Red, White and Blue Tassels

 

Hi Crafters!

Today I have some red, white and blue tassels for you.  They're perfect for the upcoming holidays - Flag Day and the Fourth of July. They're so easy to make.  Set up a table for the kids and let them help decorate!

Here's one of the finished tassels:

To create these tassels, use an assortment of Gwen Studios ribbons: Here I have some striped grosgrain and Sweet Shop packages.

Cut 6 - 12" lengths of ribbon for each tassel.  I used the three striped grosgrains, the star ribbon and the blue satin for mine.

Paint some wooden candleholders for the tops of the tassels. These are 1" high painted red.

Fold the ribbons in half and tie a length of thread around the center of the ribbons.  

To create a tassel that flares out, arrange the ribbons crossing in an X and tape down to your surface with masking tape on either side of the center. Slide the thread under the center and tie tightly.

Thread the twine ends through the hole in the candleholder and pull the ribbons into it.

Wrap the candleholder with more of the thread leaving tails.  Slide buttons or beads on the ends of the tails and knot.

To finish the top, slide on buttons and beads, knot a couple of times and knot again for a hanging loop.

Hang the tassels separately or attach them to a garland.

The ribbon and buttons are from Gwen Studios. 

You can find them at Walmart.com.

White buttons

Red buttons

Or:

Michaels.com

Sweet Shop ribbon

Find more patriotic ribbon designs at the Designer Crafts Connection!

Flowered Bag

 Hello! 

This month for my Gwen Studios project I created a flowered bag using their ribbons, buttons and iron-on patches.

Flowered Bag

To make this bag, you'll need the following:

A bag, canvas or burlap 

Gwen Studios 3/8" ribbon, pastel buttons, bee patches 

Hot glue, Felt Glue

The following are links to Walmart.  

Pastel Buttons

Solid and Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon

Bumble Bee Patches

Instructions:

For the flowers, choose your buttons.  Cut matching or contrasting ribbon in 3" pieces.  I used 8 per flower and hot-glued them to the back of the button.

I added a smaller button in the center of the larger one.  

Arrange your flowers on the bag as desired.  Mark the stems with a fabric marker if you like.

For the stems and leaves, cut green grosgrain ribbon in the lengths to fit your design.  To adhere the ribbon to the bag, I used Felt Glue from Beacon Adhesives.  

Adhere the stems first aligning them with the bottom seam.  I tucked the ends of the ribbon into the seam.  If your bag doesn't have a seam, you could fold under the end of glue some buttons over the ends.

Hot glue the flowers over the ends of the stems.  Use felt glue to adhere the leaves.  I overlapped the leaves and tucked the ends into the seam.  I left the top of the leaves unglued.

To finish, glue the bumblebees among the flowers.

Falling Leaves

Hi Folks!

 The feel of fall in the air - cooler nights, leaves turning color and flocks of birds preparing to fly to warmer climes.

It's one of my favorite times of year for decorating. I love the mix of colors! This year I'm making a fall leaf spray to hang on a door. 

I'm using stiff felt (Kunin Friendly Felt) and Gwen Studios ribbons. I'm cutting the leaves using my Sizzix Big Kick and a leaf die from Tim Holtz. If you don't have a leaf die, head outside and pick up a few leaves for patterns and cut them out freehand.

In order to make the flat leaves more dimensional, I folded them in half and sewed a line down the back.  If you don't have a sewing machine, hand stitching will work, too.

I used hot glue to tack the leaves together.  I cut a total of 24 leaves for this spray.

Then, I cut off the tails on one of the pre-made bows.  I undid the second one and added the length to make longer tails.  I also added lengths of grosgrain ribbon in red, yellow and brown and hot glued them to the back.

I added a hangar at the back of the bow.  I used a paper clip, but you can use a loop of narrow ribbon or string. Although I made a spray to hang, these look great as a centerpiece for your holiday table.  Intertwine the leaves with colorful ribbons.

You can find Gwen Studios ribbon at your local craft and hobby store (Joann's) or at Walmart or on Amazon.

Look for these ribbons:

Brown Plaid Burlap Ribbon

Grosgrain 3/8" Ribbon

Look for more fun ribbon ideas using Gwen Studios ribbons on the Designer Crafts Connection.

