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Got a problem with ribbon and hope you can help. There are lots of threads on organizing ribbon, but I want to know how you BUY ribbon and then USE it.
I have yards and yards of ribbon (stored in clear glass jars on a shelf...love that!), but I used my last pieces of two colors yesterday. This got me wondering how you decide what ribbon to buy and then how do you manage its use. I feel like my ribbon buying is pretty random and unorganized, and when I go looking for something in my stash, I often can't find the perfect type of ribbon. I may have 1/2 inch and need 1/4 inch, or the color is off just enough not to work on a particular project, or I don't have enough.
This leads me to hoard rather than use. I hate hoarding. ;)
Could you describe your thought process in buying ribbon and then using it? Do you have a method for keeping track of what you need to restock?
No. I buys whats I likes and that is the problem. I like everything! I have tried to be more co-ordinate-y lately and then I recently spent a day matching ribbon to papers I have and gave the rest to a government subsidized day care for their after school program. Now, I actually have a manageable amount. I don't buy unless I really think of the papers I have...and that is a problem since I have way too much paper.
The glass jars help 'cause now I can look and see which ones are getting low. Hmm, I need some purple now that I think about it.
Sadly, I have no method to my buying. I buy it because I like it and with ALL the ribbon I have, still bemoan the fact that I can't find just the right match.
I like PTI's ribbon because it coordinates so well with their cardstock- BUT I think it's a tad bit overpriced. So I will often find it in a very similar color and get that knowing it will go with their cardstock well enough. I use a lot of neutrals so I feel I can't go wrong with those.
Otherwise, I just buy what colors I like and seem to use most of. Sorry if that doesn't help!
I've only recently figured it out and it boils down to this...I'm a "Plain Jane" kind of girl. I used to try and buy every pretty, multi-colored and patterned ribbon around, only to have them sit in a jar unused.
I've come to the conclusion (and my usage reinforces this discovery) that I only really use solid colored or simply designed (stitched edges, white/monochromatic polka dots) ribbons in basic colors like dark brown, navy, olive, true red, and white. I stick to twill, grosgrain, and double-sided satin with the occasional organdy thrown in for good measure. I also have a swatch deck of all of my ink colors that I take with me if I'm planning to buy any ribbon that isn't a neutral (that way I will know the ribbon matches something). I don't even bother buying colors I rarely use unless I have a specific project in mind. I generally prefer 3/8" ribbons and I mostly stick to buying that width because I know it will get used (though there are exceptions, of course). I've also recently noticed how much I like using twine and embroidery floss, so I've been buying (and using) those more as well.
When Papertrey started releasing ribbons I began buying the twill and the saddle stitched varieties. I like that their colors match (or coordinate with) their cardstocks and I don't have to do any guess work. Their grosgrain and satins are lovely, but I don't buy them because they don't fit into my preferences for one reason or another and I know I won't use them.
As far as keeping track, that's a little less maintained. I unspool my ribbons (except the Papertrey ones which sit in Bygel baskets on my wall) and wrap them onto clothespins. This allows me to really see what I have and when I need to restock. Since I buy very specific styles from a limited number of places I can generally remember where I bought the ribbon. I also try to buy ribbons that don't shift with the seasons too much, so I can always find them when I need more. The manufacturers are organized on my computer along with a description of their respective ribbons (ie: 3/8" navy grosgrain - Offray; 1/2" white organdy - Midori; etc).
Now, I still have those old patterned and multi-colored ribbons, but I've been trying to put them to use. A roll of Kraft wrapping paper goes with just about everything and it's allowed me to give those unwanted ribbons new life as gift wrap.
I hope some of that touched on your questions. Good luck with your future ribbon purchases!
....
Now, I still have those old patterned and multi-colored ribbons, but I've been trying to put them to use. A roll of Kraft wrapping paper goes with just about everything and it's allowed me to give those unwanted ribbons new life as gift wrap.
I hope some of that touched on your questions. Good luck with your future ribbon purchases!
I do this, too! Fortunately, I realized quickly that those multicolored ribbons didn't fit my style and never bought too many of them.
Location: Virginia, where we have the beach and mountains all in one state!!
