Today I’m showing you how to work with a door hanger rail (two of them actually!). We have already painted them so I dive right into adding all the ribbons, mesh, and bows!

Many of you know that much of our business centers around door hanger rails (aka wreath rails). We design, cut, paint, and teach you how to decorate them. In the video below I work with two very different rails to give you some inspiration for decorating your own.

How to Work with a Door Hanger Rail

Cancer Awareness Rail

The first rail that I decorate in this video is the Cancer Awareness Rail. It features twelve different cancer awareness ribbons. Cancer is a terrible thing and experiencing it in your life can be difficult and challenging. When you put all of these ribbons together, however, they make a beautiful rainbow of bright colors. This project is meant to be fun and uplifting. It is a way to remember that on the tail of some of the darkest moments are some of the brightest rainbows.

I want this rail, with all its bright colors, textures, and big ole bow, to make you feel good. It should remind you of all the warriors. I also want it to remind us that when we stand together, we stand strong. My love and prayers are with all of you whose lives have been affected by cancer.

For the bow at the center of this rail I used every color that I could fit in there. I love bright colors, they make me happy and I was hoping to share that happiness with you all. If there is a particular cause that you would like to draw more attention to, however, you could make your bow all one color. If breast cancer has touched your life and you want to represent that in your rail you could make your bow using different shades of pink.

As with all of our rails, this video shows you step-by-step how I chose to decorate mine. You could also include some awareness pics or flowers to jazz yours up. I would love to see the beautiful rails you create when you add your own touches!

But Wait…There’s More!

This video also contains a bonus tutorial! I show you how I decorated an adorable dog print rail to donate to my cousin who works with a foster animal group. If you are a pet lover, you are going to love this design. Whoever said black and brown don’t go together has never seen this sweet creation!

Cancer Awareness Rail Supplies

Bow making Instructions

  1. Grab your EZ Bow maker. Start with the pink ribbon and measure a 10” tail then make 2 6” loops on each side.
  2. Next, do the same with the striped ribbon.
  3. Repeat again using the green ribbon.
  4. Repeat again using the orange and white ribbon.
  5. Next, use the pink jelly ribbon: measure a 10” tail then make 2 6” loops on each side.
  6. Finally take the royal blue jelly ribbon and repeat step 5 but make 3 loops this time. Make the third loop smaller. This will give it a middle piece that will make it look like we tied the bow.
  7. Twist two pipe cleaners together at the ends to make one long one.
  8. Finally, remove the bow from the bowmaker, twist the pipe cleaners around the center of the bow and tie them off.

Door Hanger Rail Instructions

  1. Attach 3 pipe cleaners to the bottom rail and two to the top, alternating them in a zig-zag pattern.
  2. Take the white mesh, measure 10 inches and make a poof with it at one end of your rail, securing it with the pipe cleaner.
  3. Make another 10” poof and attach it to the second pipe cleaner.
  4. Continue along the rail until you have used all the pipe cleaners.
  5. Cut 3 10” strips of the blue, yellow, and red mesh. Cut 2 10” strips of the pink, purple, and lime green mesh.
  6. Roll up one strip of the blue mesh and secure between the two center pegs of your ribbon spool board. Repeat with one of the red and yellow strips. Criss cross them and attach to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Repeat this with the pipe cleaners at the center and other end of the rail.
  7. Use the same method with the pink, purple, and lime green mesh and attach them to the remaining two pipe cleaners.
  8. Cut 5 strips of tubing. Loop them and attach one to each of the pipe cleaners.
  9. Use your ribbon tail board to cut 12” tails of the yellow (2), pink (3), green (3), and striped (2) ribbon. Dove tail the ends.
  10. Put one pink and one green tail together, fold in half and pinch at the center. Attach them to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Arrange the tails to face outward. Repeat this step at the pipe cleaners at the center and other end of the rail.
  11. Use the same method with the yellow and striped ribbon and attach them to the remaining two pipe cleaners.
  12. Attach your bow to the center of the rail. Be sure to poke through your mesh on the way to the rail so help hold the bow in place.
  13. Fluff out the bow, separating the loops.

Live, Love, Bark Rail Supplies

Bow making Instructions

  1. Grab your EZ Bow Maker. Start with the tan canvas ribbon and measure a 10” tail then make two 6” loops on each side.
  2. Next, do the same with the brown striped ribbon but only make one loop on each side.
  3. Repeat again using the polka dot ribbon making two loops on each side.
  4. Repeat again using the tan and white hound’s tooth making one loop on each side.
  5. Next, use the 1 ½” hound’s tooth ribbon, measure a 10” tail then make one 6” loops on each side.
  6. Repeat with the 1 ½” paw print ribbon making two loops on each side.
  7. Repeat with the 1 ½” tan ribbon making one loop on each side.
  8. Twist two pipe cleaners together at the ends to make one long one.
  9. Finally, remove the bow from the bowmaker, twist the pipe cleaners around the center of the bow and tie them off. Dovetail the ribbon ends.

Door Hanger Rail Instructions

  1. Attach 3 pipe cleaners to the bottom rail and two to the top, alternating them in a zig-zag pattern.
  2. Take the black and white striped mesh, measure 10 inches and make a poof with it at one end of your rail, securing it with the pipe cleaner.
  3. Make another 10” poof and attach it to the second pipe cleaner.
  4. Continue along the rail until you have used all the pipe cleaners.
  5. Take the brown mesh and cut 5 10” strips. Roll one up, pinch it at the center and attach it vertically to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Repeat with the remaining strips and pipe cleaners.
  6. Cut 4 strips of tubing. Loop them and attach one to all the pipe cleaners except the center one.
  7. Use your ribbon tail board to cut 12” tails of the 2 ½” polka dot (3), 1 ½” paw print (3), 2 ½” Brown striped (2), and 1 ½” hound’s tooth (2) ribbon. Dove tail the ends.
  8. Put one polka dot and paw print tail together, fold in half and pinch at the center. Attach them to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Arrange the tails to face outward. Repeat this step at the pipe cleaners at the center and other end of the rail.
  9. Use the same method with the brown striped and hound’s tooth tails and attach them to the remaining two pipe cleaners.
  10. Attach your bow to the center of the rail. Be sure to poke through your mesh on the way to the rail so help hold the bow in place.
  11. Fluff out the bow, separating the loops.

