tutorials - Ribbon Impressions

Awareness Ribbons, Colors and Symbols

Custom Ribbon rolls cut to symbolize the colors red orange yellow green blue purple for awareness

Different colors and patterns are associated with various issues. Many advocacy groups have adopted ribbons as symbols of support or awareness. Awareness ribbons date back to 1917 when the yellow awareness ribbon showed up to support the US military while serving abroad. Since then, ribbon colors have been used for various causes and symbolize various concerns depending on the color and pattern.

Awareness ribbons are meant to show support or raise consciousness for a cause.

While these ribbons are used year round, some of the most prominent reasons for wearing awareness ribbons happen in October. Many schools acknowledge Red Ribbon Week during the last week of October. Others include breast cancer awareness, literacy awareness and cultural diversity awareness. For a complete list of awareness ribbon colors and months, a simple reference website is https://fundraisingforacause.com/pages/ribbon-color-meanings.

Creating Awareness

Yellow ribbon for support our troops awareness

Here is a simple tutorial on creating any color awareness ribbon you might need.

Step 1: Begin the ribbon by cutting a section of personalized ribbon that includes the entire text. It is key to make sure that when ordering personalized awareness ribbons, you appropriately space the text. In this example, they cut between Support and Troops. At this point, consider the finish of the ribbon. If the awareness ribbons need a slanted end, cut the section of the personalized ribbon at an angle.

Step 2: Form a small loop in the ribbon, leaving each end hanging down so you can see the text on the ends without covering it with the crossover. Attach this crossover, or intersection, using either a small piece of tape or hot glue. This will secure the shape of the awareness ribbon. Hot glue is the best option if you need to keep the awareness ribbon for long-term use.

Step 3: At this point, choose a fastener for the awareness ribbon. Pins are available at https://www.nametag.com/name-tags/fasteners.php. Keep in mind when ordering fasteners to go with the awareness ribbons to make sure they will match the thickness and design of the personalized ribbon. There are many options for fasteners. If they do not come with adhesive, use hot glue to affix them properly.

Event Branding with Ribbon Wristbands

We are always looking for new ways to use custom ribbon rolls.

Here’s what we found this week:Event Ribbon Wristbands!

Order customized ribbon rolls with a school’s name, a program name, a company or even an event name. Once you receive the ribbon rolls, simply cut them to the desired length and secure these ribbon wristbands around attendee’s wrists. Ribbon wristbands are easy to attach by either tying or with double sided tape. Save time by attaching a piece of double sided tape or some Velcro to each of the wristbands prior to your event.

Ribbon wristbands are great for school events. Ordering ribbon rolls is easy and is an inexpensive option compared to locating tickets and other paraphernalia needed to monitor attendance or security at an event. When imprinted with school information, these wristbands become a fun keepsake for students and other attendees. Wristbands are even great for fundraisers, used for school spirit, or corporate events.

Custom ribbon wristbands can also boost a corporate brand or image. Give any brand or sponsor the attention they need and deserve by adding a small logo or text to any custom ribbon roll. When event guests and attendees wear these matching wristbands, you will reach maximum exposure. Often these wristbands are worn for days, if not weeks, after any event and continue to be word-of-mouth advertising and marketing for long after the actual event.

Recently there has been a surge toward wristbands that are more versatile than the typical plastic, one time use, or paper wristbands. Ribbon wristbands are a great replacement for these temporary ones. Wristbands can be custom imprinted with most any message or small logo and will continue to bring in revenue and advertising after your event. Wristbands provide event planners with a more attractive accessory for any event that will double as a keepsake for any attendee.

How To: Canning Jars and Ribbons

No matter what the occasion is, when the urge hits to give someone flowers, keep in mind to never just steal them from your neighbor’s garden! Put some thought into the arraignment and make it a personal gift that will mean something for a long time with thoughtful personalized ribbons. And what better way than to make a personalized vase?

So, take those flowers from last week and create a home made project that is sure to please for years to come. We’re all into up-cycling anything these days. Why not incorporate all those old Mason Jars? While it isn’t required to actually use a Mason Jar, find a few of those old canning jars that are lying around your home. And here’s a couple amazing ideas to get you going in the right direction for that something special and personal. All you need is a canning jar without a lid and some scraps of ribbon!

Spring Tulips and Burlap Wrapped Mason Jars flower arrangements

gingham and mason jars a pretty cool life

mason jars with satin green ribbon and white doilies

flowers in clustered mason jars, held together with a ribbon

The simplest way to create a personalized masterpiece is an old canning jar, a wide strip of burlap and a favorite piece of old scrap ribbon. Simply wrap that burlap around the canning jar and secure down with a bit of hot glue. Next, take that ribbon and tie a pretty bow. It’s that simple!

Another way to create these simple vases is to just take a ribbon of your choice and wrap it around the top part of the canning jar. This example used gingham ribbon, but any ribbon will work. Make it personalized by ordering (or using some you already have) personalized ribbon rolls. Dress up this version with a simple paper doily wrapped around the canning jar before tying the ribbon around it.