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I am with Creative Critter. I too have bought some many spools of ribbon that is going unused. But I try to keep a foundation of ribbon that matches cardstock/ink, this is difficult for me 'cuz I used one brand of ink and another brand of paper, GO FIGURE?? But I have to say that I will pull out neutral every time before going to a color. So I guess I am a plain jane girl too.
I buy ribbon on the spools. My storage is the "gutters" on the back of my door and the spools work well for me. Good visual.
I like ribbon that is between 1/4 and 1/2 wide. So I try and stay away from anything thinner or thicker. And I also try to buy in bulk so I don't run out, especially in the colors I use more, black, white, brown, etc.....
Ribbon is so PRETTY and I think we have good intentions but when it comes to trying to "match up" it's not so easy.
Now with all of this said, I need to have a ribbon yard sale !! LOL.
First, I buy matching paper and ribbons, so PTI and SU get most of my money in that category! I carry samples of all PTI papers, and the SU papers I tend to use the most. That way, I know it matches before I buy it. If I don't have a good ribbon for a particular card, I pack it up and go to the LSS, and only buy enough for 2 cards- that way I don't have too much 'obscure' ribbon around.
Then, I store it all so I can see it in one eyeball sweep, if you will. See 'the wall' here:
Linda, I really like your idea of going through all the ribbon and donating what doesn't match to our church preschool. That would at least purge the "unworthy," LOL!
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions...keep 'em coming! This is such a big issue for me given how much ribbon I have and how much I WANT!
I keep my SU cardstock ring whenever I go looking for ribbon. If it doesn't match, I don't buy it. Like CreativeCritter, I use simply designed ribbon, usually in two colors.
Last night I went through all my ribbon jars and "matched" to cardstock and inks I own. There was just a handful of ribbon that didn't match...pretty proud of myself there. I also identified several "must haves" that are missing from my stash, like ivory and chocolate chip grosgrain.
Where do you buy your ribbon? I don't like the fact that SU only sells such long rolls because it means too much out of pocket to get a selection of colors. Is there a good supplier of shorter lengths of quality ribbon that matches SU, maybe online?
My problem is that I buy from a ribbon factory outlet. It comes on HUGE quantities like 50 yard spool for $2. So I have massive amounts of many colors and styles. :-S
I've wound some on clothespins and my SU and PTI are on my MM embellishment centers.
I have no method to buying ribbon. I just buy what I love. My method for using it is have it where I can SEE it. I have to see the stuff in my scrap room or it doesn't get used. My fiance built me this ribbon organizer recently so I can actually see what I have: http://thescrapmaster.blogspot.com/2...organizer.html
I had my ribbon stored in boxes before and I only used the ribbon I had spread on my desk. My new system is much better for me.
I would agree that I tend to use "basic" ribbons -- black and white or brown and white check; solids in grosgrain and organdy. And since I was shown that white ribbon can become a perfect SU match by being colored with an SU marker (and it dries almost instantly) my random ribbon buying has dimished considerably. I think that as my style develops into CAS, my purchasing has been following suit. As for organizing, my DH made me some very simple holders -- a "U" of scrap wood with a dowel that runs though holes in the uprights and is held in place with a bit of duct tape (they wouldn't win any beauty contests, but are functional as anything!) -- that just fit standing up in a plastic tub. I buy only spools of ribbon now -- no random bits from the LSS -- and hold the ends in place with a straight pin.
And, Samantha, your ribbon rack WOULD win a beauty contest -- nicely done! Mine is along the same idea, but the dowels are side by side, rather than up and down, so I can open the top of the tub and see what there is to see.
I have no method to buying ribbon. I just buy what I love. My method for using it is have it where I can SEE it. I have to see the stuff in my scrap room or it doesn't get used. My fiance built me this ribbon organizer recently so I can actually see what I have: http://thescrapmaster.blogspot.com/2...organizer.html
I had my ribbon stored in boxes before and I only used the ribbon I had spread on my desk. My new system is much better for me.
My problem is that I buy from a ribbon factory outlet. It comes on HUGE quantities like 50 yard spool for $2. So I have massive amounts of many colors and styles. :-S
I've wound some on clothespins and my SU and PTI are on my MM embellishment centers.
