Technique 101 – Using Ribbon

This month I am sharing a simple project using a technique using ribbon which would be perfect for a beginner stamper/crafter.  I reached for the NEW Thoughtful Branches stamp set which is available for August only.  It is a photopolymer stamp set which has matching framelits but I did not use the framelits on this card.

I adore this striped ribbon and I have a technique to share to show you how to create the perfect knot whilst using minimal ribbon on your card.

I stamped the greeting in Early Espresso Ink in the centre of the card.  I then stamped the leaf stamp around the edges.

To create the beautiful multicoloured leaves I created my own ink pad using two wet wipes layered on top of one another which I laid inside the plastic stamp case to project my work surface.

I then added several dots of different colour ink refills to the wet wipe making sure that the same coloured dot/splodge wasn’t next to the same colour.  I inked up my leaf stamp by inking it up from different areas of the wet wipes, stamping onto watercolour paper and then cleaning the stamp each time.

I added the ribbon to the card but it isn’t wrapped all the way around the back of the cardstock and simply tied in a knot as its hard to get good tension on the ribbon and also it wastes all the ribbon on the back of the card.

What I did was wrap the ribbon around 3 fingers and tie a simply knot…

You can also tie it around one finger only depending on the thickness of the ribbon.  As this ribbon is quite thick I used three fingers.  How many fingers you use will determine how large the loop you need (see below).

Tie another knot to create a tight double knot…

Slide the ribbon off your fingers and you will have a loop which you are going to cut….

Now cut in the centre of the loop,  you can cut straight or diagonally it doesn’t matter as I re-trimmed the ends…

Now cut the desired length of ribbon which will reach around the back and be glued in place.  Then you can re-trim your ends to make your knot look pretty….

Now you can simply glue the ends of the length of ribbon on the back of your cardstock.  This will mean you have saved ribbon as it does not go all the way around the back and also you can attach it so its taut.

Here is the finished card….

My other lovely challenge design team have also been making projects using ribbon so be sure to hop on round using the button below and also the line up below that.

Just in case you lose your place here are all the design team members who have ideas on how to use ribbon on your projects…

France Poitras Martin – USA –

Sandi MacIver – Canada

Patrice Halliday-Larsen – New Zealand

Leonie Schroder – Australia

Erna Logtenberg – Netherlands

Heike Vass – Germany

Michelle Last – UK – you are here

Sonia Benedetti – France

If you wish to purchase any of the items I have used to make this project, please click the links below to go direct to my online shop and don’t forget to use this months hostess code to receive a free thank you gift from me in the post and the Jar of Love tutorial sent via email.

I hope you enjoyed this technique, have a great day x