Sunday, October 26, 2025

A Ruffled Ribbon and Bow Lighted Cone Tree

Christmas time can be quite overwhelming - and one way to help overcome this is to start early with an adorable easy to make ruffled ribbon and bow lighted cone tree! Here's a simple, creative craft idea to get you started that looks impressive but uses only a few items and little time to make!

I originally published this project on the Bowdabra.com site, where I am on the Design Team!

Supplies Needed:

Clear Plastic Cone Tree - 15"
Wired Ribbon - 2.5" wide
Measuring tape, straight pins/hot glue/scissors
Remote Control Base Light - 4"
Mini Bowdabra/Wand
Bowdabra Bow Wire

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! Plus Google Adsense provides a platform for me to monetize my content by hosting ads from Google's network of advertisers. The money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

How To:

I'm starting with a 15" clear plastic cone tree that I had in my stash. Before the craft store ACMoore went out of business, I picked up several plastic cone trees for fifty cents apiece. They were in the doll section and was suppose to be a doll's body but I haven't a clue how. I love using the clear plastic cones since you can add a light at the bottom to add color lighting which I think is so cool!

To Make the Ruffle Ribbon:

For the first row, cut off approximately 54 inches of wired ribbon. You want the ruffle to be very curvy so don't skimp on the amount of ribbon used. Since the ribbon's design is on one side, make sure the pattern is upright and not upside down. Then gently pull out a little bit of wire from the top side of one end of ribbon and then the other end. Secure one side by crimping the wire around and together a few times. Do this so, while you're pulling out the wire to gather the ribbon, wire on one side will not disappear into the fabric which will make it almost impossible to gather the fabric on that end.

Continue pulling the wire out, gathering into ruffles. Then measure the ruffle around the base of the plastic cone to fit, adjusting ruffles and pinning the ribbon fabric in place. Wrap excess wire into a tiny pile, squeezing together. Then glue ruffle in place with a dab of glue

Place ruffle on plastic cone for the first layer.

Continue making additional ruffle layers, gathering the ribbon by pulling the wire out . . .

adding ruffle ribbon layers, to cover the cone.

Be sure to continue to cut the ribbon in long lengths despite the narrowing of the tree to get the curvy effect of ruffles for each layer. I used at least 24 inches of ribbon for each of the last few layers.

Twelve ruffled layers in total.

To Make the Mini Bowdabra Bow Top:

Cut an 18" piece of Bowdabra bow wire, and fold it in half. Lay the folded bow wire in the Mini Bowdabra, tucking loop and ends under. Pinch one end of a 26" strip of ribbon, and place faced down into the Mini Bowdabra.

Then take the other ribbon end up and over the Mini Bowdabra tower, creating a large loop across and squeezing the ribbon down into the slot, smoothing out.

Pinch the center of the ribbon and inserting down into the Mini Bowdabra, creating three inch loops on each side.

Continue taking the ribbon over the tower and down into the Mini Bowdabra to create loops since the design on the ribbon is on one side and upright.

Scrunch down the loops with the Mini Bowdabra wand as you continue to make more loops . . .

for a total of eight loops - four on each side.

While the bow is still in the Mini Bowdabra, thread the two loose ends of the bow wire through the loop, pulling tightly while gently pulling the bow out. Tie bow wire around to the back and cut off excess wire.