How to Pleat a Ribbon

Decorate your presents by making your own pleated ribbon.

You may have seen fancy ribbon decorations in gift shops and thought about how difficult it would be to make them. Such decorations have intricate designs and delicate twists, and are sold for a high price in gift and card shops. The good news is that making such designs out of ribbon is not exceptionally difficult. All you have to do is pleat a ribbon, which requires minimal supplies and will show off your crafting skills on any occasion.

Things You'll Need

• Ribbon
• Needle and thread (or sewing machine)
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Gather your materials and choose a ribbon that is a complementary color to the background of the item you want to attach it to. This can be a card, a gift or any other background you wish to use. Decide the shape you want to pleat the ribbon into. Some common shapes include rectangles and squares.

2. Turn about 1/2 inch of the ribbon under the consecutive part of the string of ribbon. The fold should overlap the ribbon and create a pleat. Use your sewing machine or a needle and thread to make multiple stitches in the center of the pleat where you have overlapped the ribbon to secure it in place.

3. Continue turning the ribbon and placing it underneath its consecutive portion to create more pleats. Secure these pleats by adding multiple stitches onto the center overlapped portion. Continue this process until you form pleats out of a whole string of ribbon, forming one side of the shape you want to make.

4. Stop pleating once you have pleated a whole side. Change the side of the ribbon in the direction you wish it to go according to the desired shape. For example, if you wish to make a rectangle, turn the ribbon toward the right or the left.

5. Repeat the procedure described in Steps 2 and 3 to construct the shape you require for your ribbon. Continue making pleats along each of the sides of the ribbon by folding the ribbon and securing the folds with multiple stitches.

6. Take a new strip of ribbon and place it below the existing one or the last pleat that you formed if you run out of ribbon before completing your shape. Continue the process in the same manner until you finish your shape.

Tips & Warnings

• Use multiple colors of ribbon to add to the beauty of your design

• Try making flowers and other shapes by pleating ribbon in the same way.

References

• Rays Florist: How to Box Pleat Ribbon
• TRS Ribbons: Pleated Ribbon