20 Ribbon Garland Ideas You Can Make in an Evening From a Few Spools

A velvet ribbon garland photographs like the work of a florist, and it is really the work of an evening with a cutting board and whatever spools sit closest to hand. The trick is not precision, it is the opposite: loops of different lengths, a bow that sits slightly off center, a cluster here and a long gap there.

None of these twenty ideas need a glue gun fluent in geometry or a trip past three craft shops. Pick two or three jewel colors (emerald, burgundy, mustard, blush, sage and rust all sit well together) and let the ribbon do the rest, tied and hung by hand so nothing lines up too neatly.

Work through them in whatever order suits the room you are standing in, since each one stands on its own and most borrow the same length of ribbon twice over if you let them.

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The Staircase and the Window

These two borrow the exact same chain, cut once and used twice: a staircase feels grand with it swagged along the handrail, a bare window feels finished with the same chain hanging straight down one side.

Velvet Loop Chain Garland Swagged Along the Staircase Handrail

A banister dressed in six colors at once looks far more expensive than an evening with a cutting board actually costs. It is simply a paper chain rebuilt in cloth.

Cut velvet ribbon about 2 inch wide into loops 8 inch long before they close, then link them through each other and secure each with a few hand stitches or a dab of fabric glue.

Work through emerald, mustard, blush, burgundy, sage and rust without counting, so three green loops sometimes sit together and a single rust loop stands alone further down the chain.

Swag the finished length along the handrail, tacking it at uneven points with garland clips so it sags lower between some tacks than others, then finish each end with a wide velvet bow cut to different tail lengths.

It wants a staircase with some run, six feet or more, though a short flight still reads well at thirty loops. For the full banister treatment, there is a whole set of 16 Christmas Staircase Garland Ideas That Turn Your Banister Into the Prettiest Spot in the House.

Velvet Loop Chain Garland Hung Down a Window Frame

The same chain that dresses the stairs works just as hard hung straight down one side of a window, catching whatever light comes through the glass behind it.

Build it the same way: loops of 2 inch velvet ribbon in the same six colors, each about 8 inch long, linked and glued into one continuous length.

Hang it from a small hook screwed into the window frame, or loop it over the curtain rod, letting the last few loops rest loosely on the sill rather than stopping short in mid air.

Finish the top with a single velvet bow, tails left long and slightly uneven, to cover the hook.

One length suits a single window, two shorter lengths either side suit a wider one. If you would rather not put a hook in the frame, a removable adhesive hook rated for the chain’s weight holds just as well through the season.

The Mantel

Cedar and brass do most of the heavy lifting on a mantel, so the ribbon only needs to fill the gaps between them, not compete.

For more ways to dress plain cedar beyond ribbon alone, there are 25 Christmas Garland Ideas That Make Every Mantel, Doorway and Staircase Look Magazine-Ready.

Narrow Velvet Ribbon Ties on Every Candle Along the Mantel

A brass candelabra on a bed of cedar does most of the work on its own, but a few inches of dark velvet around each candle is what makes someone stop on their way past.

Cut narrow velvet ribbon, about half an inch wide, into 10 inch lengths, one for every candle. Wrap each once around the base of the taper and tie off in a small knot or loose bow, whichever the candle asks for.

Leave the tails uneven, some barely grazing the cedar, others dropping almost to the floor of the firebox. Not every candle needs the same treatment, a plain wrap on one and a proper bow on the next keeps the row from looking assembled.

This suits any mantel with a candelabra or a cluster of pillar candles, and battery tapers take the ribbon just as well if an open flame near ribbon makes you nervous.

Cedar Garland with a Ribbon Tail Bundle Tied at the Corner

A plain cedar garland along the mantel shelf is lovely and a little quiet until one corner gets a bundle of ribbon tails, loose as a corsage pinned on by hand.

Cut five or six lengths of 1 inch velvet ribbon in pink and rust, varying between 12 and 20 inch long. Knot them together at the top, leaving the ends to fall unevenly.

Tie the bundle into the cedar at one corner only, never the center, and let a few of the tails rest on top of the greenery rather than hanging straight down.

It works on a mantel, over a doorway, or clipped to the end of a table runner.

A Fireplace Screen Wrapped Corner to Corner with Wide Velvet Ribbon

A bare fire screen in front of an unlit hearth is the kind of gap that gets overlooked until it is dressed, and a single ribbon running corner to corner is enough.

Take a length of wide velvet ribbon, about 3 inch across and 2 yard long, and run it diagonally from the top corner of the screen to the opposite bottom corner. Secure it behind the frame with a few stitches or clear tape where it cannot be seen.

Tie a loose bow where the ribbon meets the top corner, letting the tails fall across the mesh rather than hang straight.

It suits a screen that otherwise sits plain all season, and a narrower ribbon works just as well on a smaller folding screen.

The Walls and the Shelves

These live in the rooms that rarely get decorated at all, a bare wall or a bookshelf edge, which is exactly why a little ribbon there surprises people.