I need to do some serious purging LOL.
I would be in SERIOUS trouble if I lived near a ribbon factory outlet!!! But just in case...where is it??? I might need to pay a visit if I'm ever in the area! lol!
Like many have already mentioned, I love the "matchy matchy" stuff and stuck primarily with frequently used colors or neutrals. Obviously, I quite mostly purchase my ribbon from SU so I can use it in classes and workshops because I'm a demo however I have seen some great deals online from www.reallyreasonableribbon.com and Debbie Littlejohn (owner) has a matching color chart so you know which colors from the major stamp companies will match that particular ribbon. Her prices are amazing and her service is also great and you should see the prices when she clearances stuff out! Jan
oh a ribbon factory outlet that is dangerous!
If I go to downtown I found this store thas has spools of grosgrain ribbon for like $3 for 50 yards too, but I dont often go, so when I do I buy alot.
My problem is that I seem to buy the same colors all the time, brown, white, and pink lol
so when Im needing another color I dont have any.
susan, I am a SU cardstock user so I like to use ribbon that matches my cs. I have purchased most of su ribbon and then bought from online sources in bulk. If you can find someone to share with it would cut down your cost but I didn;t mind making the initial investment of a roll o 100 yard ribbon. I have all the colors I use regularily. I have bought from two different online sources. I am away from my own computer and home actually (in new orleans on holidays from vancouver island) so i am not sure of the www sites. one is threadart and the other is ribbonbytheyard. both are great to deal with also have sample cards.
susan, I am a SU cardstock user so I like to use ribbon that matches my cs. I have purchased most of su ribbon and then bought from online sources in bulk. If you can find someone to share with it would cut down your cost but I didn;t mind making the initial investment of a roll o 100 yard ribbon. I have all the colors I use regularily. I have bought from two different online sources. I am away from my own computer and home actually (in new orleans on holidays from vancouver island) so i am not sure of the www sites. one is threadart and the other is ribbonbytheyard. both are great to deal with also have sample cards.
Lorri
Thanks, Lorri!
Off topic, but if I lived on Vancouver Island, I'd never leave, much less for New Orleans in summer, LOL! I'm from North Carolina and now live in Ohio, but DH and I spent a glorious week on Pender Island and would go back to that part of the world in a heartbeat! I hope you're having a wonderful vacation!
Thank you so much for your kind words about my ribbon organizer, I love it almost as much as I love my fiance for making it for me ;) I am trying to get him to sell them, but we will see. . . he's not so much into the idea yet.
I find I prefer solid colors or very simple stripes and the occasional dots and the widest I use is 5/8". I'm trying to build up my SU and PTI supply.
I considered getting the small boxes and taking the ribbon off the spools, but I can't find the boxes anywhere. Forget my local Michaels-it opened last fall and seems to have less and less stuff in it everytime I go in there. :mad: What I really want is that Pro ribbon holder from Organize More.
I would be in SERIOUS trouble if I lived near a ribbon factory outlet!!! But just in case...where is it??? I might need to pay a visit if I'm ever in the area! lol!
Like many have already mentioned, I love the "matchy matchy" stuff and stuck primarily with frequently used colors or neutrals. Obviously, I quite mostly purchase my ribbon from SU so I can use it in classes and workshops because I'm a demo however I have seen some great deals online from www.reallyreasonableribbon.com and Debbie Littlejohn (owner) has a matching color chart so you know which colors from the major stamp companies will match that particular ribbon. Her prices are amazing and her service is also great and you should see the prices when she clearances stuff out! Jan
I love ribbon! Where can I find the color match chart? Love the spools, so cheap!
I absolutely love ribbon, too much in fact. Ok, I'm a hoarder. I have it it stashed all over my stamp room. However, I do use it on almost every card I make. I buy what I like and if it's on sale I'll buy it even if I don't like it. I have about half of it stored/displayed on cafe curtain brackets and dowels above my work space. I organized it by color and then by style, ie, satin, organza, grosgrain, stitched, gingham, printed. There are five rows of it that go all the way to the ceiling. The top row is a little tricky to cut and use because it requires that I use my acrobatic skills on my spinning office chair to reach it. I find that I do use it more since I don't have to search through all of my spools to find what I need. What's not on the wall is in a few large plastic storage units and in boxes on the floor. Did I mention I love ribbon?
