2-22-11 Technique Tuesday

Hello everyone, and welcome, again, to Technique Tuesday! Today, I am going to show you how to make a ribbon weaved embellishment, to use in your card making, or layouts.

They look complicated, and while they do take a little time, once you can get the hang of it, they come together very quickly.

These are a fantastic way to use your scraps of ribbon. I throw all of my ribbon scraps in baggies, sorted by size, to use from ribbon weaving. I can whip one out fairly quickly while sitting and watching TV.


Today, we will be making a 2 inch x 2 inch square, using two different patterns of 3/8" ribbon.

For this tutorial, I will be using Terrifically Tacky Tape, also known as red liner tape. This tape comes in a roll and is strong and very sticky. You cut the tape in strips and adhere it to one side of your project, then remove the red liner to reveal the "sticky" on the other side. I've chose this type of adhesive because it is easy for you to see the strips of Tacky Tape in the photos. It also works very well for holding the ribbon securely.

I like my ribbon strips to be at least 3 1/2" long. I find them easier to work with that way, but you can get by with cutting them around 3" long.

Okay, now lets assemble our supplies!


Supplies You Will need:

5 strips of 3/8" ribbon in pattern #1
5 strips of 3/8" ribbon in pattern #2
1 2" x 2" square of cardstock in a neutral color.
Red Liner Tape, Terrifically Tacky Tape, or other
adhesive of your choice


Instructions:

1. Start with a piece of 2" x 2" square cardstock & 10 strips of 3/8" wide ribbon, in two different patterns. (5 of each pattern)

2. Cut two strips of your red liner tape, slightly under 2" long. Attach these to two sides of your square, making an L-shape.

3. Remove the red liner from your adhesive and attach the edge of your ribbon strips along side each other, on your two strips of adhesive. The ribbon strips should hang off the sides of your cardstock square. This is the back. Your square should look like this:





4. Turn your cardstock square over so that the patterned sides of the ribbon are facing down (the secured ribbon edges are on the underside of the cardstock).

5. Start with the first strip of patterned ribbon #2 and weave it under and over the first piece of patterned ribbon #1. Your square should look like this:




6. Next, take the next strip of ribbon and do the same thing, but weave over and under. (Instead of under and over)

7. Continue weaving the remaining strips of ribbon on that side, alternating with and under/over weave and an over/under weave, until all ribbon pieces are weaved. Now, your square should look like this:




8. Add red liner tape to the back of your square. Remove the liner, tuck the end of the ribbon over the edge of the square, and secure on the backside of the cardstock.

Here is a picture showing the red liner tape on the back, before some of the red liner was removed. You can also see that I have already tucked some of the edges over and secured them on the back of the square:





9. Finish securing the remaining ends of the ribbon, onto the back of the cardstock. Now you have a completed ribbon weaved square.


Here is your finished product:





How cool is that?! Isn't it pretty?!

I bet you'd love to see a project made with this square now, wouldn't you?

Check back with us on Thursday, for a pic of a project using this ribbon weaved square, and a new challenge!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial! We'd love to hear your comments!