Ribbon Storage Box

Here is a fairly easy box you can make for your ribbon storage. Start with an empty shoe box, whatever size you have. This one was already decorated like a zebra so I'm not covering it. Depending on your box, you may want to cover the box with patterned paper to start with.

Materials needed:

shoebox

patterned paper to decorate

ruler

long reach hole punch or sharp pointed scissors

wooden dowel about 14" long or bamboo skewer

craft knife

wire cutter

 Measure you shoebox and draw a line with pencil about half way down from the top of your box. For this box, it was 2 inches from the top.

Use the line as a guide for making the holes in your box. If you have a long reach hole punch, you should be able to punch the holes about 1" apart. Without a long reach hole punch, you will need to use sharp pointed scissors or an ice pick to make holes along the line. If you use an ice pick, you will have to push a ball point pen or other round object through the hole to make it large enough for the ribbon.

 Your holes should be about 1" apart. You can make the holes on just one side of the box or on both sides, depending on your need.

If you used sharp pointed scissors, then the inside of the holes are going to have cardboard sticking out. I suggest that you use a craft knife to cut the excess cardboard off.

Poke or punch one hole on each end of the shoe box either with you long reach hole punch or scissors. The hole should be at or near the center.  Measure your dowel or skewer to fit through the holes to reach each end of the box and stick out a bit. If you are using a bamboo skewer, you will need to cut off the point on the skewer. This can be done easily with wire cutters. If you are using a thicker dowel, you may need a saw.

Run the dowel or skewer through the hole in the end of the box and through the center of the spools of ribbon that you have. If you cut holes on each side of the box, you can turn the ribbon so that each spool is alternating direction. Pull the ribbon end through the hole and let it hang outside the box on each side. 

You will be able to see each color and style of ribbon that you have and pull the amount needed out of the box. Cut the length you need and the ribbon will still be standing in your box, ready to go the next time. Decorate your box lid and place it on top to keep your ribbon in good order.

I hope that you see this as an easy and inexpensive way to store your ribbon. As you get more ribbon, you can make more boxes to store as much ribbon as you have.