A String of Tiny Red Velvet Bows Clipped Along Fairy Lights Across a Wall

A plain stretch of wall rarely gets decorated on its own, but a loose line of fairy lights with a few bows tied on turns it into the prettiest corner of the room.

Pin a warm white fairy light string in a soft swag across the wall, higher at the ends than in the middle. Cut narrow velvet ribbon, about five eighths of an inch wide, into 6 inch lengths and tie a small bow directly onto the wire between bulbs.

Space the bows unevenly on purpose, two close together here, a long bare stretch of light there.

A dab of fabric glue closes each bow just as well, no needle required! This suits a hallway, a headboard wall or the back of a console table just as easily as a party wall.

A Ribbon Chain in Red and Green Stripe with Small Brass Bells Along a Bookshelf Edge

A striped ribbon chain reads more playful than the velvet loops elsewhere in the house, which is exactly why it earns its spot along a low bookshelf rather than the mantel.

Make the chain as before, but in a red and green stripe ribbon, about 1.5 inch wide, loops 7 inch long, linked and glued into one length.

Thread a few small brass bells onto some of the links, or tie them on with a short scrap of ribbon, so only every third or fourth loop gets one.

Drape the chain along the front edge of a bookshelf or picture rail, letting it dip between books rather than lying flat. It suits a study, a playroom shelf or a sideboard just as well.

A Velvet Ribbon Swag Draped Across the Top of a Mirror Frame

A mirror that usually just reflects the room gets a second life with one loose loop of ribbon across its top, nothing tied to the glass itself.

Take a single length of wide burgundy velvet ribbon, about 2.5 inch wide and 1.5 yard long, and drape it loosely across the top two corners of the frame. Pin it behind the frame at two or three points so it dips in the middle rather than pulling taut.

Tie a bow at one corner only, leaving the other end to trail down the side of the glass past the frame’s edge.

This works over any mirror with enough frame to pin into, and a lighter blush ribbon suits a bedroom mirror better than the deeper tones.

Velvet Bows Pinned to the Corner of a Few Frames on a Gallery Wall

A gallery wall of mismatched frames looks finished rather than fussy once a few, not all, of the corners get a small velvet bow.

Cut 10 inch lengths of three quarter inch ribbon in mustard, blush and sage, and tie each into a simple bow. Pin or tape one to the top corner of every third or fourth frame, skipping the rest deliberately.

Keep the colors mixed rather than matched frame to frame, so no two neighbouring bows repeat.

It suits any wall of frames that already has some variety in size, and ribbon tape removes cleanly from painted walls if you are renting.

The Tree and the Greenery

Most decoration on a tree happens at eye level and above, so these three go looking for the parts that usually get left bare.

Velvet Ribbon Tails Knotted Directly Onto the Branches of a Live Tree

A tree hung with tails instead of baubles looks undone in the best way, more like something that grew that way than something decorated.

Cut many lengths of 1 inch velvet ribbon in burgundy, rust and sage, each between 10 and 14 inch long. Knot each one directly around a branch tip, close to where the needles are thickest.

Cluster them near the top of the tree and let them thin out lower down, with real gaps between some branches and none at all between others.

Trim the ends at an angle rather than straight across, and leave a few raw rather than sealed for a softer, fraying edge.

A Velvet Ribbon Chain Spiraled Up a Potted Tree Trunk

Most of the decoration on a potted tree happens above eye line, which leaves the trunk bare and a little forgotten.

Make a short loop chain from 1.5 inch velvet ribbon, loops about 6 inch long, in emerald and mustard. Wind it loosely in a spiral up the trunk rather than gluing it flat, tying it off at three or four points so it can twist slightly.

Leave gaps between the spiral’s turns rather than wrapping edge to edge, and let the last few inches hang loose rather than tucking them in.

This suits a potted olive, cypress or any tree with a visible trunk, and works just as well on a smaller tabletop tree scaled down to half the ribbon.

A Fat Velvet Bow Tied at the Top of the Tree Instead of a Star

A star on top of the tree is the obvious finish, which is reason enough to tie a bow there instead.

Cut a length of wide velvet ribbon, about 3 inch across and 2 yard long, and tie it into a loose, oversized bow directly onto the top branch where a topper would normally sit.

Let the loops sit unevenly, some flat against the branches, one standing proud, and leave the tails long enough to cascade down into the greenery below.

It suits a tree that already carries enough ornaments and just needs one strong gesture at the top, and a single color reads calmer than mixing two.

The Table

A dinner table carries ribbon well because everything on it is already small and close together: a runner, a chandelier, a chair back, a single candle base.

A Velvet Ribbon Loop Chain Runner Laid Down the Center of the Table

A table runner is the obvious choice, which is exactly why a loop chain laid flat down the center of the table instead feels like a small surprise.

Make the same chain as the staircase version, but shorter: loops of 2 inch velvet ribbon in emerald, blush and rust, 8 inch long, linked into one length just shy of the table’s own.

Lay it flat rather than hanging it, and rest a few brass candle holders directly in the gaps between loops where the chain dips.

Let both ends trail slightly off the table edge rather than stopping flush, and this suits a long dinner table far better than a small round one.

