Ribbon

It’s the crowning feature that sits atop each design that you work so hard to create.

It’s available in wired, non-wired, and pre-made formats, and in one color and striped patterns made from polyester, silk, and sheer materials.

It’s purchased through manufacturers, suppliers, warehouse clubs, retailers, and online sources.

Ribbon can be compared to shoes: women designers insist that they can never have too many. That’s true, but there's a caveat.

You can buy as much ribbon as you want as long as you have a system in place to keep your precious rolls organized.

New designers need not feel overwhelmed with the choices when selecting the first ribbon rolls. There is a method to the buying madness. This page aims to help you unravel any problems that may occur as you plan your first purchase.

WHAT ARE THE CHOICES?

Ribbon is separated into the following categories:

• Styles - wired, non-wired, pull, stick on
• Sizes - from one-half inch to four-inch rolls
• Patterns - one color, multi-colored, stripes, dots, flowers, stars, hearts, and more
• Material - fabric, satin, silk, polypropylene, sheer, organza, lurex
• Other ribbon types: curling, raffia, wraphia, tulle, punchinello, imprinted

As with other design components, you must buy ribbon with clients in mind. The themes you expect to create will guide you through the selection process. For example, if housewarming, baby, and corporate designs are planned, ribbon for corporate and housewarming may be similar, while ribbon to celebrate new births will have a decidedly different pattern.

HOW MUCH TO BUY?

Purchasing up to 12 rolls in a variety of sizes and styles gets you off to a great start. Some patterns will be a good choice for multiple themes. That tip will help to streamline your purchase.

The 12 rolls do not include curling ribbon (shown at left) and raffia. Consider buying 6-10 curling ribbon rolls in primary colors (red, green, blue, and yellow) as well as gold and silver. Do not invest in raffia until you have a specific use in mind (green themes, men's baskets, etc.).

WHERE IS RIBBON PURCHASED?

The most-common places to buy ribbon are from wholesalers and suppliers, the firms with large assortments and great prices. However, there may be other suppliers in your area selling beautiful patterns, such as retail craft stores and warehouse clubs. Take your time in choosing where to buy before making your initial purchase.

 

Carefully select your inventory, looking at all of your options beforehand and creating a buying list on paper. Be sure to look at the number of yards on each roll to calculate how much each yard costs before making the first bow. There are big differences in the price per yard for rolls containing 10, 25, 50, and 100 yards.

HOW  IS IT STORED?

Ribbon suppliers sell spool holders, which are usually reserved for curling ribbon rolls. Look for available supplies in wholesale and supplier catalogs as well as on their Web sites.

Storage containers, rain gutters, and other non-traditional items are used by designers worldwide to store their ribbon in organized fashion. The Design Studio Extreme Makeover CD provides other ideas for proper ribbon storage as you watch the featured studio change from chaos to clean and organized.

IS IT BETTER TO MAKE MY BOWS, BUY PULL BOWS, OR USE A BOWMAKING DEVICE?

Only you can decide the best method for you to convert spooled ribbon into beautiful bows. Everyone loves the look of hand-tied bows, but making these bountiful toppings are a challenge for some. That leaves pull bows and bows made with a bowmaking device (Bowdabra, for example) as two alternatives that make a gorgeous focal point for your masterpiece.

Ribbon suppliers sell pull bows in beautiful styles. These bows are not only great for those who are "bowmaking challenged" but also for adorning lower-priced designs that don’t qualify for large, multicolor, hand-tied bows.

You'll find more ideas about ribbon and bowmaking at Retail Wraps

Watch how to make a bow at Gift Basket Video

©2006 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved.

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