May Arts

May Arts Ribbon Blog

Sep28

How To Make A Boutique Bow!

ribbon used in video: Solid/ Satin Center Band XY

Blog Posted By: Leah Farrar-White

Don't Forget This Week's Contest!

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Sep21

Scrapbook Sketches

CHRISTMAS 2003

Scrapbook ribbon .

Christmas-2003. sketch used: MY SKETCH WORLD

Kept the LO simple and used XR Solid/Plaid and BS Gray/red behind the pictures.

Scrapbook ribbon

TURTLE

Scrapbook ribbon

Turtle. Sketch used: Scrapbooks, Etc

I followed the sketch and added knotted KB Green Plaid, in place of a flourish. WH Blue/Green Reversible Grosgrain, was also used.

Scrapbook ribbon

READ

Scrapbook ribbon

Read. Sketch used: Aug 2009 Pagemaps.

5 different ribbons used, all sewn on w/ zig-zag stitch. (Ribbons: EX Satin/Cutouts , TS antique gold, TS Champagne, BA satin center ruffle, WP chenille dot)

Scrapbook ribbon

SWEET PETS

Sweet Pets. Sketch used: 52 sketches

WPP Green chenille dot and 337-14 olive satin were pleated, and sewn in place.

1ST GRADE

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A center border was created with 3 different ribbons: EM Orange Net, EX37 Satin/Cutout, BS38 Solid/ Iridescent.TS antique gold and the Satin/ cutout were used as a corner embellishment.
.

Scrapbook sketches can be a wonderful guide for a scrapbooker.

A lot of elements go into the process of scrapbooking. You have to make a lot of decisions, and getting hung up on any of them can stop your creative juices in their tracks and turn something that should be a relaxing creative outlet into an exercise in frustration.

6 years ago, as a brand new scrapbookie, I was relieved and oh so happy to discover an amazing tool called the scrapbook sketch. A sketch showed me possibilities for picture placement, title placement, even where to put embellishments.

I might use PART of a sketch, or the whole thing. It became a blueprint, a pattern, a recipe for me to follow—or to tweak—as needed!

Of course there are still many many creative decisions to make:

What topic will be selected (kids, pets, occupation, vacations, holidays, recipes, home, family history, babies, travel, dreams, goals, favorite things…the possibilities are endless!)

Which pictures will be used and how many are needed to tell my story. Digital, or vintage pics, color or black and white, “photoshopping” elements, size of pictures, etc.

Which supplies will you use?--patterned papers, embellishments, AND OF COURSE…which May Arts ribbons to use!

If you use sketches the placement is all done for you! You can then focus on all these other creative elements.

Currently scrapbook sketches are so readily available and easy to find, they are really a scrapbooker’s friend. Many blogs are devoted to the sketch. This week, I decided to use some of the sketches, and demonstrate how you can follow and adapt them to create a few pages. Of course I can’t scrapbook without my May Arts Ribbons, so they feature prominently on my pages.

Here are just a few wonderful sites that offer free scrapbook page sketches.

52 sketches - http://52sketches52weeks.com/

Got Sketch - http://gotsketch.blogspot.com/

Inspired Blueprints - http://inspiredblueprints.typepad.com/

My Sketch World - http://mysketchworld.blogspot.com/

Page Maps - http://www.pagemaps.com/

Pencillines - http://www.pencillines.com/

Scrapbooks etc. - http://www.scrapbooksetc.com/sketches/index.html

Scrap sketch - http://www.scrapsketch.com/

So Sketchy - http://sosketchy.blogspot.com/

Twisted sketches - http://www.twistedsketches.com/2009/08/twisted-sketch-011.html

Unscripted Sketches - http://unscriptedsketches.com/

(Or google “scrapbook sketches” and select the “IMAGE” option. I found 572,000 in 8 seconds! )

Blog Posted by: Leah Farrar-White

Don't Forget This Week's Contest!

Posted in Scrapbooking / Arts & Crafts | Make a Comment (10)

Sep21

WOVEN RIBBON POUCHES

Just for fun, I’m illustrating ribbon-weaving with small hanging pouches that can become sachets, ornaments or gift bags for tiny treasures. For larger projects like totes, placemats, decorative pillows; simply use larger ribbons and more of them.

TIP: For better control during weaving, pin ribbons onto cardboard or a Styrofoam sheet.

POUCH USING 3/8” TWO-SIDED ORANGE AND GREEN RIBBON

Finished size: 2 1/2” X 2 3/4”, handle: 12”

May Arts ribbon: # SB28 - 3 1/4yds. Cut pieces: 12 – 5”, 1 - 20”, 7 - 8”

Ribbon pouch

Pin the warp (vertical) ribbons in place on board – note the strap placement.

