Alisha Copfer, Author at Ribbon Impressions

The 7 Types of Ribbon Rolls

Ribbon rolls are used in so many projects these days.

So today, we unravel our stockpile of ribbon rolls and explain the different types and how they might be used. Whether it is for tying gift bows or adding the finishing touch to an outfit or costume, ribbon rolls come in handy at every turn. And, with so many ribbon types to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which is best for the project at hand. Here is a simple guide to each type of ribbon roll we offer.

SINGLE FACED SATIN AND DOUBLE FACED SATIN RIBBON ROLLS

This ribbon roll type is one of our most popular choices for ribbons. And, believe it or not, our faced satin ribbons are actually 100% polyester. They are available in practically any color and four widths.

Single Faced Satin Ribbons are relatively inexpensive and is great for gift wrapping. They are smooth on one side and have a matte finish on the other.

Double Faced Satin Ribbons are smooth with a satin sheen and soft on both sides of the ribbon. Any printing of graphics and/or text will be printed only on one side of the ribbon roll. These ribbon rolls are great for use as decorations at parties and other functions.

DYNA FLORAL SATIN RIBBON ROLLS

This ribbon roll type has a slight sheen and a supple, satin feel. This ribbon is easy to tie and knots well. As such, they are great for bows for weddings, wrapping gift boxes and using as floral ribbons. They are made from 100% polyester and are available in 48 colors and a variety of widths.

GROSGRAIN RIBBON ROLLS

This ribbon roll type is heavily corded (ribbed texture) and sturdy. This cording shows through any imprinting that is done. Again, made from 100% polyester, these ribbons are woven with thick lengthwise fibers, and provide a bit of elasticity, making them the perfect material for trimming and edging. These are fantastic for both gift wrapping and decorations and add character to most any project. These are available in 79 ribbon colors and four ribbon widths.

FLORAL SATIN ACETATE RIBBON ROLLS

This ribbon roll type is made of a satin acetate and are quite stiff. These ribbons are woven from acetate thread into a satin weave making this ribbon choice a stiffer ribbon. They are commonly and traditionally used in floral arrangements, pew bows and packaging. They are available in over 60 colors and four ribbon widths.

ORGANZA-CHIFFON RIBBON ROLLS

This ribbon roll type is lightweight and translucent ribbons. These are 100% nylon and are a unique choice for ribbons. As this ribbon is lightweight, it is easy to work with and provides an elegant, iridescent finish. Best use for these ribbons is wrapping gifts. Use bright, off setting colors of wrapping paper to really set off these ribbon rolls.

MULTICOLOR (SATIN ACETATE) RIBBON ROLLS

This ribbon roll type can be customized with all-over color for a truly personalized ribbon. Multicolored ribbons, also referred to as full color ribbons, are ideal for awards, advertising, gift wrapping, brand awareness and campaigning. They can be used as the entire ribbon roll or can be cut down to individual ribbons.

Idea of the Week: A Ribbon Curtain

How about an easy project for this week?! A ribbon curtain can be used for almost any occasion and it is easy to set up and make! Just choose a ton of your favorite ribbon rolls, customize them if you wish, and make this fantastic project!

There are multiple ways to make these, but here are a few quick ideas.

The first way is to simply take the desired length of ribbon and run it the full way down the desired wall. Attach the ribbons to a string to create the curtain. Repeat this process until the curtain is the desired width. Once this is all done, simply secure the string or bar into place. These are great for weddings and other formal parties. And don’t forget to customize the ribbon rolls with the wedding details, such as the date or the bride and groom’s names.

The second way is to use a bar that can either be hung or placed in a doorway. These are great for birthday parties and photo booths. Use the same technique described above. The fun part about using a bar is that it can be hung outdoors or used on a party table or as a photo booth for fun pictures.

Our final suggestion to creating your own ribbon curtain is to actually use a curtain and either permanently affix the ribbon rolls or using tape, or another removable adhesive, temporarily place the ribbons along the curtain. This creates a unique and fun way of displaying the customized ribbon rolls and will add character to any function.

