Homemade Crinkle Ribbon

Ya know, I think I like saving money making my own products to craft with than actually crafting.  ^__^  Today’s project is no exception.  I don’t know why it is so fun to make my own crinkle ribbon but it is.   I love mixing colors and seeing how beautiful it comes out.It’s pretty easy and can be made with a variety of different inks.  Whatever you have on hand will most likely work.  Here’s my products:  Seam Binding in White (Hug Snug is the only brand I could find), water in a spritzer and ink.  I am using Tim Holtz Distress Ink because I like the colors, they blend/bleed together pretty well and super easy to use.  I have also used homemade Glimmer Mist (that’s a tutorial for another day) and chalk inks.

Pull out as much binding as you think you are going to need/want in that particular color.  Here I pulled out about 3 yards.  Just start spritzing the binding and scrunching with your hands as you go.

Here it is after.  I wouldn’t recommend getting it too wet at first.  I have seen some crafters make theirs where you could ring them out and get a cup full of water.  I prefer it a little drier, just barely damp.  When you use Glimmer Mist, it’s wet anyway so it gets kind of messy and hard to get gradient colors if everything is soaking.  Make sense?  Hope I am explaining that right.  😀

Another reason I like my binding a little drier is when using Distress Inks, I can get better control of blending the colors.  The first color I used for this tut is Broken China.  Just keep daubing the whole pad and tossing till you get the color you want.

Then I used Faded Jeans.  Use the same method of daubing and tossing until you get the desired color and effect you need for your project.  Something to note:  when you are inking, the colors are going to be darker than the finished product.  So don’t worry about over coloring.

When I got the color I wanted, I spritzed it lightly again and scrunched.  This is the reason I keep it drier when using Distress Inks.  They are made to blend wonderfully with water.  So I get the effects I want with the second spritz.  So pretty!

Now take your finished ribbon and manhandle it into a ball.  Do not make it a smooth ball.  The idea is to keep it smooshed.

The drying part can be done in several ways.  You can just leave the ball alone till it’s dry or use your embossing tool.  See mine?  It’s an industrial strength one I bought at The Home Depot.  Can you guess why I love it?  Aside from the fact that it has my last name.  No losing this baby at crops, huh?  It drys and embosses so lightening fast!  I mean, move your fingers as they are about to melt fast.
Disclaimer:  It’s probably not real craft friendly, get one at your own risk.  ^__^

Now the problem with being impatient like me is, when you use the dryer method the heat straightens your new ribbon a bit.  You know like when you are too lazy to iron your pants so you just throw them in the dryer?  Ya, like that.  I just happen to like mine super duper crinkly so I usually leave it alone for a few days.  You may like yours a little less wrinkly but for the purpose of this tutorial I needed it dry fast.

Here are ones I made previously.  As you can see, they are really wrinkly if left to dry naturally compared to the blue I just used the dryer on.  I made a few with Distress Inks and some my homemade Glimmer Mists.

OK, let’s do some really bad math.  I paid $21.35 for two rolls with shipping.  ($7.50 a piece last August, they have since gone up in price to $9.50 at ZipperStop)  You get 100 yards in a roll.  The cheapest I could find for sale already finished was $2.80 on Etsy for 3 yards.  That’s .93 a yard, mine are .11 a yard if you use inks you have laying around.  Savings bonanza!  And with a 100 yard roll, you have a whole bunch of colors to play with.  Use the ribbon straight or crinkly.  Your choice.

Hope you enjoyed another one of my crafty money savers.  Keep checking back to see what other dollar saving ideas I can find for you.  Have a great day and happy crafting!

Supplies:

seam binding
water in spritzer bottle
any kind of dye ink