a lot of people make their own torn cotton ribbon, so this is not new. this is a photo of my latest 'batch' and a few tips. no rocket science happening here this early Monday morning.
if your fabric is not too wrinkly to begin with once the cotton strips start over lapping on the spool the fabric will naturally flatten out. and a little wrinkle here and there only adds to the casual charm of the ribbon.
the first time i ever made fabric ribbon--i ironed all of the strips before winding them on the spool*. i've since skipped that step.
scour the thrift store for cottons.
when fabric is between 75 cents and a $1.50 a yard i don't feel so "attached" and it makes it easier to rip the fabric up. i also try to find cotton fabric in at least 2 yard lengths since i do not sew the strips together (some people do. i'm not one of those people).
this way you will have a nice wrapping length to work with for your gift packages or hand-tied bouquets.
tips:
if you are drawn to a certain color, but the fabric is a bit hideous, go for it! often once the cotton fabric is torn into strips, it will become much more appealing.
do not over-look the cotton sheets in the thrift store bedding department--even the pillow cases have potential when cut open into a larger piece of fabric, then torn.
did you find some fabric or sheeting only to find a stain somehwere on it? rip your strips and discard the stain portion of the affected strips, by cutting around the stain and creating shorter strips-you can also stitch these shorter strips together.
if your fabric is indeed extremely wrinkly--iron the piece before you start tearing your strips. not after*.
if you happen to have access to a thrift store that receives lots of cotton saris (luckily, i do) these make gorgeous ribbons
keep an eye out for smaller size prints and designs on fabric as these work particularly well for ribbons