A Couple of Extra Ideas

Tie the curtains on the backs of chairs for a unique detail at a formal party or wedding, use shorter ribbons for a fun picture accessory, or tie the ribbon rolls around a curved bar or hula hoop for hanging decorations at a birthday party.

Our ribbon rolls come in a variety of types and sizes. From Grosgrain to Floral Satin Acetate and even Organza, we can meet any need you might have. Can’t decide which will work best for your project? Try browsing our Idea Gallery to help with your ideas.

Unique and Easy Ribbon Jewelry

There are many things you can create from ribbon rolls. Why not use them to create your own unique ribbon jewelry. Here are a few ideas:

unique ribbon roll beaded necklace ribbon jewelry Beaded Necklaces: This ribbon jewelry project is super easy. Choose your favorite ribbon and measure it by looping it around your neck. Make it as long as you would like, add a couple inches for the knotting, and trim the piece off the ribbon roll. Then, simply add beads! There are many kinds of beads that can be used on this project; and thousands of colors. Thread a bead onto the ribbon and move to the center. Tie a knot on each side of the bead making it immobile. Continue to do this until you have the desired look. This example has extra ribbon cut to make two cute bows at the end of the beading. Simply finish the necklace by tying the ends together in a bow.

Metal Tab Ribbon Jewelry: For a bracelet, thread your ribbon through a washer, making sure to leave plenty of ribbon left over on the end. Thread the ribbon through a second washer and then back down through the hole of the first washer. Pull the ribbon tight. Thread the ribbon back through the hole in the second washer. Thread the ribbon through the middle of a third washer and back through the hole in the second washer, pulling the ribbon tight. Repeat this process as many times as you like until you are happy with the amount of washers on your necklace or bracelet. When you are done, trim the ends of the ribbon so they are the same length and tie them together.

These pop tab necklaces can be done with several ribbon colors. For this example, there are two colors. Start by measuring out the two ribbon rolls to the desired length and knot them at one end. Using an under and over weaving pattern, add the first tab to the bracelet by weaving the ribbon under the first slot in each pop tab for each ribbon. Then add the second pop tab by weaving over the first slot. Follow this with weaving them back through the first pop tab. Tighten the ribbons to make sure they are laying correctly and add the third tab using the same steps. Repeat this pattern until your bracelet is the desired length. Once done, simply tie the ends together into a bow.

Ribbon Headbands: While not exactly ribbon jewelry, the only materials needed for this easy craft are two pieces of ribbon that are equal in length and a plastic headband. This headband can have two colors or one. Start by taking one ribbon by the end and fold it back on itself to form a loop. Take the second ribbon and wrap one end around the base of the first ribbon’s loop, then tie it into a secure knot. Make sure to leave a short tail on each ribbon for the end of the bookmark. Note that the tails should be on the same side of the longest tail on the first ribbon. This step should also leave the length of the first ribbon hanging down. You should be able to gently pull on this longer tail to adjust the size of the loop. Once the knot is secure, form the second ribbon into a loop (just like the first loop you made) and thread it through the first loop and pull the first loop’s tail down to secure the second loop. Make sure to leave this as flat as possible and not bunched. If it becomes bunched, you are pulling the loops too securely. Now that you have completed this, the rest of the project just repeats itself from left to right. So, at this point you should have a loop on the right side. Pull the right hand ribbon through this loop and secure it down with the ribbon on the left. Now you should have a loop on the left side. Repeat this process until you have created a the braid as long as you want. To finish the bookmark, instead of forming more loops, pull one side of the ribbon all the way through to create a free end. Pull the other end up to match this one and finish with a simple overhand knot. Make sure this isn’t pulled too tightly or it will smash the final braid. Now, by using hot glue, simply attach the chain to the headband.

Building School Spirit

Show pride in your school with two-color school spirit bows.