A Ribbon Garland Draped Through the Arms of a Chandelier Above the Table

A chandelier that usually just holds light looks dressed for the evening once ribbon gets woven through its arms, no two lengths matching.

Cut several lengths of velvet ribbon, about 1 inch wide and 18 to 24 inch long, in burgundy and sage. Loop and tie one loosely around each arm of the chandelier, close to where the arm meets the fixture.

Let the tails hang at different lengths between the lights, and skip an arm here and there rather than dressing every single one.

For more on dressing the fixture itself, there are 10 Christmas Chandelier Decor Ideas With Hanging Ornaments, Ribbon and Greenery.

Narrow Velvet Ribbon Tails Tied to the Back of Each Dining Chair

Chairs around a dinner table rarely get dressed at all, which is exactly why one narrow ribbon tied to each feels generous without being much work.

Cut 20 inch lengths of five eighths inch velvet ribbon, one color per chair rather than one color for all of them, and tie a simple bow around the top rail of each.

Leave the tails at different lengths chair to chair, some barely past the seat, others brushing the floor.

This suits a table set for a dinner rather than a quick supper, and ribbon ties undo in seconds when the evening is over.

A Short Ribbon Chain Looped Around the Base of a Centrepiece Candle Hurricane

A glass hurricane holding a single pillar candle is lovely on its own and quietly better with one loop of ribbon at its base.

Wrap a 20 inch length of 1 inch velvet ribbon twice around the base of the hurricane and tie it off to one side, rather than at the back where it would disappear.

Let the tails rest on the tablecloth instead of standing up, and one hurricane per place setting makes a stronger centrepiece than a single large one in the middle.

A short offcut of any ribbon left over from the table runner works here, so nothing new needs buying.

The Doorway and the Small Last Things

These are the quiet finishing touches, the door, the coat rack, the gift stack, and the scrap pile every other idea here leaves behind.

A Fresh Wreath with Wide Velvet Tails Instead of a Bow

A wreath with a neat bow is the version every door already has, which is exactly why three loose tails instead feel like a different door entirely.

Cut three lengths of wide velvet ribbon, about 2.5 inch across, in rust and burgundy, between 18 and 30 inch long. Tie them together at the top in one knot and secure that knot to the base of the wreath.

Let the three tails fall at different lengths rather than trimming them level, and skip the bow altogether.

This suits a fresh or faux wreath equally well, and holds up fine in light rain if the ribbon is a velvet blend rather than pure silk.

A Cluster of Velvet Bows Tied Along the Coat Rack by the Door

A coat rack by the door is usually the last thing anyone dresses, and the easiest to finish in ten minutes flat.

Cut several 10 inch lengths of three quarter inch velvet ribbon in mustard, sage and blush, and tie a small bow directly onto the hooks and crossbar.

Put two bows on one hook and leave the next bare, rather than giving every hook the same treatment.

It suits a wooden hall tree or a simple wall-mounted row of hooks just as easily, and the bows come off clean before coats go back on it in January.

A Short Ribbon Chain Wound Around the Base of a Stack of Wrapped Gifts

A stack of wrapped gifts under the tree looks finished with one loose chain wound around its base, rather than a bow on every single box.

Make a short loop chain from 1.5 inch velvet ribbon, loops 6 inch long, in rust and emerald, just long enough to wind around the stack twice.

Tuck the ends under the bottom box rather than tying them off, so the chain looks settled rather than attached.

This suits any cluster of boxes stacked two or three high, and a single loop works just as well around one large box alone.

A Scrap Garland Made From Every Leftover Ribbon End Knotted Together

Every other idea here leaves a small pile of offcuts, and this is where they go instead of the bin.

Gather every leftover end, whatever length survives, and knot them together end to end in simple overhand knots with no measuring at all.

Let the colors fall in whatever order the knotting produces, and keep going until the pile runs out.

Hang the result somewhere low key, a pantry shelf or a mudroom hook, rather than anywhere that needs to look finished. For more ways to make leftover spools stretch further, there are 12 Christmas Ribbon Crafts That Make Leftover Spools Look Like Boutique Decor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much ribbon do I need for a garland?

Every three feet of ribbon makes about one foot of finished garland, and wider ribbon needs more length for the same result. Buy one extra spool in your weakest color before you start, since clusters use more than straight runs.

How do I stop the cut ends of ribbon from fraying?

Carefully seal the cut ends with a lighter or other flame source to keep them from unraveling. Velvet frays less than satin, but a quick pass still tidies a ragged tail before it gets tied in.

What width ribbon should I use for a garland?

Ten yards of 2 inch wide ribbon makes about four feet of finished garland, so wider ribbon suits the main chain and narrower ribbon around half an inch to 1 inch suits ties and small bows.

Do I need to sew a ribbon garland together?

No, folding each piece in half and attaching it to a length of twine with a simple knot works just as well as sewing. A dab of fabric glue closes velvet loops too if knots feel fiddly.

How much garland do I need for a tree?

Plan on about nine feet of garland for every foot of tree height as a general rule, then adjust up or down depending on how densely you want the branches covered.