DIY Ruffle Ribbon Wreath for Fall

                    

Here's an amazing DIY decorative wreath using ruffle wired ribbon on cardboard adorned with a Bowdabra bow that's topped with a ribbon rosette. How fabulous does that sound! Especially for Fall! This post first appeared on bowdabra.com where I'm on the design team.

To Make, you will need:

• 13" Wood Hoop or bowl 
• Ruler
• Cardboard
• Craft Knife
• 2.5" wired ribbon (10+yds)
• Pencil or stick to wrap pulled wire
• Fabri-Tac fabric glue or hot glue gun
• Bowdabra and Bowdabra Wand
• Bowdabra Bow Wire
• 2.5" contrasting ribbon

Let's begin by drawing a 13" circle on cardboard using a 13" wood hoop or any round object such as a cookware top or bowl.

Cut the circle out using a craft knife.

Place a top or bowl in the center of the cutout cardboard circle that measures three inches from the edge of the circle and draw another circle. I used an 8" plastic bowl for this. Then cutout inner circle and .  .  .

you have the base of the wreath.

To make the first ruffle, leave the wired ribbon on the roll. For this project I had a 50yd roll of wired ribbon from Sam's Club. You need that much! Begin gently pulling out the wire on the top edge to create the ruffles. Use a pencil to wrap the wire around to keep it neatly together. 

It took about nine feet of wired ribbon to make one ruffle to fit around the cardboard wreath. Leave a bit of wire on the end, wrapping it around into a knot, cutting off excess ribbon. Apply glue along the edge of the ruffle ribbon and fold over to make a small hem. Do the same for the other ribbon end adding glue and folding ribbon end over to make a small hem. Attach the ruffle to the cardboard using Fabri-Tac fabric glue along the cardboard edge in increments.

Smoothly press down the ruffle edge of the ribbon along the edge as you apply the glue .  .  . 

until the edge is completely covered with the ruffle.

Repeat creating the second ruffle using the same techniques as before and .  .  .

for the third ruffle, spacing the ruffles to cover the cardboard wreath.

Doesn't this wreath look gorgeous with the three rows of ruffle ribbon! Wait until you add the bow!

Glue on a hanging loop at the top center back using Bowdabra wire secured with a strip of ribbon that's glued on. 

To make the bow with a wire ribbon rosette center:

Fold a 18″ length of bow wire in half and place in the Bowdabra, tucking ends under. Leaving the wired ribbon on the roll, pinch the ribbon in the center and twist down into the Bowdabra, leaving six inches for the tail. Create a 6.5" loop by folding over the ribbon, twisting the ribbon down into the Bowdabra smoothing the ribbon out.

On the opposite side, fold over the ribbon creating another loop, twisting the ribbon down into the Bowdabra. Match the size of the loops by holding up the loops along the tower of the Bowdabra.

Next, make another loop, slightly shorter than the first two, folding over, twisting the ribbon down into the Bowdabra and making another loop on the opposite side for a total of four loops (two on each side), leaving enough ribbon for a matching tail cutting off the excess ribbon.

 Use the Bowdabra wand to crunch down the bow.  

Add contrasting ribbon loops by taking an 18" piece of 2.5" ribbon, pinching the end  down into the Bowdabra. Make a 3.5" loop twisting down into the Bowdabra. 

Then make a 3.5" loop on the opposite side, twisting down into the Bowdabra.

Crush down the ribbon using the Bowdabra wand. Then cut off excess ribbon.

While the bows are still in the Bowdabra, thread the two loose ends of the bow wire through the loop, pulling tightly, gently pulling it out.

Tie in a double knot at the back to secure. Cut off excess bow wire.

Dovetail the ribbon ends by folding the ribbon together and cutting at an angle from the corner tip up to the fold. 

To make the ribbon rosette for the center of the bow, cut off about 18 inches of ribbon. Begin by gently pulling the wire out of one side of the ribbon to create the ruffle. Glue down the ribbon ends to secure the wire and ruffle.

Begin coiling the ribbon tightly for the center forming a "bud."

Continue coiling the ribbon, loosely until  .  .  .

a rosette is formed. Use a clamp to hold in place.

Then wrap the excess wire around the base and .  .  .

glue in place to the center of the bow.

And finally, glue on bow to the middle bottom of the ruffle ribbon wreath for a Fabulous Fall look!