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Sunday, June 13, 2010

Tutorial - Making an Elegant Organza Ribbon Cord

  

I made some heart pendants a while ago and no matter what type of cord I tried with them, they just didn't seem to look right.  I had some organza ribbon in just the right colors and so did some experimenting and created some pretty organza cords.  This is how it is done:

Step 1 - Cut a piece of 1" (25 mm) wide organza ribbon 1-2 inches longer than you want your finished cord to be.  If there is wire running through the edges, then pull them out with pliers.


Step 2 - Fold the ribbon in half, lengthwise, and sew a 1/4" (5 mm) seam from the raw edge.




Step 3 - The tricky part is turning the ribbon inside out.  I happen to have a really cool tool called "Fasturn" which makes turning sewn tubes of fabric right side out a breeze.  You can see how it is done if you click on the link here .


Step 4 - After the ribbon is turned the ends can be finished off with ribbon crimps or cord tips.  Trim the ribbon so there is no frayed ends and to your preferred length.  For added strength, I like to apply some glue to the cord end before inserting it into your crimp or cord tip.  I do this by applying some glue to the cord end, fold the end in slightly and then fold in half lengthwise.  I then apply a little more glue before inserting into the cord tip and crimping.



Your ribbon is now ready to string your pendant and attach a chain and a clasp.


 

2 comments:

  1. What a lovely idea Carolyn! I would have never thought to sew the ribbon like that and to turn it inside out. The metallic edges look all sparkly and pretty, glistening through the organza like that!

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  2. That was awesome. The final product the necklace looks beautiful. Never thought the ribbon would look so attractive.

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