How to Make a Double Braided Ribbon Lei: Step-by-Step Guide
A lei is often associated with Hawaii and is a traditional symbol of welcome and peace, usually crafted from real Hawaiian flowers. Yet you can make a lei without any flowers, real or artificial, by using ribbon instead. This guide shows how to braid two colors of ribbon into a double-ribbon lei.
By Robin Bailey9 steps
Create your own lei out of ribbons instead of real flowers.
For many people, the word "lei" brings to mind Hawaii. A lei is a customary Hawaiian emblem of welcome and peace, and it is usually fashioned from genuine Hawaiian blossoms. But you don't need tropical flowers to make a lei of your own. In fact, flowers -- whether real or artificial -- are not required at all. You can use ribbon instead. By interweaving two ribbons of different colors, you can quickly produce a double-ribbon lei braid.
Step 1
Hold the ribbons together, making sure they are even.
Step 2
Tie both of the ribbons together into a knot. The knot should be about 6 inches from the very end of the ribbons.
Step 3
Place the ribbons on a clean, dry surface in front of you. They should lie vertically, with the knotted end nearest to you. The ribbon that is facing up at you will be called "Ribbon 1," the ribbon behind it will be referred to as "Ribbon 2."
Step 4
Bend Ribbon 2 to form a small loop just above and to the left of the knot.
Step 5
Wrap Ribbon 1 around Ribbon 2's loop. Create a small loop with Ribbon 1, and slide it through the loop made by Ribbon 2.
Step 6
Pull on the ribbon length of Ribbon 2 to tighten the loop around Ribbon 1's loop.
Step 7
Form another small loop with Ribbon 2, and slide it through the loop made by Ribbon 1 in Step 5. Pull on the ribbon length of Ribbon 1 to tighten its loop around Ribbon 2's loop. Keep repeating this process, alternating each ribbon color until you only have a couple of inches of ribbon end remaining.
Step 8
Slide one ribbon end – without looping it – through the very last loop. Pull on the ribbon end to tighten and close the end of the lei.
Step 9
Tie the two ends of the lei together in a knot to create a necklace.