Weave the weft (horizontal) ribbons per diagram

Evenly fold over and weave in all warp ribbon ends along the top edge, using tiny bits of glue stick if necessary.

Fold the woven piece in half vertically – wrong side out

Stitch the 2 unfinished edges (side & bottom)- using about ¼” seams, trim seam allowances

Turn pouch right- side out and adjust corners. Decorate bottom edge if desired

POUCH USING TWO DIFFERENT 3/8” RIBBONS

Finished size: 2 ¾” X 3 ½”, handle:”8”, fringe: 3 ½”

May Arts Ribbon # MN-42: 2 yds. Cut pieces: 8 – 9”

May Arts Ribbon # MN-34: 3 ¼ yds. Cut pieces: 7 – 8”. 7 – 5 ½”, 1 – 22”

Ribbon pouch

Pin warp ribbons in place – note the strap

Weave the weft ribbons per diagram

Evenly fold over and weave in all warp ribbon ends along the top and along the bottom right in the diagram where ribbons are shorter. Use bits of glue stick if needed. See Illustration above)

Fold the entire piece in half vertically, wrong side out and stitch the unfinished side and bottom, keeping the long streamers free.

Trim seam allowance on the stitched side and turn the pouch right side out and adjust corners.

Evenly trim the ribbon streamers.

MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The above photo shows the completion of the weaving step for a pouch made using 2 different ribbons of different sizes and 2 different weaving patterns.

May Arts Ribbon # MN-46 3/8” and May Arts Ribbon #EH-16 5/8”. When completed, the pouch’s 2 sides will be coordinated but not alike. See photos below.

This finished pouch is 6” X 4 ½” with a handle of 15”.

Ribbon pouches

Blog Posted By: Ellen Highsmith Silver

Don't Forget This Week's Contest!

Posted in Quilting / Notions | Make a Comment (1)

Sep20

Contest # 10: Your Contest Ideas

We have been so thrilled with the response from all our readers of the May Arts Blog! We truly hope that you all walk away each week a bit of inspiration, courtesy of our very talented artists. For this week’s contest, we are going to do something a little bit different!

We want to know what type of contests you would like to see on this blog! Post your ideas below to enter.

Details are listed below:

To enter: Post a comment.

Start date: Monday, September 21st, 2009.

Deadline: Sunday October 4^th, 2009.

The prize: 6 - three yard spools of May Arts Ribbon. Your choice!

We will select one entry. The winner’s name will be posted on Monday October 5th.

The winner will have 2 weeks to contact us & claim their prize.

Domestic & International entries are all welcome.

Posted in Contests & Giveaways | Make a Comment (18)

Sep20

Ribbon Ideas For Halloween Contest Winner

As always, a big thank you to everyone who entered our contest & posted a comment! Halloween is always a holiday favorite & we love to hear everyone’s ideas! Without further delay, this week’s contest winner is: Tanya T:

"I use ribbon to wrap with tutu's to create boutique Halloween costumes!"

Tanya, congratulations! We really liked this costume idea and would just LOVE to see a picture of your ribbon tutu’s! Please feel free to send us some photos at sales@mayarts.com! We will gladly post them for everyone! Please forward your shipping information & your ribbon selections to the email address above!

If you didn’t win this week, be sure to keep coming back for more chances to win free ribbon! There’s always a new contest running on the May Arts Blog!

Posted in Contests & Giveaways | Make a Comment

Sep14

Ribbon Weaving with En-May

Ribbon used in this video: KN07 3/8"x50y - Solid / Two Tone

See this ribbon weaving technique used in this weeks blog: For The Love Of Autumn

Check out this week's Contest: Halloween Idea's!

Blog Posted By: En-May Mangels

Posted in Videos | Make a Comment (3)

Sep14

For The Love Of Autumn

Autumn Journal

A simple journal or photo album, becomes a treasured heirloom with May Arts Ribbon. The ribbon wreath is glued to the cover in colors of the season. A length of grosgrain ribbon embellishes the spine, adhered with double-sided tape. Used in this sample; Wreath: Brown (HA33) and Antique Gold (HA32) Satin. Spine: Brown Grosgrain (QH33).

See my instructional video "Ribbon Weaving with En-May" to learn how to make the wreath.

3 Boxes, 3 Ways

I love the fall season. Autumn lets me gift teensy surprises every month.

Ribbon boxes

For my dog-walking friends, a small novelty flashlight for the longer nights.

Shoe-string bow is Silver Sheer (C31) and Silver Metallic Eyelash (PT31), Black Net (EM10), Orange Leaves (BY28). Surround gift box sides and secure with double sided tape Black Sheer Wired Print (335-10).

For Halloween, homemade pumpkin seed brittle.

Bow is a simple knot using Black Net (EM10), shredding the width into 3 strands and knotting the ends, for a spider legs effect. Tie short strands of Orange Ric Rac (330-28) and Black Leaves (BY10) into the knot at top. Surround gift box with Sheer Spiders (BX28).