(I receive the Gwen Studios ribbons as part of the perks of being a member of the design team.  They have a wide variety of high-quality ribbons, which I am very pleased to use and recommend.)

Ribbon Flower Pin

 Hi Everyone!

It's beginning to look like Spring here. It's lovely after all the rain we've had here in Sonoma County.

In celebration of Spring, I've made a Ribbon Flower Pin. 

 It's quick.  It's easy.  And, you can use any color ribbon or type you like. Of course, I'm using Gwen Studios ribbon.  For color and quality, you can't beat it!

Here's what you'll need to make a flower like mine:

15" of 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon (flower color)

5" of 3/8" wide grosgrain ribbon (center color)

10" of 5/8" wide grosgrain ribbon in green

Tools: scissors, needle and thread, hot glue and glue gun

Instructions:

To start, I've used a wide grosgrain ribbon (1 1/2").  I used 15" of ribbon, but you can make it smaller or larger.

Begin by sewing a running stitch along one edge of the ribbon.

Pull up the thread to gather the ribbon and make a couple of small stitches to hold.

Fold the raw ends of the ribbon to the back and tack with thread or hot glue.  Arrange the flower into circle and glue or tack. 

Fold a 5" piece of 3/8" ribbon into pleats tacking with needle and thread as you go or glue.  This will be the center of the flower.

Glue this into the center of the flower.

For the leaves, cut two 5" pieces of green grosgrain ribbon (5/8").  Cross ends over to create the leaf.

Glue or tack the ends together and glue to underside of flower.  

Glue a circle of felt to the back of the flower and adhere the pin back.

Easy, right?  Of course, you could add this to a headband or hair clip instead of making a pin.  Or, use satin ribbon or organza ribbon.  So many possibilities!  What will you do with this easy flower?

Look for Gwen Studios ribbon at your favorite craft store (like Joann's or Michaels), at Walmart and on Amazon.

Find more great Spring ribbon ideas on the Designer Crafts Connection.

Disclaimer:  I'm a member of the Gwen Studios Design Team and receive samples of ribbon and other items as part of my compensation.  

Rustic Harvest Cones

 Hi Everyone,

This month's ribbon project for Gwen Studios is a burlap cone that you can use to decorate for harvest, Thanksgiving or even the Christmas season.

These versatile cones are quick and easy to make.  You can hang them up or lay them at each place setting.  You can fill them with candy, nuts, dried or artificial flowers, leaves, herbs like lavender and rosemary or even your napkin and silverware.

To start, cut a circle from burlap.  I made mine from a 9" circle, but any size will work.  Use a lid or plate for a template, trace around and cut.

Then, roll up the circle into a cone.  Glue under the edge. I used hot glue on these, but double-sided tape would work as well.

Using the Plaid Burlap Ribbon from Gwen Studios, glue a piece around the edge of the cone and overlap in the front.  Add a bow of your choice.  I added 3/8" brown grosgrain ribbon to the bow.  Add more ribbon to hang the cone and fill with festive fall leaves or flowers.

Here's another more elegant version. For this one, I used some Gwen Studios trim.

Isn't that pretty?  I love lace and burlap. For the bow, fold ribbon in half for the tails and glue at the center. Layer two loops of ribbon and wrap with twine around the center of the loops. Glue over the tails.

Here are some links for the Gwen Studios ribbon:

Plaid Burlap ribbon and bows

Trims, trims and more trims

Grosgrain ribbon

Gwen Studios ribbons and trims are available at Michaels.com, Joann.com, Walmart.com and Amazon. 

As you can see, this cone is adaptable to a variety of colors and occasions.  Use different colors of burlap, different fabrics and, of course, your choice of trims and ribbons.  Check out the other Thanksgiving ribbon ideas at the Designer Crafts Connection blog!

Shabby Sunflowers with Gwen Studios Ribbon

 Happy Fall!

Besides pumpkins, sunflowers are my favorite fall decoration.  Here are some Shabby Sunflowers made with Gwen Studios ribbon.  

Shabby Sunflowers

I like the look of raveled edges, so I thought I'd try that with the Gwen Studios grosgrain ribbon.  It worked!

