Archive for 'Ribbons' Category

Using Ribbon Buckles

Ribbon buckles make a lovely sophisticated embellishment for your stationery - especially if they are made with top quality sparkly rhinestones.

They can be quite heavy so you should attach them firmly to your card.

If you are using 15mm satin ribbon, this is straightforward: Place a line of double sided sticky tape or adhesive tape pen where you want the ribbon to be. Thread your buckle onto the ribbon and place the buckle in the correct position (you can attach a glue dot behind the buckle for extra strength). Carefully press down the ribbon onto the adhesive making sure it is straight. Tuck the ends behind the card, neaten the edges and stick down with sticky tape as before.

If you are using narrow or organza ribbon then you will not be able to stick down the ribbon itself on the front of your card. Use a glue dot or PVA glue to attach the threaded buckle firmly in position. The take the ends of the ribbon round to the back of your card and use a thin line of PVA glue to secure it.

Another option is to mount your ribbon and buckle onto a separate piece of card and then mount this using double sided sticky tape onto the main card. Using this method, you can secure the ribbon on the back of the piece of card and the ends will be hidden.

How do I stop ribbon from fraying?

Firstly, and perhaps most simply, try cutting the end of your ribbon on a diagonal or trimming a v shape into it. This will reduce most fraying to the minimum and is perfect for when the ribbon will not be handled.

Alternatively, you can also treat the cut edge to stop any future fraying. Using a brush or cotton bud, take a small amount of craft glue and carefully apply sparingly to the whole of the cut edge. You can also try this with clear nail polish. Both of these will dry clear and seal the fibres, but make sure you test the ribbon you are using first, as some glues show up more on certain types of ribbon.  You can also try products such as Fray Check and Fray Block which work in a similar way.

Another option, when using synthetic ribbons, is to heat the end in a flame. This should only be done with the utmost care and with good ventilation. Using a candle pass the ribbon end near to the side of the flame. It will take practice to apply enough heat to melt the edge without burning the delicate material. Try this near a sink full of water so if the ribbon does catch fire you can put it out quickly!

Tying Bows

Bows are beautiful embellishments and with a little practice you can creat a whole range of stylish decorative bows. Here are the ones that work best on cards and stationery.

Single Bow

To tie a small single bow

• Leaving a length of about 4cm loose to your left make a loop in your left hand
• Make a loop of the same size next to it with your right hand
• Tie these two loops in a knot
• Oull the loops and the ends to create the size of bow you want.
• Tighten the knot to secure the bow and trim the ends on a diagonal - this looks good and stops the ends fraying.

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How Much Ribbon do I need?

How much ribbon/cord do I need for each card to go around the spine and tie in a bow?

It depends on the width of the ribbon and how large a bow you want, wider ribbons will use more. The following table will give you an idea of how much you will need for each card allowing enough to tie a well proportioned bow easily.