Jeff Makes Draping Easy With Bow K®
“That’s rad! I think I can use this.” This was the reaction from Jeff Winchester when he first set eyes on Bow K®. Jeff’s family-owned wedding and event décor business – Simple To Elegant – has been serving clients nationwide from Terre Haute, Indiana, since 1998.
Jeff is an iWED graduate for both floral and décor and has also participated in Event Decor Direct’s Institute of Wedding And Event Design (iWED), Backdrops Fantastic USA, as well as the David Tutera Experience 2019 in Bermuda, where we first met. His credentials are impressive, as is his creativity.
Definitely Not the Death of Him
We sent samples to Jeff and his honest assessment was that Bow K was either going to be really simple, or it was going to be the death of him. So, he did his homework.
Jeff watched the extensive video tutorials on our website. The floral execution was right up his alley, and Jeff quickly discovered a brand-new draping application for Bow K that we had never even thought of.
Jeff attributes Bow K for solving many of the pain points that he previously had to face when creating designs for his draping. “I can bang out my work much quicker, which saves time and money,” said Jeff. “Bow K creates an ideal working solution to combine elements seamlessly. Any application that creates results like this in less time is a winner.”
We like the way Jeff thinks, and we love the way he works. Here’s his story.
Draping Done Right
Jeff immediately saw the potential with Bow K for draping décor. He used Bow K as a tool for attaching fresh floral accents to a swath of white fabric to create a dramatic application that flowed from a wooden arch.
He began with large-headed hydrangeas that were inserted into the ample-sized Bow K holes.
“The consistent half-inch hole size and numerous options–there are 48 holes in each Bow K–is of immense value,” said Jeff. “It helps make the tool extremely versatile and makes positioning floral options much more flexible.”
The hydrangea has a thick stem, and a smaller hole would limit this popular flower from being used. If Jeff can’t use hydrangeas, then he must substitute with Gerberas, or another higher-priced stem, which increases his costs.
“The holes aren’t too wide, and they aren’t too small,” Jeff added. “There’s a Goldilocks analogy at work here. They are the perfect width.”
Water Tubes Are a Game Changer
Large-head hydrangeas are thirsty flowers. Half-inch water tubes fit perfectly in the Bow K holes to keep these stems hydrated, allowing them to live much longer.
“The water tube application for draping was a bonus that I did not forecast,” said Jeff. “What a great addition.”
JEFF’S TIP: Slice the stems horizontally so they can absorb more water for a longer period of time. The water tubes are laying sideways, not upright, because of the way Bow K is affixed to the draping. Therefore, there is more surface area to absorb the water. Moisture build-up from the top of the tube to the bottom is also helpful as it extends the stem’s life. Best of all, there is no dripping. The caps are secure and keep the water in.
The greenery Jeff used was hardy and did not need water tubes. These stems drink through the leaf, stem, and stalk, so they stay fresh for a longer period of time. He simply used five-gallon buckets to soak the stems before sliding them into the Bow K. Since the greenery had few leaves, Jeff was able to poke multiple stems through each of the Bow K holes for a tight, secure fit. Then he simply wired it all together underneath.
“Wiring from stem to stem under the Bow K is much easier than having to hold the stems and garland, wire them, and then add more pieces,” said Jeff. “It takes forever to do it that way, and it starts to fall apart. The stems are much more secure in the Bow K.”
The handle was particularly handy as Jeff zip tied the Bow K directly to the corner of the crossbar, enabling the floral and greenery to beautifully cascade downward
The Dreaded Floral Foam
“Before Bow K, floral foam was my go-to to add flowers and greenery to my arches and draping,” explained Jeff. “The process was a lengthy one, as I had to repeatedly saturate the foam to keep the floral alive. Another issue was that the foam construction would quickly weaken, especially if you reposition a stem too many times.”
Staining was also a problem. “When you place the wet floral foam up in the corners of an arch or on a drape, the dripping begins almost immediately,” said Jeff. “When I used a white or a soft ivory canvas, I was often disappointed to discover that it now had green dots all over it from the floral foam. It was a big issue and a reflection on my work when the drapes stained. Not to mention, there was the added expense of having to constantly buy new drapes.”
Jeff’s Advice to Designers
“Get the Bow K and see for yourself how it makes doing the work fun, not frustrating,” said Jeff. “Watch the How Tos, play with it, and then just stick stuff in the holes! You can do this in five minutes or less as opposed to 45 minutes or more.”
Jeff also taught his staff to do it. “It’s easy to share Bow K skills quickly, and creativity is more natural,” he said. “Best of all, perfection isn’t necessary.”
“It’s an endless opportunity product and a game-changer in how I approach my work,” Jeff concluded. “Many design and décor companies have frogs, but there is nothing like Bow K in their arsenal of design tools. Bow K is pretty revolutionary as far as all of the things it can be used for. You cannot fail with this product, and it’s one I have now used and believe in.”
Spread the Word
We are honored to have such a fan in Jeff and his talented team at Simple To Elegant. We’ll be sharing more of Jeff’s tips and talents as he explores centerpiece applications and large installations. Stay tuned.
If you are interested in being featured in our upcoming blog series, contact info@bowk.com.
Cheering you on,