That’s a Wrap!

Whew you guys, that was a whole lotta ribbon and mesh. I had a lot of fun doing these projects together though and I hope you enjoyed learning how to work with a door hanger rail. The two rails I did were very different in style but the techniques are similar. I hope that watching this video has made you geeked and ready to go create your own door hanger rails!

If you want to make your very own wreath rail exactly like this one, then check out the recipe card below for all of the details.

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.

We would love to see your amazing wreath rail designs! Please share with us over at the Hot Mesh Mom Facebook.

How to Work with a Door Hanger Rail

Recipe by Kari Gustafson

Supplies

Directions

  • Cancer Awareness Rail
  • Bow making Instructions
  • Grab your EZ Bow maker. Start with the pink ribbon and measure a 10” tail then make 2 6” loops on each side.
  • Next, do the same with the striped ribbon.
  • Repeat again using the green ribbon.
  • Repeat again using the orange and white ribbon.
  • Next, use the pink jelly ribbon: measure a 10” tail then make 2 6” loops on each side.
  • Finally take the royal blue jelly ribbon and repeat step 5 but make 3 loops this time. Make the third loop smaller. This will give it a middle piece that will make it look like we tied the bow.
  • Twist two pipe cleaners together at the ends to make one long one.
  • Finally, remove the bow from the bowmaker, twist the pipe cleaners around the center of the bow and tie them off.
  • Door Hanger Rail Instructions
  • Attach 3 pipe cleaners to the bottom rail and two to the top, alternating them in a zig-zag pattern.
  • Take the white mesh, measure 10 inches and make a poof with it at one end of your rail, securing it with the pipe cleaner.
  • Make another 10” poof and attach it to the second pipe cleaner.
  • Continue along the rail until you have used all the pipe cleaners.
  • Cut 3 10” strips of the blue, yellow, and red mesh. Cut 2 10” strips of the pink, purple, and lime green mesh.
  • Roll up one strip of the blue mesh and secure between the two center pegs of your ribbon spool board. Repeat with one of the red and yellow strips. Criss cross them and attach to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Repeat this with the pipe cleaners at the center and other end of the rail.
  • Use the same method with the pink, purple, and lime green mesh and attach them to the remaining two pipe cleaners.
  • Cut 5 strips of tubing. Loop them and attach one to each of the pipe cleaners.
  • Use your ribbon tail board to cut 12” tails of the yellow (2), pink (3), green (3), and striped (2) ribbon. Dove tail the ends.
  • Put one pink and one green tail together, fold in half and pinch at the center. Attach them to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Arrange the tails to face outward. Repeat this step at the pipe cleaners at the center and other end of the rail.
  • Use the same method with the yellow and striped ribbon and attach them to the remaining two pipe cleaners.
  • Attach your bow to the center of the rail. Be sure to poke through your mesh on the way to the rail so help hold the bow in place.
  • Fluff out the bow, separating the loops.
  • Live, Love, Bark Rail
  • Bow making Instructions
  • Grab your EZ Bow Maker. Start with the tan canvas ribbon and measure a 10” tail then make two 6” loops on each side.
  • Next, do the same with the brown striped ribbon but only make one loop on each side.
  • Repeat again using the polka dot ribbon making two loops on each side.
  • Repeat again using the tan and white hound’s tooth making one loop on each side.
  • Next, use the 1 ½” hound’s tooth ribbon, measure a 10” tail then make one 6” loops on each side.
  • Repeat with the 1 ½” paw print ribbon making two loops on each side.
  • Repeat with the 1 ½” tan ribbon making one loop on each side.
  • Twist two pipe cleaners together at the ends to make one long one.
  • Finally, remove the bow from the bowmaker, twist the pipe cleaners around the center of the bow and tie them off. Dovetail the ribbon ends.
  • Door Hanger Rail Instructions
  • Attach 3 pipe cleaners to the bottom rail and two to the top, alternating them in a zig-zag pattern.
  • Take the black and white striped mesh, measure 10 inches and make a poof with it at one end of your rail, securing it with the pipe cleaner.
  • Make another 10” poof and attach it to the second pipe cleaner.
  • Continue along the rail until you have used all the pipe cleaners.
  • Take the brown mesh and cut 5 10” strips. Roll one up, pinch it at the center and attach it vertically to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Repeat with the remaining strips and pipe cleaners.
  • Cut 4 strips of tubing. Loop them and attach one to all the pipe cleaners except the center one.
  • Use your ribbon tail board to cut 12” tails of the 2 ½” polka dot (3), 1 ½” paw print (3), 2 ½” Brown striped (2), and 1 ½” hound’s tooth (2) ribbon. Dove tail the ends.
  • Put one polka dot and paw print tail together, fold in half and pinch at the center. Attach them to the pipe cleaner at one end of the rail. Arrange the tails to face outward. Repeat this step at the pipe cleaners at the center and other end of the rail.
  • Use the same method with the brown striped and hound’s tooth tails and attach them to the remaining two pipe cleaners.
  • Attach your bow to the center of the rail. Be sure to poke through your mesh on the way to the rail so help hold the bow in place.
  • Fluff out the bow, separating the loops.

Just pin this project tutorial to save the instructions for later!

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