Easy No-Sew Ribbon Projects
Do-it-yourself ribbon accents [1]
Boost the creativity of your basic home accessories--pillows, curtains and lampshades--by adding ribbons in vibrant, happy colors. The key to quick and easy ribbon application? Use no-sew crafting supplies, such as iron-on hem tape or fabric glue.
Click ahead to learn how to make four breezy ribbon projects--perfect pick-me-ups for any room.
Casual embellished curtains [4]
Give plain white curtain panels a fresh look with an oversize tattersall pattern. We used aqua grosgrain ribbon in two widths to create the effect. The next three slides show you how to make this project.
Embellished curtain panels: Gather supplies [7]
For tattersall curtain panels, you'll need:
-- 2 42x84-inch cotton curtain panels (or preferred size)
-- Approximately 24 yards 3/8-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon in aqua
-- Approximately 24 yards 1-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon in aqua
-- Approximately 48 yards of iron-on hem tape
-- Iron
-- Scissors
-- Yardstick
-- Pencil
-- Straight pins
Note: Adjust ribbon yardages for curtain panels of your preferred size.
Embellished curtain panels: First steps [10]
1. Spread curtain panel on a large table or other flat surface.
2. To mark evenly spaced "panes" on the curtains, draw straight lines on the fabric using a yardstick and a pencil. For a curtain panel that's 42x84 inches (as shown), each pane should be about 9-1/4x15-1/2 inches. That will result in four panes across the panel and five panes down the panel. The marking for the first lengthwise ribbon should be about 9-1/4 inches from the edge of the curtain panel; the first widthwise mark should be 15-1/2 inches from the top. Mark lines where you will attach both the narrow and wide ribbon, so there will be about 1/4 inch between the two.
3. For each line marked on your panel, cut ribbon to the length of the marked line, plus 1 inch. For example, for a 42x84-inch curtain marked into panes as indicated above, you would cut four sections of 3/8-inch ribbon 43 inches long, and three sections 85 inches long. Repeat with 1-inch-wide ribbon.
4. Cut a section of iron-on hem tape to match the length of each piece of ribbon.
5. Place iron-on hem tape along each of the lengthwise pencil markings designated for the 3/8-inch-wide ribbon, leaving 1/2 inch at the top and at the bottom to fold under curtain edge. Temporarily hold with pins.
6. Place 3/8-inch-wide ribbon over each section of hem tape, wrapping 1/2 inch to the back of the curtain at the top and bottom. Temporarily hold with pins.
7. Adhere hem tape and ribbon to curtain according to manufacturer's directions for the hem tape.
Click ahead for the next step.
Finish embellished curtain panels [13]
8. Repeat to adhere hem tape and 1-inch-wide ribbon to the remaining lengthwise lines on the curtain.
9. Repeat steps 5-8 to adhere hem tape and ribbon widthwise on the curtain panel.
10. Repeat instructions 1-9 for the second curtain panel.
Crisscross lampshade [16]
Turn a no-frills drum lampshade into an attention-getter with woven satin ribbons. The next five slides show you how to make this project.
Make a crisscross lampshade: Gather supplies [19]
For a crisscross lampshade, you'll need:
-- Drum-style fabric lampshade; shown is a 13-inch shade (shade height is 9 inches)
-- Approximately 10 yards 5/8-inch-wide satin ribbon in orange
-- Approximately 10 yards 5/8-inch-wide satin ribbon in aqua
-- Hot-glue gun
-- Hot-glue sticks
-- Tape measure
-- Pencil
-- Straight pins
Make a crisscross lampshade: First steps [22]
1. Mark 1-inch intervals around the top of the shade with a pencil.
2. Cut the 5/8-inch-wide orange satin ribbon into 34 10-1/2-inch strips. Cut the 5/8-inch-wide aqua satin ribbon into 34 10-1/2-inch strips. (Or cut strips to fit the size of your shade; each strip should be 1-1/2 inches longer than the height of the shade.)
