Using ribbons is a quick way to dress up an outfit.
Ribbons and bows are available in a vast array of finishes and widths, from sleek and silky satins to soft and shimmery organzas. Ready-made bows make attaching embellishments to garments or accessories a simple process, but making your own with flat ribbon gives you more choice regarding the size of bow and the style and fabric it's made from.
Hair Bows
You can dress up a little girl's ponytail by simply tying a length of ribbon around the ponytail, leaving long ribbon tails to hang down with the ponytail, or you could custom-make barrette bows by gluing bow-tie type bows onto barrette clips. To make a bow-tie bow, first fold the ribbon into a loop that is as wide as you'd like the bow. Using a needle and thread, push the needle up through the middle of the looped ribbon, then wind the thread around the center of the loop to gather the ribbon into a bow shape. Make a few stitches to secure the thread, then snip the cotton. Hide the wound thread by wrapping a narrow ribbon, or embroidery floss, over the thread, then tie a knot behind the bow. Glue the bow tie to the barrette clip.
Ribbon Jewelry
Ribbon and bead necklaces are a stylish way to accessorize any outfit, looking either glamorous and formal or relaxed and casual depending on the type of ribbon or beads. Use ribbon as a fastener for a short string of beads by attaching a length of ribbon to each end of the strung beads and tying the ribbons in a bow at the back of the neck. Use a couple of complementary ribbons, such as one silky length and one organza, to give a luxurious effect. The advantage of this type of necklace fastening is that you can choose how long you would like the necklace to be for different occasions or to suit different outfit and neckline styles.
Bookmarks
A bookmark, handmade with a length of luxurious ribbon, is the perfect accompaniment to the gift of a book. Choose a wide ribbon, about 14 inches long, and dress it up by weaving a narrower ribbon though it. On the wrong side of the wider ribbon, cut slits 1 1/2 inches apart that are the same width as your narrow ribbon, then thread the narrow ribbon through the slits to created a woven effect. Hold the two ribbons in place by stitching across the width of both the ribbons. Give both ends of the bookmark a fringe by teasing out a few of the crosswise threads.
Ribbon Watch Straps
Watchbands made with either a stiff, grosgrain ribbon or a soft and feminine organza ribbon complement any outfit and are cheap enough to make that you can wear a different one every day. For the simplest ribbon watchbands, choose a length of ribbon that's a little wider than your watch's tabs, then thread the ribbon through both tabs so the ribbon lies under the watch face. Get someone to help you tie the ribbon in a bow around your wrist, or for a simple fastening you can do yourself, attach D rings to the ribbon after trimming it to the size of your wrist.
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