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Have you ever wondered why some Christmas trees look so lush, luxurious, and rich, while yours is just… missing something? You’re not alone! Lots of people struggle to figure out why their tree doesn’t have that “wow” factor.
Well, I’m about to let you in on the secret – it’s ribbons!
Now, if you’ve never decorated a tree with ribbons before, I get it – it can feel a bit intimidating. And it might seem easier to just slap on some ornaments and call it a day.
But trust me, adding ribbons is way easier than it looks, and once you learn the simple techniques, it’ll change your tree game forever!
So stick with me, and by the end of this blog post (along with my step-by-step video tutorial), you’ll be a pro at ribboning your tree like a designer!
Your friends and family might even start begging you to show them how to make their trees as gorgeous as yours🤫!
So, first things first, you might be wondering: Should you put ribbon on a tree first or last?
I always suggest starting with the ribbon before adding anything else to the tree. It’s so much easier to work with a bare tree since you’ll be moving the branches around a lot. Plus, you won’t have to stress about knocking off ornaments and other decor and messing things up as you go.
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Now, let’s talk about the different types of ribbons.
If you want to weave the ribbon into your tree, like we’re doing here, you’re going to need a wired ribbon.
Regular, non-wired ribbon can work for other things like tying cute little bows on the tips of your branches (which can look great – like mini elegant ornaments), but that’s not the focus of this tutorial.
For this method, wired ribbon is a must.
In this tutorial, I’m using ribbons that are 2.5″ and 3.5″ inches wide. But ribbons come in all sorts of sizes, so feel free to choose whatever you like and mix and match them to get the look you want.
When I was getting ready for this tutorial, I watched a bunch of other videos and blog posts. And I noticed that people often talk about 2, 3, 5, or even 10 different ways to put ribbon on a Christmas tree.
But honestly, there’s really just one basic technique. And once you get it, you’ll quickly pick up all the others because they’re, essentially, just slight variations of that same method.
So, let’s start with that and go over the details, plus some common mistakes to watch out for!
The basic technique is when the ribbon is kind of woven throughout the tree.
Start by taking the end of the ribbon and letting the rest of the roll fall to the floor – don’t worry about holding it, this makes things much easier.
Then, pinch the end of the ribbon and attach it securely to the inside of a branch.
You can secure the ribbon by twisting two tips of the branch together. If there aren’t two tips where you want to attach the ribbon, just tightly twist one twig around it.
In some cases, if there are no available twigs at all, you can use floral wire to hold it in place.
When I decorated my small, cheap tree from Walmart, it didn’t have enough tips, so I used wire. But that’s not usually the case – most of the time, you can easily use the tree’s branches to secure the ribbon, and you won’t need any wire.
Once the ribbon is secure, it should be tight enough for you to pull, shape, and adjust the loop without it coming loose or out of place.
When you’re making a loop, be sure not to pull the ribbon too tightly over the branches. Let it have some body and a natural drape. But at the same time, be mindful that the loops don’t stick out too far beyond the branches, taking away from the tree’s overall shape.
So aim for a balanced look, with the ribbon weaving in and out of the branches and flowing nicely down the tree.
Once I’ve measured and determined the right amount of ribbon to make a nice loop, I fix it inside the branch just like I did before.
And then, I always shape and refine the loop to make it look beautiful. Wired ribbons are very flexible, so you can shape them however you like.
The first common mistake is not securing the ribbon to a branch but simply tucking it into the tree.
I’ve seen many people suggest cutting small pieces of ribbon and just tucking them in. Of course, you can do that, but personally, I don’t think it’s the best approach. Why cut the ribbon into many small pieces and leave them unsecured when you can create beautiful loops in a cascade (or any design you like) and secure them properly?
Just think about it – if you don’t anchor your ribbon, you won’t be able to work your way down the tree properly. And when you start adding ornaments and other decorations, there’s a chance the ribbon might fall off or shift. Plus, without that hard pinch moment, the ribbon just doesn’t look right.
The second most common mistake is attaching the ribbons to the surface of the tree rather than deep inside the branches.
It’s crucial to secure the ribbon to the innermost part of the branch so that it looks like the ribbon is coming from within the tree, rather than just sitting on top of it.
Also, notice how the ribbon doesn’t look good when you don’t create beautiful loops and just pull it tight over the branches. It lacks body and natural drape, and it simply doesn’t look right.
Additionally, I’ve seen some people attaching ribbons with the very tips of the branches, which also looks very weird and odd.
Now, let’s talk about placement. I always begin at the very top of the tree and work my way down by creating loops.
While preparing for this video, I noticed two popular questions on Google: “How do you put ribbon on a Christmas tree vertically?” and “How do you put ribbon on a Christmas tree horizontally?”
But once you understand how to attach the ribbon and create loops, you can position it in any direction you want – vertically, horizontally, in a zigzag pattern, or by working your way around the tree. It really doesn’t matter!
You have full control, and you can turn your ribbon wherever you like with each loop. It’s very simple!
Personally, I like to keep the pattern a bit more random. What I mean is that I make 2-3, sometimes 4 loops, then cut my ribbon and start again in a new spot, moving in a different direction.
Don’t be afraid to cut your ribbon; it gives you the flexibility to place it where you need and results in a better overall design.
You also have full control over the size of the loops. You can make them all the same size or vary them, creating some larger loops and some smaller ones, which can add interest to your design.
