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We are positively loving the trend of vintage award ribbons as decoration. So, when we added new felt ribbons and Renaissance Ribbons to the shop, we knew exactly what we wanted to make! This Award Ribbon tutorial will show you different techniques for manipulating ribbon and how to put it all together for a fantastic finished piece worthy of wearing or displaying. Join the winning team and let’s make some award-worthy ribbons!
Is there an award for “most crafty?” Asking for a friend.
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Time: Less than 1 hour
Additional Supplies:
Award Ribbon Template (click to download)
Cardstock
Directions:
Award Ribbon Assembly
1. Download Award Ribbon Template and print onto cardstock. Ribbon components will be hot glued directly to cardstock Template, so print/cut as many as needed.
2. Elements of Template will be referred to as “rings” and “sections.” Use ring and section lines as guides to ensure a neat and even finished piece. Skip rings, if needed, to ensure proper spacing. Template can also be trimmed down for a smaller finished piece.
3. Determine which components will be incorporated on the award. Working from the outermost ring toward the center, glue components onto Template. (See Ribbon Treatments)
4. Each award ribbon has a felt covered center. The size of center is determined by the finished composition. After all components have been added, use cardstock Centers from Ribbon Template to determine appropriate size.
5. Cut one Circle in selected size and a second circle, one size smaller, from stiffened felt.
6. Hot glue two stiffened felt circles together. Use pair to cut out felt circle about ½” bigger on all sides.
7. With needle and thread, sew a gathering stitch around felt perimeter. Place stiffened felt Center (smaller circle facing down) in center of felt and gather. Knot thread and trim ends.
8. Hot glue covered Center in the middle of award.
9. Trim ribbons, felt ribbons and felt strips for award streamers. Arrange and glue to back of cardstock Template.
10. Backing is made from stiffened felt. Use cardstock Backing from Ribbon Template to trace and cut a 3” stiffened felt circle. Size will need to be adjusted if Template was trimmed down at beginning.
11. Glue stiffened felt Backing to back of award. Add an optional hanging loop or pinback for wearing.
Ribbon Treatments
There are many ways to manipulate ribbon. Several examples are illustrated below. Use a combination of these treatments to create original award ribbons. To prevent ribbon ends from fraying, fold over a small amount at start and end and hot glue. This is not necessary for felt ribbon, as it does not fray.
LOOP - Cut ribbon double the desired finished length. Fold in half and hot glue ends together to form a loop. Press with iron to flatten or leave as is. Repeat for desired number of loops.
GATHER - Sew a running stitch along bottom edge of ribbon with small even stitches. Gather according to the desired length (ring circumference) and knot thread.
PLEAT - This treatment is achieved by hot gluing ribbon directly to cardstock Template. Decide on the length of pleats in relation to the Template. To begin pleating, span ribbon along desired number of sections, but do not glue down first section. This will allow end of pleating to be placed underneath beginning.
After gluing down span of ribbon, fold back one section and glue in place. From this new point, lay out ribbon across same number of sections. Glue in place entirely.
Continue around ring. At end of ring, finish last section of pleating by inserting end of ribbon under beginning. Glue in place.
For a 2-section pleat, follow same instructions decreasing span to 2 sections. Continue to fold back 1 section.
BOX PLEAT - This treatment is achieved by hot gluing ribbon directly to cardstock Template. Decide on the length of pleats in relation to the Template and glue in place. Use a ruler to measure and make a fold in the ribbon.
Glue down following section, leaving fold in place and unglued. After gluing second section, make identical fold. Repeat around entire ring.
Upon reaching starting point, trim ribbon and glue down. One by one, add a small amount of glue to either side of each fold and press flat to make a square or “boxed” pleat.
Make pleats larger by making a larger fold and vice versa.
POINTED LOOP – Cut ribbon double the desired finished length. From starting ring, add glue along section line and place ribbon flush with line. Fold ribbon over and twist to create a triangular loop. Add glue along second section line and glue down opposite side.
INVERTED POINTED LOOP – This treatment is made in the same manner as Pointed Loop, except ribbon is folder under and twisted to create a triangular loop – or upside-down version.
And the award goes to YOU! Mix and match these components a million different ways and for a million different occasions – birthdays, showers, camp crafts…
We hope you love these new ribbons and trims as much as we do! If you’d like to replicate the finished award ribbons we’ve shown with this project, download our Award Ribbons Pattern to get the exact details. And be sure to check out the full Renaissance Ribbon collection for more inspiration. It’s a win-win-win!
Thanks to Camille for designing and writing this tutorial! You can follow her on Instagram @notsomodernmillie or visit her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials!