Click ahead for the next step.
Make a crisscross lampshade: Add orange strips [25]
3. At each pencil marking, apply an orange ribbon strip diagonally. This should leave about 3/8 inch between ribbon strips. Hold in place temporarily with straight pins.
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Make a crisscross lampshade: Glue ribbon ends [28]
4. Hot-glue ribbon ends to the inside top and bottom of the shade.
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Make a crisscross lampshade: Final steps [31]
5. Then, attach and weave aqua ribbon strips diagonally in the opposite direction so that they weave through the already secured orange strips. Each aqua ribbon should weave in and out of three orange strips. Hot-glue ends inside the top and bottom of shade.
6. Repeat until covered.
Room-energizing pillow [34]
Give a bargain pillow cover a dose of pep with a playful ribbon design. For happy stripes, design a pattern of five or six perky-color ribbons of different widths and textures. The next slides show how to create this project.
Stripe pillow: Gather supplies [37]
For a stripe pillow, you'll need:
-- Pillow cover (shown is 14x18 inches)
-- Pillow insert (to fit pillow cover)
-- Clear-drying fabric adhesive or iron-on hem tape
-- 5-7 spools of ribbon in different widths, colors and textures; you'll need about 5 feet of each ribbon
-- Straight pins
-- Scissors
-- Iron
Make a stripe pillow [40]
1. Spread out unstuffed pillow cover on a table or other flat surface.
2. Cut enough ribbon strips to cover the pillow, cutting each strip 1/2 inch longer than the height of the pillow. For a 14x18-inch pillow, for example, each strip would be 14-1/2 inches long.
3. For each ribbon strip, fold both ends under 1/4 inch. Iron the fold to secure. This will prevent ribbon ends from fraying.
4. Arrange ribbon strips lengthwise on the pillow cover to determine desired design. Apply three to seven ribbons in a row; leave an inch or two of the pillow uncovered; repeat. Pin the ribbons in place.
5. Once satisfied with the design, attach ribbon strips one by one with fabric adhesive or iron-on hem tape, following manufacturer's instructions. Let adhesive dry.
6. Stuff pillow with pillow insert.
Free-form pillow cover [43]
Prefer a free-form design? Create this look with a gathered ribbon that's easy to coil or zigzag. The next three slides show how to make this project.
Free-form pillow cover design: Gather supplies [46]
For a free-form pillow cover design, you'll need:
-- Pillow cover (shown is 17x17 inches)
-- Pillow insert (to fit pillow cover)
-- Clear-drying fabric adhesive
-- 7-1/2 feet of 1-inch-wide white satin gathered ribbon (or enough to create your design)
-- 7-1/2 feet of 1/4-inch-wide aqua satin ribbon (or enough to create your design)
-- Straight pins
-- Scissors
-- Pencil
-- Iron
Make a free-form pillow cover: First steps [49]
1. Cut the 1-inch-wide white satin gathered ribbon into a 7-1/2-foot strip (or desired sized for your design).
2. Cut the 1/4-inch-wide aqua satin ribbon into a 7-1/2-foot strip (or desired size for your design).
3. For each ribbon strip, fold both ends under 1/4 inch. Iron the fold to secure. This will prevent ribbon ends from fraying.
4. Using clear-drying fabric adhesive, glue the 1/4-inch-wide aqua ribbon down the middle of the 1-inch-wide white gathered ribbon. This adds color to your design.
Click ahead for the next step.
Make a free-form pillow cover: Final steps [52]
5. Using pencil and starting at one corner of the pillow, draw a free-form design that winds around and ends at the opposite corner.
6. Pin the ribbon to follow the drawn line.
7. Adjust until you're happy with the design.
8.Attach the ribbon in sections with clear-drying fabric adhesive. Let adhesive dry.
9. Stuff pillow with pillow insert.