Curling Ribbon Eggs

Curling ribbon isn’t just for packages anymore!

Believe it or not, curling ribbon has many uses other than gift wrapping! Along with some general curling ribbon tips, our party planners have searched high and low for some of these fun and functional ways to put curling ribbon to use at your next big celebration!

Try these tips for getting incredible curl in your ribbon:

• Cut desired length of ribbon.
• Find the natural curl of the ribbon and determine which side is shiny and which is dull.
• Grasp the ribbon between your forefinger and thumb on the opposite side of your writing hand.
• Open the scissors with your other hand holding them upwards.
• Wrap your fingers around the middle of the scissor’s blades and handles with your thumb along the side of the non-sharp blade edge.
• Press the blade firmly against the dull side of the ribbon with your thumb.
• Pull ribbon across the blade while pressing with your thumb. The harder you press on the edge of the ribbon as you pull it across the scissors, the tighter the curl!
• Release the ribbon. If you’ve done it properly, the ribbon should then spiral up creating a curl. If it is not curly enough, repeat the procedure making sure to use the scissors blade on the same side in order to strengthen the ribbon’s curl.

Manage unwieldy rolls of curling ribbon with this great idea!

Paper towel holders are great for managing your spools of curling ribbon as you are wrapping and crafting with them. As you pull your ribbon off the spool for cutting lengths, your spool stays put on the counter! If you are cutting numerous strands of equal length, measure a spot on your counter and mark with masking tape. Pull lengths of curling ribbon from the paper towel roll to the marked spot and cut.

Gift wrapping and oh so much more!

Of course, curling ribbon can be used for its original purpose of wrapping gifts but the ideas are limitless with just a little imagination. Check out these fun ideas!

• Fill gift bags and baskets with curled ribbon instead of tissue paper.
• Tie streams of curled ribbon to the necks of helium balloons floating from your ceiling.
• Line a doorway with streams of cascading curled ribbon.
• Tie balloons to long strands of curling ribbon and cascade them across your party room.
• Curl up (or recycle from old packages) big bundles of ribbon and place under a glass bell jar for a colorful centerpiece.
• Have girls make their own party favor jewelry by threading beads onto curling ribbon.
• Curl up small pieces of ribbon and glue to hairclips for more party favor jewelry.
• Throw a luau party and make grass skirts by tying multiple strands of green ribbon to a belt or scarf and tying it around your waist.
• Make a wreath by tying multiple pieces of same length ribbon to a wire wreath form and curling it up tight.
• Try crocheting with it! Believe it or not, curling ribbon can be crocheted into many craft items…use your imagination for endless possibilities!

Go green and recycle your old (or new) ribbons into funky drink coasters!

Follow these directions and use your imagination to create a wildly colorful coaster or stick to a solid color if you prefer simplicity.

• To start assembling a ribbon coaster, take a piece of pre-cut ribbon and roll the end up as tightly as you can. If you have trouble starting the coil, try wrapping the ribbon around a toothpick then pull tight.
• Once you have a coil about a half inch in diameter, pull the toothpick out and cut the ribbon off. Use a tiny piece of Scotch tape to secure the ribbon on the side of the spiral. You will need to cut it into strips that are narrower than the ribbon itself so the tape doesn’t stick out past the width of the ribbon. This will assure a nice smooth surface on the top and bottom of the coaster.
• Pick your remaining colors and tightly wind them around the coil. Each time you want to change colors, cut off the current ribbon and tape the end in place.
• Attach a new end with another piece of tape. Once the coil gets about an inch wide, it may be too hard to hold, so just place it on the table and keep on wrapping. Just make it tight enough to be able to pick the coaster up without the coil falling apart.
• You can stop winding ribbon whenever you reach your desired size (4 or 5 inches across is a good range).
• Apply several coats of polyurethane (available in hardware or craft store) to the top, bottom and sides to give the coaster a nice thick glossy finish as well as sealing the ribbons together.
• After a few hours your coasters will be dry to the touch, but it may take 2-3 days to fully cure.
• To finish the look, you may want to glue a thin piece of cork or felt to the bottom of the coaster.

Ribbon Chandeliers for showers, birthday parties and kids’ rooms!

Make a big statement at your little girl’s next birthday party with a cool ribbon chandelier! With some curling ribbon, a hot glue gun, a wood quilter’s hoop, and a little bit of time, you can create a unique decorative item that she can hang in her room when the party is over.

Directions:

• Cut curling ribbon into 24” strips (use multiple colors to match your party theme!)
• Glue two longer strips by evenly spacing 4 dots of glue to the wood hoop and cross the ribbons at the top in an “x” shape. This will become your hanger.
• Fold the 18” strip of ribbon in half. Wrap it around the hoop and pull the tails through the loop. Pull tight and insert a tiny dot of glue underneath the knot to secure.
• Repeat process. If alternating between multiple colors, its best to work in threes.
• Once you have filled the hoop full of dangling ribbons you can decide if you want to add curl to the ribbon or leave it hanging with its natural shape.

For a finished look, glue a ½” coordinating ribbon around the hoop to hide the knots. For extra fanciness you may even choose to glue sequins around the hoop’s edge.

If you are making this item for a baby shower chandelier, try making a few of the ribbons longer and hang some small items like pacifiers, rattles or little toys on a few of the ribbons, creating a “mobile” effect. After the shower it becomes a cute and entertaining nursery decoration for the new baby!