I love love love ribbon and it’s my favorite embellishment. I thought I would share some tips on cutting, tying, & securing ribbon because I get asked these questions a lot! Hopefully you find them helpful!!!
~ Tips for Cutting Ribbon ~
Cutting ribbon off the spool can be tricky because cutting too little is a waste that you toss aside for “another project” that hopefully comes soon! Cutting too much is a waste because then so little is cut off each end and tossed. When cutting ribbon for a card or any size piece like the card on the far left in the photo above, simply wrap the ribbon across the front of the piece, around to the back, and across the front again. It doesn’t need to be exact edge to edge and in fact I usually hang off a bit on both sides. That is the amount of ribbon needed to wrap the ribbon around and tie it into a knot.
EXAMPLE: To tie ribbon into a knot around a piece of 4″ cardstock, you would need 13″ of ribbon. That’s a smidge over the edge and across the front (4″), around to the back (4″), and across the front again with a smidge over (4″).
~ Tips for Tying Ribbon ~
Now for tying ribbon into a perfect knot so that it lays flat and doesn’t look like a “t”. The video will help a little bit more on this because it is hard to explain in words. So the ribbon is wrapped around the cardstock and there is an end on the left and on the right. Cross the right side of ribbon over the left end of ribbon and around to create the first knot. Then for the second knot, cross the left side of ribbon over the right side and around. Pull tight! It is important to do the opposite the second time meaning right over left, left over right. If you do right over left, right over left, the ribbon will come out like a “t”.
The directions above can go vice versa as well – left over right, right over left. I know this may sound confusing but just focus on your left and right hand and the piece of ribbon in it. Also, I tie the ribbon with it in my thumb and pointer finger. Then using my pinkie or another finger, I press down that first knot to keep it tight and secure so my knot is tight on my project.
~Securing Ribbon On My Project ~
This is probably the biggest question I get asked. I do not use adhesive to secure the ribbon on my project before tying it. With the tips above, I can usually get a nice tight knot so I don’t have to worry about it sliding off. Also, I like not having it stuck in a spot when I’m tying it because then I can slide it to the side or up and down to re position it if needed or if I change my mind. To do this, simple squeeze the cardstock a bit to curve it and slide the ribbon around. (See the video tutorial below for more on this.)
There are a few times if I’m adding ribbon to a layer that goes on top of my card base or project where I will add Stampin’ Dimensionals over the ribbon on the back or on the ends which does technically secure it after it is tied. For example, if I have a greeting with ribbon below it and I’m going to place it in the middle of my card, I will add Stampin’ Dimensionals to the back on the 4 corners. This does secure the ribbon that it won’t slide off the end because it can’t jump over the dimensional. Also, I like to use Stampin’ Dimensionals when adding a piece with ribbon because it gives a nice smooth look rather than flat adhesive.
I hope you found these tips and tricks helpful! If any of them are still confusing, feel free to reach out for clarification! If you have any tips to share, let me know in the comments below! I would love to hear them!
If you would like to see this all in action, check out the Video Tutorial below or click here! Be sure to give the video a thumbs up if you liked it and don’t forget to subscribe if you are new. If you would like a notification when I post a new video, be sure to click the bell right next to the subscribe!!!
Happy Ribbon Tying
~Laura
