Assembly for and method of forming a decorative bow

Abstract

A flexible ribbon is folded over itself to form a pair of end ribbon portions at opposite sides of a middle ribbon portion. Each ribbon portion has ribbon apertures. A stiff support is mounted on the middle ribbon portion and has support apertures that overlie the ribbon apertures in the middle ribbon portion. A drawstring is routed freely through the support apertures and the ribbon apertures, and pulled to move the middle ribbon portion from a flat state in which the ribbon portions lie in a common plane, to a curled state in which the middle ribbon portion is folded over and contacts the end ribbon portions to form a loop bounding an open presentation area. An adornment is mounted on the support in the open presentation area, and is visible through the open presentation area in the curled state.

1 . An assembly for forming a decorative bow, comprising:
 a flexible ribbon including a middle ribbon portion and a pair of end ribbon portions, each ribbon portion having ribbon apertures, the middle ribbon portion being movable from a flat state in which the ribbon portions lie in a common plane, to a curled state in which the middle ribbon portion is folded over and contacts the end ribbon portions to form a loop bounding an open presentation area;   a relatively stiff, support mounted in the open presentation area and having support apertures overlying and aligned with the ribbon apertures of the middle ribbon portion;   a drawstring running freely through the support apertures and the ribbon apertures, for moving the middle ribbon portion from the flat state to, and for holding the middle ribbon portion in, the curled state; and   an adornment mounted on the support in the open presentation area and visible through the open presentation area in the curled state.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the end ribbon portions cross over each other in the curled state. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the end ribbon portions are elongated and diverge in a direction away from the middle ribbon portion. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , and a pair of elongated extensions connected to the end ribbon portions, and wherein the extensions diverge in a direction away from the middle ribbon portion. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the support is a generally planar plate having a tapered end that points up in the flat state, and is inverted and points down in the curled state. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ribbon, the drawstring, the support and the adornment are generally planar and lie in the common plane in the flat state, 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adornment is constituted of a sheet material bearing graphics that is visible through the open presentation area in the curled state. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the adornment is shaped as a heart. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1 , and a pin connected to the ribbon, for pinning the bow in the curled state on a surface to be decorated. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the ribbon is a strip constituted of fabric and polypropylene materials. 
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a decorative bow, comprising:
 folding a flexible ribbon over itself to form a pair of end ribbon portions at opposite sides of a middle ribbon portion;   forming each ribbon portion with ribbon apertures,   mounting a relatively stiff support on the middle ribbon portion;   forming support apertures in the support;   overlying and aligning the support apertures with the ribbon apertures in the middle ribbon portion;   running a drawstring freely through the support apertures and the ribbon apertures;   pulling the drawstring to move the middle ribbon portion from a flat state in which the ribbon portions lie in a common plane, to a curled state in which the middle ribbon portion is folded over and contacts the end ribbon portions to form a loop bounding an open presentation area;   tying the drawstring to hold the middle ribbon portion in the curled state; and   mounting an adornment on the support in the open presentation area, the adornment being visible through the open presentation area in the curled state.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , and crossing the end ribbon portions over each other by pulling on the drawstring. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , and diverging the end ribbon portions in a direction away from the middle ribbon portion in the curled state. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , and connecting a pair of elongated extensions to the end ribbon portions, and diverging the extensions in a direction away from the middle ribbon portion in the curled state. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , and inverting the support upon movement from the flat state to the curled state by pulling on the drawstring. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , and pinning the bow in the curled state on a surface to be decorated.