I hate running out of anything - and I also don't like thinking that I shouldn't use something because there isn't much of it. Scarcity stinks! (my motto).
For that reason, I've taken to buying grosgrain ribbon in large quantities - the site I use sells it in spools of 100 yds. Yes, it seems like a lot but it doesn't make me feel like I need to hoard it. The price isn't bad - much cheaper per yd than other places - I've just bought it a little at a time and now have a match for nearly every SU color.
Where do you buy your ribbon? I don't like the fact that SU only sells such long rolls because it means too much out of pocket to get a selection of colors. Is there a good supplier of shorter lengths of quality ribbon that matches SU, maybe online?
I subscribe to both of their newsletters so I always get their sale information. Great sites!
As far as knowing what I have, when to replace, what to buy, etc. First, I buy what I like. I LOVE ribbon. Next, I have it organized very neatly so I can easily find and see what I have. I also put a tiny slip of paper in each container with the manufacturer's name on it so I know who made the ribbon thus I know where to buy more if I want it. I use ribbon on just about everything--layouts, cards, tags, altered art, so even though I have a large stash, I use it a lot too. You can see my ribbon below with details here:
__________________ Patter
Mom to Adult Identical Triplets--a police officer, 3rd year medical student, and special education teacher
I found that I was buying tons of these gorgeous patterned and woven ribbons. While I WAS using them, and they are beautiful, I also found when I needed just a plain grosgrain ribbon in a particular color-- (because my card was already busy enough without patterned ribbon)-- I had absolutely NOTHING to use! So I bought a ton of plain grosgrain ribbon in tons of colors in 5/8 and 1/8 widths. Now I always have the perfect ribbon! The 1/8 ribbon you can get at Walmart, and I was surprised how much i am using it! It is cheap too!
Recently, I also bought a big set of 7/8 inch sheer organdy ribbon, a set of 48 colors 5 yards each. It was about $34.00, which I think was a great deal! I LOVE that ribbon, it is SO pretty, especially for feminine cards.
Thank you ladies for all of your insights. I have learned many things what I thought of as my huge ribbon stash is now seen as paltry and lacking choices. I think I don't use ribbon enough because: 1) I can't see it as I design and 2) because I don't have enough variety in colors and types that suit my design style.
I would love to see more ideas on this subject. TIA
This has been an interesting read. Like others, I had been accummulating a LOT and using a LITTLE. Part of the problem was that I had everything organized in a drawer that I never opened. I recently went through everything, made packs of ribbons I knoew I would not use (mostly patterns) and sold them at a garage sale at the LSS. Then I got Ribbon rings and organized everything where I would see it and use it. This system is working really well for me. I just take a card over to where the ribbon is hanging and I can find what matches and take it to the work table. Love it. The only down side is that it is now too easy for DH to see how big my stash really is!
I also buy most of my ribbon at Really Reasonable Ribbon. I am getting pretty fussy about the feel and quality of my ribbon.
I too tend to use simple ribbons. The patterned ribbons just don't go with everything. I buy from The Ribbon Retreat. The prices are great and I can order as much or as little as I need. It comes in 5 yard increments - if it's a color I don't use often, I only buy 5 yards. But neutrals I tend to buy at least 10 yards at a time. I used to only buy 3/8" ribbon, but I have found I like 5/8" for some projects. I have some that is 1/4" that I ordered by mistake and I don't really use it very often at all.
Okay ladies, I have a question about the Ribbon Rings some of you keep mentioning. About how many folds of ribbon can you use in them (how much ribbon will they hold)? Do they leave really bad fold marks where you have to throw that chunk away or will it smooth out?
As far as spending money on ribbon, I see it this way. It is far better than spending it on booze, cigs or drugs. Since I don't do any of those (despite the fact I sell alcohol as a bar owner ) I figure a dollar spool of ribbon is nothing.
__________________ ************************************************************** Deborah "Imagination is more important than knowledge" ~ Albert Einstein
Managing Your Ribbon?
