Lay your ironed sash flat and find the center.

Step 2. Position the center of the sash against the crib rail at your chosen spot — most mamas tie one bow at the center of the front rail, or two bows on either side for symmetry.

Step 3. Wrap each end of the sash around the rail once, bringing both tails back to the front.

Step 4. Cross the right tail over the left, then tuck it under and pull through — exactly like the first step of tying a shoelace.

Step 5. Form a loop with one tail. Wrap the other tail around the front of that loop, then push it through the opening behind to form the second loop.

Step 6. Gently pull both loops outward to tighten, adjusting the tails until they hang at equal lengths.

Step 7. Fluff the loops with your fingers; if velvet, smoothing the velvet pile in one direction for that signature soft sheen.

If your bow looks a little uneven the first time, don't worry. Untie it and try again — the fabric forgives.

Method 2: The Pre-Tied Bow (with a Hidden Secret)

Some of our most detail-loving customers prefer to pre-tie the bow off the crib, then secure it in place. This gives you complete control over how the bow looks before it ever touches the rail.

Here's the little trick:

1. Tie your bow flat on a table, exactly the way you want it to look.
2. Thread a small piece of clear fishing line through the back loop of the finished bow.
3. Use the fishing line to tie the bow securely to the crib rail.

The fishing line disappears against the fabric, and your perfectly tied bow stays exactly where you placed it — no slipping, no retying, no fuss. This is especially helpful for nursery photos, baby showers, or any moment you want the bow to look effortless.

Method 3: On a Wreath

A High Cotton sash transforms a simple grapevine or evergreen wreath into something heirloom-worthy. Tie a generous bow at the top or bottom of the wreath, letting the long tails cascade down. This is a beautiful look for a nursery door, a baby shower entry, or even a bridal or wedding setting.

Method 4: Around Curtains or Drapery

Use your sash as an elegant curtain tieback. Gather the curtain panel gently to one side, wrap the sash around, and tie a soft bow. This is a particularly lovely way to repurpose your bow as your child grows out of the crib stage — keeping a piece of their nursery memory in the room for years to come.

Method 5: For Newborn Photography

Photographers love working with our sashes because of their length, weight, and softness against newborn skin. Drape it loosely around baby in a basket. Use it as a swaddle accent. Tie a tiny bow at the foot of the bassinet. Let the tails trail across a neutral backdrop. Because the sash is one continuous piece, the styling possibilities are truly limitless.

Caring for Your Sash Between Uses

When you're ready to store or restyle, fold your sash gently and store it flat in tissue paper, away from direct sunlight. A quick press with a low iron will bring it right back to life whenever you're ready to tie it again.

A Final Note from Lauren

Every High Cotton crib bow is sewn by hand, in my farmhouse home studio in Alabama, with the same care I'd put into a piece for my own family. The reason we don't pre-tie your sash is simple: I want you to make it yours. Tie it loose and dreamy. Tie it crisp and structured. Move it from the crib to a wreath to a curtain as the seasons change. This piece is meant to grow with your family — and the way you style it is part of the heirloom story.

If you'd like a visual walkthrough, you can watch our short tying video. And if you ever have a question about styling your sash, I'm always just a message away.

With love, Lauren Founder & Seamstress, High Cotton Textile

Shop the look: https://highcottontextile.com/collections/large-crib-bows Pin this guide: https://www.pinterest.com/highcottontextile/ Tag us: Share your nursery on Instagram with #HighCottonTextile for a chance to be featured.