How To Make A Table Skirt With Ribbons

Inspiration comes from all over, and the idea of how to make a table skirt with ribbons came from a department store during Christmastime.

I’m a sucker for ribbons. I have been for as long as I can remember. I have bins of them and it’s without question that I’ll use each one at some point.  Whether I make a shower curtain, or sew a bunch together for a pillow, or hey, even wrap presents with them, I’ll use them. And when I see something made from ribbons that I admire, then I’m all in.

All of the inspiration I gathered for this project is brought to you by the cosmetics section at Macy’s Herald Square. Sean and I took the kids to see Santa, and on the way up to see him, we walked through the cosmetics section. There were several tables displaying all kinds of fancy stuff, but it was the skirts on the tables that caught my eye. Not to be mistaken for a tablecloth, but still along the same lines. Glass topped tables with ribbons gracefully hanging around the circumference; just like a skirt. A good idea to keep in mind.

Fast forward 10 years and a sorry looking metal table later, I needed something to serve drinks up in the garden house. And for someone who always seems to have a little bit of everything on hand, I didn’t have a spare table, or at least one that was at all presentable. My only option was the sorry metal table, that didn’t even have a top. The kicker was that I needed the table to be transformed within an hour.

I grabbed said table that was parked behind the garage, cleaned it up and then just stared at it. “What the heck am I going to do with this thing? It’s my only option.” Then that ribbon table skirt idea popped up, and I went straight to a bin and grabbed a few rolls. Here’s how to make a table skirt with ribbons.

First, this table skirt needed a waistline, so to speak. For this, I used on long grosgrain ribbon that measured around three sides of the table. Then, I played around with the ribbons, laying out different patterns until I found one I liked.

I measured the height of the table, and cut the ribbons to length. Then, I found the center of the waistline ribbon, and hot glued the first ribbon on that center point, working my way out from the center, repeating the pattern. Just a few drops of hot glue on one edge of ribbon, and then pressing on the waistline ribbon to secure.

Some of the ribbons are wired, some not, but it’s the haphazard drape that calms down the formalness of the glitter. I like that. To finish and tidy up, I added another ribbon for trim to cover the raw edge.

Because this table is metal, I went ahead and hot glued the skirt directly on the table. With the help of a straight edge, I can take the table skirt off or change it up whenever. If you’re making a table skirt with a nicer table in mind, then what I would suggest adding extra length to the waistline ribbon to fit around the entire table, and then tying tightly in a bow, in the back of the table.

To use as a top for the table, I found a board leftover from the garden house build (no, I don’t throw much out because you never know when you might need it, case in point), cut it to size and fit it on top.

In just less than an hour, I was able to make this table skirt, and jazz up that once sorry table in to a pretty and festive fixture. Goes to show you never know where you’ll find design and decor inspiration.