You guys have been asking and today I am answering! I’m showing you how to use a ribbon spool board and covering everything from assembly to its many uses.
It is no secret that the right tools can make our crafting so much quicker and easier. I can’t tell you how many times I have wished for an extra hand while making bows and wreaths. Luckily for me, if I can come up with a solution, Richard can usually build it! Enter our ribbon spool board. I needed a hand to hold my ribbon spools and another to hold the layers of my bows. So, Richard and I put our heads together and designed this fabulous tool! In the video below, I am showing you everything you need to know about how to use a ribbon spool board. I promise you’ll thank me later!
How to use a Ribbon Spool Board
If you are looking for a way to make your crafting easier, more organized, and more efficient, our spool board can help! Once I started using mine I was able to get into a great rhythm that added consistency to my wreath making. I’ll explain more about that in a bit. For now let me tell you how easy it is to put one of these bad lads together!
How to Assemble the Spool Board
So, first thing’s first! Let’s assemble the spool board. All you need for this is a hammer and your two hands. You can also use a little super glue if you want to be absolutely sure your spools won’t move. The spools stay in pretty securely on their own but, if you’re like me, you’ll end up grabbing the spools to move the board around. That will eventually cause the spools to loosen. To prevent this, just add a bit of super glue into the holes before you add the dowels.
Working with one spool and hole at a time, add a little glue in the hole and use the hammer to pound the spool right in. Repeat with the remaining spools and holes and that’s it, you’re ready to go!
Different Ways to Use the Ribbon Spool Board
To hold your ribbon spools…
Ok, now for the fun part! There are a few different ways that the spool board can help you to be more efficient and organized. First, the board has four spools for holding your rolls of ribbon. There is even enough space that all four spools can hold a 50 yard roll of ribbon at a time. So, no matter what size roll you’re working with, you’ll be able to hold it on the spool board. You can also stack several rolls on top of each other which will free up a lot of space on your work table.
The great thing about holding your ribbon like this is that you can easily unspool and use your ribbon without it getting all tangled and in your way. You can grab all the ribbons you need for a project, put them on the board, and use them as you need them. No more knocking them over or moving them all over your work space. They are in one spot, easy to access, and easy to use!
As a bow maker…
Another thing I love about the spool board is that it makes a fabulous bow maker! The two posts in the center are spaced apart just enough to hold the layers of your bows until you are ready to tie them all together.
If you’ve ever made a bow using just your hands, you know how challenging it can be to hold all of those layers in one hand while adding more with the other. The center pegs take all of that juggling out of the equation! This helps keep you more comfortable and also more efficient!
As a mesh holder…
You guys know that I love to work with mesh. Give me a good roll of mesh and some pretty ribbon and I’m one happy lady. Another way that I love to use my spool holder is to hold my mesh curls. I like to use a method that uses three different mesh curls to make one stack and add it to my twist ties.
The only problem is that it can be tricky to roll them up and hold all three at the same time. What I do is make one roll, stick it between the center posts, then move on to the next roll and do the same. Once I have all three, I can secure them to the wreath or wreath rail. No more mesh juggling for me!
As a measuring tool…
When making bows it’s usually best to have a good idea of the length on your tails and loops. The spool board is 12” square so no matter how you have it turned you’ll be able to gauge a foot. That means you’ll easily be able to measure a 12” tail and 6” loops!
If you use ribbon tails in your wreaths and rails I have another great tool to share. Our ribbon tail boards make it super easy to make piles of perfectly measured ribbon tails, all at one time! If you want to learn more about it, check out our post on how to use a ribbon tail board. You’ll never measure your tails the old way again!
As you can see, there are lots of ways that a spool board can free up your hands and save you some time. And who doesn’t need more hands and more time? With one item you’ll be able to hold your ribbon spools, measure and make a bow, and hold your mesh curls. I’m guessing you guys will probably come up with more uses for it too. If you do, I’d love to hear them!
If you need any help with painting your own wood signs or wreath rails and decorating your custom wreath rails, be sure to check out more of our tutorials on Hot Mesh Mom Blog.
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