Pleated Ribbon DEErections

Here's a step-by-step tutorial of my pleated ribbon.

Materials needed: card stock, Sticky Strip, ribbon, ruler, Glue Dots, scissors

1. Cut a strip of card stock your desired length and width slightly thinner than your ribbon. You can skip this step, if you'd like to adhere your ribbon directly to your card front. I like this method because you can adjust the placement of your pleated ribbon later.



2. Add Sticky Strip to the front side of your card stock.



3. Adhere your ribbon to the back side of your card stock.



The following steps are best done on top of a ruled surface marked with quarter inches. Here, I use my Fiskars ruler. (I apologize for not lining it up with my mat. Please ignore the white lines from my mat! and focus on the lines on my ruler!) If you choose to have uneven crooked pleats, there's no need for a ruler!

4. Adhere your ribbon to the front side the width that you want your pleats to be. Then fold your ribbon back. For this example, I am creating 1/2" pleats.



5. Fold your ribbon forward again to create your first pleat. I usually like to create my first pleat back a bit so my pleat doesn't start directly at the edge.



6. Continue to adhere your ribbon the width of your desired pleats and pulling back the same width.



7. After several pleats, your side view will look like this. Continue for the width of your card stock piece.



8. Use glue dots to adhere your pleats. You may want to use two glue dots per pleat with wider ribbon.



10. Continue to the last pleat.



Note: If you want your pleats to be more flat, you may consider ironing your pleats on a low heat setting.