Ribbon Pleating help!

[handerful]

Oh just another observation, is your ribbon slick? Like silky feeling? Because that might effect regular adhesive sticking to it.

It is.


I just made it straight this time. I'll drag out the sewing machine or glue dots next time. Thanks for the tips!

[RitaS]

Two words... Go digital. You will never have to worry about your glue not working.

ROFL!! A true digi scrapper speaking!!


I am a huge fan of pleating ribbon and skip the adhesive all together, and use several different methods, which I have covered on my blog at different times as the layouts appeared.



1. As mentioned - stitching. I am fortuante to have a sewing machine next to my scrap table and it is 99.9% always set up with either brown or black ribbon - I don't sew clothes, other than patching these days.

- When I STITCH it is IMPORTANT to note that adhesive will gunk up your needle. Pretty soon your attempts at stitching will get sluggish and eventually the thread breaks as it drags on your sticky needle.

SOLUTIONS:

a. pleat as you go along with the machine, don't worry about pleats being perfectly symmetrical.

b. use PAPER CLIPS to hold your pleats in place, removing as you stitch.



TIP on paper clips - if your position on the page is fairly far in on the page (and paper clips are not long enough to reach) - cut a 3/8" strip of chipboard the length you wish to have the pleated ribbon; secure your pleated ribbon to the chipboard strip with paperclips, stitch in place, and then adhere the chipboard to the desired position on the layout.



2. Tie down the pleats with embroider floss and a French knot - a little different, but rather cool. More time consuming than machine stitching or stapling - I only did this once to see how it would go. (or use the quilt tying knot - now that would look even more different...)



3. Staple. I love my Memory Makers colored staples, and I LOVE the long reach stapler I was able to pick up at local business close out sale a while back. It's old, has some rust, but the reach on it is longer than a 12" sheet of paper. I can literally staple anywhere on the page. When I do this to ribbon I try to hit my staple at the junction of the previous pleat (KWIM?) so that the pleats remain somewhat full.



4. And of course the standby of using adhesive across the entire length of ribbon. I have to agree it is easier to simply run you ATG gun across the full length of the ribbon you want to use. When I am doing a card and it is just a small piece I gravitate towards this method. Since I give the cards away I have no way of knowing if the adhesive held, but I hope so!



Have fun adding ribbon pleats to your layouts - it is one of my favorite looks.

[kguercio]

I have used glue dots and adhesive runner and they come undone with some ribbons, seems the grosgrain ribbons come undone. Satin finish ribbons show the glue dot sahe through the ribbon. I never tried ironing first. Good luck!

[LyndaKay]

Two words... Go digital. You will never have to worry about your glue not working.

funny and true!

[LyndaKay]

Use these by Pink Paislee:winkb:

[mysunshine]

- When I STITCH it is IMPORTANT to note that adhesive will gunk up your needle. Pretty soon your attempts at stitching will get sluggish and eventually the thread breaks as it drags on your sticky needle.

[/quote]


I got around this problem by sewing the pleats in the ribbon but not onto the paper. Then, I used glue dots to stick down the pleated ribbon to the page. No problems so far!

[Beth-W]

- When I STITCH it is IMPORTANT to note that adhesive will gunk up your needle. Pretty soon your attempts at stitching will get sluggish and eventually the thread breaks as it drags on your sticky needle.

[/quote]

If I stitch over ribbon, sometimes I will pin it. If you notice your needle getting gunked up, a little bit of UnDu removes it instantly.

[SBmamaof2]

I use Fabri-Tac glue for most of my ribbon on layouts now... it works great for pleating as well! The stuff can be sticky though so make sure you have a baby wipe or something handy to wipe your fingers on.
Its also acid and lignen-free so no worries about any of that. It works great for flowers and such too... its becoming another favorite adhesive to add to my list.

[simplykate]

I always use my xyron for ribbon, works like a charm and does not show through. I would then put some glue dots to the folds.

[megamay]

I tried to pleat my ribbon like this -






I used an atg gun... and it looked really nice, but the next morning it looked like this -







What can I do differently to make it stay?

oh yes I have had that happen before when I used my ATG for folding ribbon. I agree with sewing, or even ironing (although I havent tried that myself) what I do now if I dont want to sew it, is run a line of fabritac next to the atg glue. the atg glue will hold the folds in place while the fabritac dries and once the fabritac dries the ribbon isnt going ANYWHERE. But don't put the fabritac on top of the atg glue because then the atg glue doesnt stick at all.

[handerful]

I tried to pleat my ribbon like this -






I used an atg gun... and it looked really nice, but the next morning it looked like this -







What can I do differently to make it stay?

oh yes I have had that happen before when I used my ATG for folding ribbon. I agree with sewing, or even ironing (although I havent tried that myself) what I do now if I dont want to sew it, is run a line of fabritac next to the atg glue. the atg glue will hold the folds in place while the fabritac dries and once the fabritac dries the ribbon isnt going ANYWHERE. But don't put the fabritac on top of the atg glue because then the atg glue doesnt stick at all.

Is fabritac like liquid glue? Do you put it inside the pleats? or just on the base?

[Tezzaa]

For pleating ribbon or any fabric I always used a hot glue gun or staples....while the glue was hot it is easy to manipulate...also why I love stapling too

[megamay]

oh yes I have had that happen before when I used my ATG for folding ribbon. I agree with sewing, or even ironing (although I havent tried that myself) what I do now if I dont want to sew it, is run a line of fabritac next to the atg glue. the atg glue will hold the folds in place while the fabritac dries and once the fabritac dries the ribbon isnt going ANYWHERE. But don't put the fabritac on top of the atg glue because then the atg glue doesnt stick at all.

Is fabritac like liquid glue? Do you put it inside the pleats? or just on the base?

fabritac is liquid glue, and no I just put it on the base, but if you wanted the pleats to lay flatter you could put it on them too. usually keeping the whole base down is good enough for me.

I love fabritac because it dries fast and holds strong. I use it on anything remotely fabric-like - flocked stuff, ribbon, mulberry flowers etc. and sometimes I use it on other stuff too.

I got mine at ACMoore.

[SBmamaof2]

Fabri-tac rocks. When you go to buy it use a coupon for 40-50% off at Joann's or Michael's or something. Its kinda pricey compared to other adhesives but seriously, you will NOT regret it!

[emarie803]

I use my ATG to adhere the ribbon to the paper and glue dots to adhere it to itself