How to make a ribbon wreath – 6 easy steps for beginners

Make a ribbon wreath to add color and style to your home. Simple to make, a ribbon wreath can be used for all sort of celebrations and décor, from fall, through winter and into summer. 

A ribbon wreath can be made to suit your interior design scheme, front door color, or the event you are celebrating, whether fall or Easter, but can also be a lovely decoration for a child’s bedroom, or even made as a gift for birthdays or Christmas.

Super easy to make, this ribbon wreath has been created with just two ingredients: a wreath base and some ribbon. Choose warm colors for your ribbon wreath to suit fall wreath ideas, for making a Halloween wreath or for your Thanksgiving wreath ideas.

Sara Bird

Sara Bird has worked on the Homes & Gardens team for many years, making seasonal projects look beautiful for us. Sara is passionate about reloving and renovating homes and interiors and always warms to great interior ingredients. 

How to make a ribbon wreath

To make a ribbon wreath, you can choose a one-color scheme or one that features multiple colors. We have chosen six fall shades.

You will need:

• A 12in wreath base – Amazon sells this highly rated two-pack
• Ribbons – we like this selection of fall colored-ribbons from Amazon
• Scissors
• Berries (optional) – these wired faux berries are ideal
• Complementary ribbon bow – you can discover how to make a wreath bow in our dedicated feature.

1. Gather your ribbon wreath ingredients

Cut the lengths of ribbon to your chosen length. Once tied they need to be long enough to cover the wreath frame. Ours measured about 6 inches for a 12 inch frame.

2. Add the first ribbon

Begin by tying your first ribbon over the central two wires on the wreath. Make a tight single knot.

3. Work around the wreath

Continue tying the ribbon around the wreath, alternating colors and pushing the ribbons tightly together.

4. Check the composition

On completing the ribbon ties there should be no wires showing.

5. Add seasonal style

Add berries by pushing stems through the ribbon.

6. Lastly add the finishing touch

Place a ribbon bow at the base of your wreath.

How long do you cut ribbon for a ribbon wreath?

The length of a ribbon for a ribbon wreath will depend on the size of the wreath base, but for a 12in wreath base, ribbon lengths between 5 and 7in will be long enough. 

How much ribbon is needed to make a wreath?

The more densely packed the ribbon bows, the more ribbon you will need, but expect to use around 15 yards of ribbon in total on a 12in wreath base. If you have three colors, this would mean three 5 yard ribbon lengths; a five-color wreath would need five 3 yard ribbon lengths.