For Thanksgiving, honey roasted almonds for all my guests to take home.

Tuxedo-pleat Black Grosgrain (QH10) and a narrower Brown Grosgrain (QH33) to surround gift box. Tie the top with a single loop of the same Brown Grosgrain and bow with Brown Satin (HA33).

Tuxedo fold box

Halloween Center-piece

Hide your I-pod and speakers as it plays creepy, ghoulish tunes under a gift box decorated for the season. In a retail store environment, use as a focal point-of- purchase to feature a collection of black candles, lotions and potions, novelty accessories, or seasonal relishes.

Used in this sample: Sheer Spiders (BX28), Grosgrain Ric Rac (ER28), Black Grograin (QH10), Black Eyelash (PT10), Sheer Black Dots (JD10), White Grosgrain Circles (XJ01).

Halloween Party Hat Sconce

Turn those paper party hats upside down, then fill with your favorite trick or treat. Remove the usual elastic band, and replace with a ribbon strap to hang on the backs of chairs. Staple small strips of ribbon closely together, around the rim of the hat.

Used in this sample: Sheer Spiders (BX28), Violet Satin (HA47), Gold Eyelash (PT30), Black Leaves (BY10), Copper Crush (UK36). Strap is made with Violet Velvet (PV47).

Wishing everyone a Happy Autumn,

En-May

Check out this week's Contest: Halloween Idea's!

Blog Posted By: En-May Mangels

Posted in Gift Wrapping / Packaging | Make a Comment

Sep13

Ribbon Challenge - Calling All Quilters, Sewers & Crafters!

This project was submitted by Rebecca of Precious Paperie:

cell phone case

This project was submitted by Robin Seeber:

Ribbon doll

The project below was submitted by Linda Auclair:

Ribbon apron

This project was submitted by Carol Turner

This project was submitted by Candy Cox Blann

Shirt Shirt

This design was submitted by Nancy Malay:

Ribbon cone

This project was submitted by Constance Eng:

flower pillow

The following project was submitted by Kristi McDonough:

Ribbon purse

The project below was submitted by Tanya of Weetie Peeties Boutique:

Jeans Ribbon jeans

These were submitted by Tracy Schultz:

Ribbon pillow

Ribbon table runner

Our first entry is here! This was sent to us by Kathy Miller of Concord Curiosity Shoppe:

Our first ever May Arts Blog Challenge!

We, at May Arts, are true admirers of the sewing and quilting craft! The work that can be made with this art form is truly beautiful & inspiring. That is why we have created this challenge. For everyone & anyone who want to test their craft skills, this month long challenge is for you!

Here are the details:

We will provide you with up to 4 – 4 yard spools of ribbon to work with. Your choice!

You will have 1 month to make a small quilting or sewing craft project. You can design a pillow, apron, ‘mini-quilt’, use some ribbon when making a doll… your imagination is your only limit!

We will display your work at the Quilt Market in Houston, TX on October 10 - 12, 2009. We will, of course, be crediting you for your work!

Photos of all submissions will be posted on the blog. This includes a prize of 5 – 4 yard spools of ribbon. Your choice!

To Enter: Email us at sales@mayarts.com with your idea, ribbon choices & contact information. Forward us a photo of your finished work & we will send you a shipping label to mail your project to us. If you like, we will happily return your work at the completion of the Quilt Market.

Start Date: September 1^st, 2009.

Deadline: We need all projects in-house no later than September 30^th, 2009.

Posted in Challenges | Make a Comment (5)

Sep 7

RIBBON: A QUILTER’S NEW BEST FRIEND

The very nature of quilt-making began out of necessity: how to create warm bedding in the most efficient, and economical way possible.

Scraps of cloth were patched together to form top and bottom layers that sandwiched a filler layer of carded wool or cotton then stitched through to keep the filler, or batting, in place.

Today, ingenuity is still at work in the creation of new ways to enhance the quilt top’s design. Using ribbons is a logical and lovely added means to this end. They have two finished edges, come in a variety of widths and an endless array of designs and colors.

The following examples illustrate results achieved by using ribbons as SASHING, BORDERS and DECORATIVE EDGING. Ribbons can be top-stitched onto the existing design, or treated as another fabric and stitched into seams.

Ribbon quilting

PARTRIDGES AND PEARS (size: 35” X 25”)

May Arts #333-38 is used as:

a. sashing between the pear blocks and

b. a thin outer border

May Arts # FJ25 is used as the quilt’s 1.5” border.

VARIETY VALENTINES (size: 35” X 26”)

May Arts # ER14 - 1.5” ric rac in red provides a cheerful wavy edge around the quilt’s perimeter. It is first basted in place, then the second ribbon.