A Box to Practice Tying Shoes and Making Bows

If you need to practice tying a bow or have a child who needs to learn how to tie his or her shoes, this box is the way to go! It is economical, practical and easy peasy to make. All it takes is a few items you probably already have lying around your house and a little creativity. Now let's get started!

Step 1: Gather Everything You Will Need

First, gather everything you will need. You probably have most of these things around your house already.

Box (This box is 10.5 inches x 7 inches)
Painting brush or paint sponge
Yarn (about 4 feet) (Thicker yarn is better than the single strand for practicing bows and tying)
Paint (Any type will do; this is a great project for leftover paint)
Scissors
Drop cloth or anything you do not mind getting paint on
Ruler or you can estimate how much yarn you will need if you have ninja-like measuring skills

Step 2: Paint, Paint and Paint!

Paint the box any color you want. Make sure you cover all sides, even the bottom. Even if no one sees it, it will make your project complete. Depending on the quality of your paint, you may have to use two coats. Be creative. If you have different colored paint, use them and make your box a masterpiece!

Step 3: Let the Paint Dry

Now allow the paint to thoroughly dry before proceeding and make sure you have covered all sides!

It is very important to make sure the paint is completely dry otherwise the next steps will create a big mess.

Step 4: Poke! Poke! Poke!

Now that the paint has thoroughly dried, take the scissors and poke holes in your box equidistant from each other. I made eight holes but you can make as many or as few holes as you would like since the two top wholes are the most important. That is where you will tie your bow.

Step 5: Cut Off Those Ragged Edges

Now that the holes are in, they may look a bit ragged but no worries, just take the trusty scissors and trim them. Ah, much better!

Step 6: Add a Decorative Touch!

Although this box is utilitarian, does not mean it has to be plain. Make those eyelets look like eyelets with a Sharpie and if you really want to dress it up, use more color and really decorate it!

Step 7: Measure, Cut and Knot the Yarn

Measure

Measure about 4 feet of yarn if you have a box a similar to the size show in this Instructable. An easy trick for measuring if you do not have a tape measure is to use a foot long ruler and wrap it back and forth four times.

Another option is to lace the box while it is still on the skein (that is what yarn bundles are called) and leave enough yarn at the end to make a bow. This is a great method if you do not have a ruler. Just make sure you have enough yarn to tie a bow.

Cut

Using the scissors, cut the yarn making sure that you cut straight across. Some yarn can unravel and make a mess if you cut on a slant or have dull scissors that pull rather than cut the yarn.

Knot the yarn

Tie tight knots at both ends of the yarn to prevent unraveling. Try to knot as close to the ends as possible. If your knots are not at the very end, cut off the excess yarn.