Perfect for school fund raisers, booster clubs, school bands, pep rallies or just for fun. You can use any color combination to coordinate with your school or favorite sports team. Take these school spirit bows one step further by adding a logo, saying or motto as a custom ribbon roll.

Each school spirit bow can be used in many different ways. Use them for chair decorations, hair ribbons or pom-pom accessories. And the best way to use them is by recognizing each student and helping them to develop positive feeling for themselves and the school. By helping all students to know of their worth, school spirit can be developed and shown in everything around the students.

While there are many ways to make and shape this type of bow, this is probably the easiest: Classic Pom-Pom Bows.

school spirit bows with personalized ribbons using satin acetate ribbon rolls Pom-pom bows are the fullest type of ribbon bows. To make this bow, you will need two very long pieces of ribbon; they will need to be the same length. The longer the pieces of ribbon, the fuller and bigger the bow will be. Start by matching the ribbons together, making sure that each of the ends match up. This puffy bow is then made by wrapping the ribbon around your fingers or another device, such as a ruler. The main point on this bow is that the loops are uniform in size. Start with five or six wraps. To make your bow larger, spread your fingers or use a longer object. To make it fuller, add more loops. After completing the wraps of ribbon, fold the loops in half. Tie the bow in the middle with a coordinating narrow ribbon or wire. Separate the loops one by one to the right and left from the inside out. Twist each ribbon loop toward you as you pull it from the center. Make sure that the colors are alternating in your bow.

While most ribbon will work for this project, make sure to use a ribbon that will be of the appropriate size for your project. The thinner the ribbon roll is, the smaller the bow will be. Also, Floral Satin Acetate ribbon or DYNA Floral Satin ribbon will typically hold the bow shape better than an Organza ribbon or Single/Double Face Satin ribbon will.

101 Ways To Use Personalized Ribbon Rolls

Ribbons can be used in a wide variety of ways. Many people have made lists of what one can do with a personalized ribbon, so here is our version. And, while this list doesn’t actually reach 101, it is sure to provide inspiration to reach that mark!

Getting Creative

Create personalized ribbon with names or dates for an event, such as a birthday or wedding, and wrap an invitation. You can also wrap this personalized ribbon around wedding or other programs.

Create small tags with a single letter forming a title and use narrow ribbons to attach to a scrapbook page.

Use ribbon to tie tags onto presents or party favors, or wrap presents.

Make a flower with loops or scraps of ribbon and attach a button in the middle.

Use to decorate a yard for a party; tie onto a tree or branch, a porch railing, etc.

Tie up a group of skeleton keys for decoration for a scrapbook or to simply hang on a wall.

Personalized Ribbon Decorations

Glue or tie personalized ribbon to a candle or a vase for centerpieces at a wedding.

Use it to tie silverware together for a table setting; even add the napkin underneath the silverware.

Use for embellishments for scrapbooks, smash books or other hand made items.

Use personalized ribbons to hang a locket holding something special or a charm/pendent that has a special meaning. This can be worn as a necklace or hung on a wall for decoration.

Use personalized ribbons with names or a date, and fold around the corner of a photograph to personalize it; secure the ribbon with a paperclip or double sided tape.

Ribbon Wands

Make ribbon wands using a dowel and tying ribbon strips to the top. These are great for a little girl’s birthday party; simple and so cute!

Make a ribbon wreath from leftover ribbon scraps. All you need is a wreath form and simply start tying pieces of ribbon all the way around the form. Slide the ribbons together or spread them apart slightly, but make sure that there isn’t any of the wreath form that is visible. Use as many ribbons as you like to create your own look.

Make a ribbon chain for holiday or party decorations. String these on mantles, doors and even a Christmas tree.

Tie personalized ribbon around cinnamon sticks or bags of potpourri for party favors. These can then be placed anywhere that someone would like to smell nice, such as a sock drawer or on a mantle.

Simply put, use personalized ribbons as shoelaces.