Embroidery Library - Machine Embroidery Designs Inspired Project Page

Monogrammed Ribbon Box

Your ribbons will look ravishing, and they'll stay organized in a Monogrammed Ribbon Box!

Turn an ordinary photo box into something quite extraordinary for your sewing and craft room! Beautiful, yet functional, this ribbon box features a dramatic Jacobean flair and dazzling heat-set crystals.

Do not keep this stunning and practical project to yourself. It will make a wonderful surprise gift for a fellow embroiderer. Filled with delightful ribbons of all sizes, textures, and colors, it's a personalized gift every crafter would love to receive!

The finished size of this project is 12 x 5 x 8 inches.

Supplies needed:

** Photo box
** Fabric for cover (enough to cover top including outside and inside edges)
** Polyester batting
** Cut-away stabilizer
** Temporary spray adhesive
** Permanent spray adhesive
** Air-erase pen
** Grommets and grommet tool (3/8 inch grommets used here)
** Craft knife
** Hammer
** Hot glue
** Hot-fix crystals (optional)

Designs Used:

** 3 inch Jacobean Alphabet
** Jacobean Floral Corner

Lay the cover fabric right side up. Lay the cover face down on top of the fabric, with several inches showing on all sides. Use an air-erase pen to draw a line around the box cover.

Note: For this example, we chose a silky and shiny taffeta to match the luxurious style of the Jacobean monogram and designs.

Measure the depth of the box top's edge. Multiply that measurement by 2, and mark that measurement out from all sides of the traced shape.

(Example: The edge of the top in this example is 2 inches deep. So, we marked a line 4 inches out from the traced box top in all four directions.)

This is the fabric allowance you will need to wrap around the cover, outside and inside.

Measure and mark the center of the cover by measuring each side and dividing in two. Draw lines connecting the marks you made on each side.

These lines will be used for hooping. The center is where both lines meet.

Use embroidery software to merge two corners and a letter design. Create a template of the design by printing it at full size. Trim around the design to make it manageable.

Poke a hole in the center of the design and align it with the center point on the fabric. Make sure the design fits well within the marks for the top of the box cover.

Click here to see instructions on how to merge embroidery designs together using embroidery software.

Hoop the fabric with cut-away stabilizer that has been sprayed with adhesive.

Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design.

After the design has been embroidered, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer.

Cut along the outer lines you marked on the fabric.

Lay the cover on top of the batting, mark, and cut out the shape.

Use more than one layer to create a soft top. The example pictured has three layers of batting.

Lay the fabric right side down and spray the back with permanent adhesive.

Lay the batting on top, carefully aligning it inside the marks for the top of the box cover.

Spray the top cover with permanent adhesive and...

...place it directly on top of the batting.

Press it in place.

Spray the edge of the fabric with adhesive and...

...smooth the fabric over the edges of the cover. Pinch the corners of the fabric together.

Trim about one inch of fabric from each corner. Add a drop of hot glue on the inside edges, and smooth the fabric in place. Add another drop on the inside corners of the box, and press the fabric corners in place.

Optional

Add heat-set crystals to the design for extra sparkle.

Place the lid on top of the box and turn it on its side so you can position the grommets along the long sides of the box.

Plan the grommet placement for even spacing, just under the bottom edge of the box cover.

Note: In this example, the grommets are a centered a little more than one inch apart, with 8 grommets over the span of 12 inches.

Mark the center of each grommet onto the box.

Repeat on the other side of the box to make a double-sided ribbon box.

Remove the cover of the box and set the grommets aside. Use a craft knife to carefully cut a hole just large enough for the grommets to fit into snugly.

Using the grommet tool, tap each grommet into place along both sides of the box.

Add ribbon spools inside the box, and thread each ribbon through the grommets.

Pretty, practical ribbon storage for the craft room!

Click here for a printable version of these project instructions.

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