To make a sunflower, you'll need:

Print cotton fabric for the center (5"square)

Sewing thread and needle

Small amount of stuffing

12" of 1 1/2" grosgrain ribbon in yellow or orange; 9" of 3/8" ribbon to match from Gwen Studios

Bamboo skewer

Green paint

2 1/2" terra cotta pot

Moss

Twine for bow

Buttons (your choice)

Felt in green or brown to cover back of flower

Hot glue and glue gun, scissors, paintbrush

Instructions:

Trace and cut a 4 1/2" circle from print fabric.  Sew a running stitch around the edge and gather.  Add a small amount of stuffing, pull up your threads and tie them in a knot.  Trim.

From 1 1/2" wide grosgrain ribbon, cut twelve 1" pieces.  Trim to a petal shape and fray the edges with your fingernail.  Make 12.

Paint the bamboo skewer green. Trim the skewers to the height you like.  I like to make them different heights.

Glue petals around back edge of fabric center.  Glue stick to back of flower.  Layer and glue buttons to center of flower.  Glue a circle of felt to cover back.  

Here are the sunflowers without the buttons, which I also like. Other options:  sew a button in the center to give it more dimension; add small buttons in a ring or randomly.

Glue narrow ribbon around top of pot.  Add stuffing to pot.  Push stick into the center and glue.  Glue moss over the stuffing.  

Tie a twine bow to the stem.

You can find Gwen Studios ribbon at Michaels and Walmart.

Easy Fabric-Wrapped Pumpkins

 Happy Harvest!

Harvest is starting here in our neck of the woods.  For us in this county that means apples, grapes and vegetables.  I love this time of year and it's always fun to decorate for fall with its bright, warm colors.  One of my favorite decorations is pumpkins.

This year, I'm making fabric covered pumpkins decorated with Gwen Studios ribbon.  These were such fun to make, and they are so easy, that I made a bunch!

I started out making large ones (4-6") and made three in different fabrics.

Then, I found the cutest tin pickup truck perfect for fall decorating, so I had to make pumpkins to fit it.

Here's how I made them:

You'll need:  foam balls, fabric, hot glue or thick tacky glue, grosgrain ribbon, pieces of sticks, ball-head pins, sequin pins (optional), scissors

1.  Flatten the foam ball on opposite sides.

2.  On one side, scoop out a cone-shaped piece with a kitchen knife.  This will be the top.

3.  Place the ball bottom down in the center of a circle of fabric (wrong side up). Your circle needs to be big enough to wrap the sides to the center.  (The diameter of your fabric circle is the circumference of your ball.)

4. Bring one side of the fabric to the center of the ball.  Then, pick up the edge close to the center and overlap in a pleat.

 

Use a pin to hold the fabric in place.  Trim away the center fabric if you have too much.  Lift up the fabric and add glue to the center hole.  Press in and around the hole using the end of a paint brush or other implement.

5.  Make a ribbon leaf using grosgrain ribbon like I did or another type of ribbon you like.  Cut a length of ribbon (3-4") and cross the ends.  Stitch or glue to hold.  

Glue the cut end of the ribbon leaf into the center pressing it into the hole.  Glue a short stick in for a stem.

Here are the larger pumpkins before I added the leaves. After doing it this way, I decided that it's easier to glue the leaves on first, but it works either way.

Here are the finished pumpkins.  Add one, two or three leaves in the color you like.

For the smaller pumpkins, I used sequin pins to hold the fabric and pushed them into the center to hold.  Then, I glued in the leaf and stem.

For the grosgrain ribbon, I used Gwen Studios ribbon available at Walmart and Michaels. I am a Design Team member for Gwen Studios and receive ribbon samples with which to design.  

Happy Harvest!

Need more ideas?  Check out these fall decorating ideas:

Terry Ricioli Designs: Shirt Sleeve Pumpkins

Terry Ricioli Designs: Faux Tin Pumpkins

Terry Ricioli Designs: Happy Fall!

Terry Ricioli Designs: Etched Mini Pumpkins

For more fall ideas search pumpkins or scarecrows on the Search feature on my blog.