Make sure to step back every so often to check if your ribbon looks balanced and drapes nicely down the tree.
Now, let’s figure out how to make bows. Because you might want to add some bows to simple loops or even just place bows on the tree without any loops.
Look, I take the ribbon and make one loop, leaving a small tail. If you prefer longer tails on the bows, so you can later curl them into a beautiful spiral, leave the end longer.
Then, I pinch the ribbon in the middle and twist it tightly so that the pretty side of the ribbon is on the outside again.
After that, I make a second loop opposite the first one. Then I can pinch and twist again, and create a third loop.
So this way, I can keep making as many loops as I want to create any bow style I like. I can make just a one-loop bow, or I can make 50 loops bow!
To secure a bow, you’ll need wire.
You could try to secure it with tree branches, but I think it’s much easier to use wire, especially if your ribbon is made from a thick fabric, like velvet (or in my case, tweed).
With wire, you can securely fix the bow in the center and then easily attach it to the tree.
There are two ways to trim the ends of the ribbons: a simple diagonal cut or a fishtail cut.
Personally, I think a fishtail works better for classic and traditional designs, while a diagonal cut suits modern styles. But that’s just my opinion, so feel free to cut the ends of your ribbons however you like, because both styles look equally good.
For my second design, I’m using two different ribbons.
Look, some designers suggest layering one ribbon on top of another to make the design more interesting. I think this can make sense if the ribbons are different widths or if one of them is see-through (like mine in this case).
But I also think that you’ll achieve a much better look if you place them separately on the tree. This will give the overall design more fullness, depth, and body.
I decided to make two classic bows with two loops each for the top of my tree.
From a design perspective, I think the more bows you have on a tree, the more it gives off a kind of traditional and romantic vibe, if that makes sense.
So I started with the blue ribbon. I only had one roll, and it was only 9 feet long. From that amount, I was only able to make two bows. I could have made a third bow, but I decided to split the remaining strip and make two single loops instead.
9 feet is quite short if you’re looking to decorate a Christmas tree with ribbon. So, keep in mind that if you want to properly decorate your tree with ribbon, you’ll need at least 3–4 rolls of that size.
Now that I’ve used up the blue ribbon, I’m moving on to the white ribbon.
I decided to add a white bow on top of the blue one at the very top of the tree.
Just imagine if I had made only one bow by layering the two ribbons on top of each other (as other designers suggested) – it’s clear to me that it wouldn’t have the same lush and beautiful look as adding the two ribbons separately.
At the very top of the tree, there are sometimes not enough twigs to secure the ribbon, so I used wire to start my first white ribbon loop.
And then, I worked my way down with the white ribbon.
I made a couple more bows and a few loops, and it went by quickly, even though the white ribbon roll was more than twice as long as the blue one – it was 20 feet.
Tip: If you have a small strip of ribbon left, you can make a regular loop, create a single loop with the end, or simply pinch it in the middle and attach it to the tree, leaving two ends without any loops.
It really depends on the look you prefer, and you can choose to do it differently in various situations.
So, when the two ribbons I chose for my design were finished, I still felt that the tree looked too empty and incomplete. So, I decided to add one more ribbon that I had.
Honestly, I hadn’t planned to use them together, but when I tried it, I thought it was actually a good combination with the white and blue, so I decided to add it as well.
I just fell in love with this ribbon! It’s actually very cool and unique because it’s expandable!
You can see how I stretch it a little bit on my tree, but it can be expanded much wider if you want! I think it looks so beautiful!
And here is the final look that I got:
In conclusion, I wanted to share a few thoughts on what to consider when designing your tree.
Look, ribbons can take up a substantial portion of the tree, so if you use a lot of them, they can quickly become the main decoration and dominate the color scheme. This means your ornaments may be less noticeable because the ribbons sort of steal the spotlight. So, if you want your ornaments to stand out, be mindful of how many ribbons you use.
That’s why I personally love mesh and net ribbons. They add a lot of volume, dimension, and sparkle to the tree without taking attention away from the ornaments.
On the other hand, if you love having lots of ribbons on your tree, they’re great for switching up your tree’s theme without buying a bunch of new stuff every year. So, just by changing the ribbons, your tree can look totally different, even if you use the same ornaments each year. It’s a very simple way to give your tree a fresh look without spending too much.
So, when planning your design, try to find the right balance between ribbons and ornaments to create a look you love – whether you want the ribbons to be the main showstopper or to simply complement your beautiful ornaments.
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I hope this guide has helped take the mystery out of decorating your Christmas tree with ribbons. Whether you go for a classic and traditional vibe with lots of bows or something more modern and sleek, you now have all the tools to create a show-stopping tree design with ribbons.
I’d love to hear if you have a favorite ribbon style or technique? Or maybe a go-to color scheme that always works for you? Drop a comment below and let’s chat about it! Your feedback and ideas could inspire someone else!
Happy decorating! 🎄✨
Before you start adding ribbons, make sure your tree looks its best!
Check out my post: How to Fluff a Christmas Tree: 12 Tips for a Perfectly Full and Lush Tree.
With these easy tricks, your tree will go from flat to fabulous in no time!
I’m Oksana and I love paper flowers and all things paper. Here at FancyBloom I design new flower templates, make paper flower tutorials, and share my ideas and inspiration for fancy and modern craft.