The final suggestion is to arrange several canning jars together and secure them with a long piece of ribbon. Finish this with a simple, or maybe a more extravagant bow. Whether they be in clusters, like this example, or individual canning jars, these are sure to impress and be a keepsake for years to come.

Summer Reading with a Ribbon Bookmark

Now that all the kids are out of school, what are you going to do with them? While your kids may have a favorite book or genre they like to read, many kids don’t like to read during the summer. And for many parents, this becomes a concern. So, how do we get them excited for reading during the summer? Two words: RIBBON BOOKMARK!

Getting Your Kids Excited About Summer Reading

We all like our kids to stimulate their minds while on summer break from school. And it entertains them so we don’t have to! Personalize your child’s reading experience with fun, creative ribbon bookmarks using customized ribbon rolls and your child’s creativity!

PAPERCLIP BOOKMARKS

Paperclip bookmarks are probably the fastest and easiest personalized ribbon bookmarks. Only two materials are needed for this craft. Simply, ribbon scraps and colored paper clips. Each child can pick whatever color combinations they want. Use one or multiple ribbons for this idea! Once the child has selected a paper clip and their ribbon, simply take a paperclip and, on the opposite end of where you slide it onto the page, slide a piece of ribbon through so that the paperclip is in about the middle of the ribbon scrap. Tie this into a knot and repeat this process with as many colors as you want. Once complete, the paperclip can be securely fastened to the page once the child has finished their reading for the day. This craft is especially useful for younger kids and it also teaches how to tie knots.

BUTTON & RIBBON BOOKMARK

Button bookmarks may take a little more time and creativity and are great for older, more DIY children. Material needed for this craft include buttons, needle and thread, ribbon, and an elastic hair tie. The first step on this craft is to measure your ribbon. Make sure that the ribbon is about twice the length of the book you want to use it for. Then place the hair tie on the inside of one end of the ribbon and fold the edge over enough to cover the band. Sew, or use glue for younger children, this down to secure the hair tie. One the other end of the ribbon, fold the fabric down the same way you did on the previous end. This step needs to be included to prevent any fraying of the ribbon. Place the button on the outside of the folded edge, making sure to leave at least a finger’s width from the edge, and sew together. Again, you can use glue for younger children or as a quicker option, just make sure that the glue holds down the fold as well as the button. Once this craft is finished, wrap the bookmark through the book and attach at the front wrapping the hair tie around the button. This is a great personalized look as you can mix colors and ribbon sizes.

BRAIDED RIBBON BOOKMARK

Braided bookmarks are great for keeping hands busy for a while. These crafts are especially fun and unique as they teach hand-eye coordination as well as giving children a creative way to express themselves. The only material needed for this craft is two pieces of ribbon that are equal in length.

This ribbon bookmark 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.

How To: Rosette Award Ribbon Wreaths

During this early spring season, many shows are happening. And during these shows, many awards are given. Whether it’s for a prize animal, winning in a race or competition, or for a school or sporting event, all of these received awards deserve a special place to call home. There are many different ways of displaying these honors. This is a guide on how to make a rosette award ribbons wreath. These ribbon wreaths are not only easy to create, but they are also a fun way to show off several awards in one place. Follow these quick and easy steps to create your own wreath.

Step 1: Gather any rosette award ribbons that you will want on your wreath.

The first step is to gather all your items together onto a flat work surface. Only four items are needed to create this one-of-a-kind decoration. You will need to find a wreath that will fit with your needs. We purchased a 14” grape vine wreath from a local craft store. You also need all the rosette award ribbons you want to attach to the wreath. Make sure that you are willing to trim these ribbons; you don’t want to trim streamers off ribbons that you might regret at a later time. Lastly, you need a hot glue gun with glue sticks and a pair of sharp scissors.

Step 2: Preparing your ribbons for the wreath.

The ribbon wreath that we created had two ribbons that we left the streamers on. You can have as few or as many as you would like. Take the ribbons that you want to leave the streamers on, and set them aside so you don’t accidentally trim the streamers. The remaining ribbons will need to have the streamers cut off. The best way to do this is to turn them over so you are looking at the back of the rosette. Trim each streamer as close to the backing as possible so that nothing will show underneath from the front side. Turn the rosette back over to make sure the streamers are not showing.

Step 3: Arranging the ribbon wreath.

Once this is done for each rosette, arrange them however you would like on the wreath. Start with the rosettes you set aside with the streamers still attached and work around the wreath from that point. It is ideal to place the rosettes first before gluing them down to make sure you like the look as well as have enough room for each ribbon you want to incorporate onto the wreath. If you run out of room, consider leaving some of the ribbons out or try stacking or layering them. In our version, we wanted some of the wreath to show through, so we only used a handful of ribbons.

Step 4: Assembling the ribbon wreath.

When you are completely satisfied with the look you have now created, start gluing each ribbon down. Use the hot glue to permanently set each ribbon into place. We found that by putting the glue directly onto the wreath’s surface, the rosettes stayed in place better. Once the last rosette has been firmly secured, the final step is locating the best place to hang your new treasure! Whether you’re creating this ribbon wreath for personal or professional use, have fun with it and make it something of which to be proud.