Ribbon Tree Garland

Ribbon Tree Garland
This was my most tedious but favorite project of the season.  Taking a tip out of Martha Stewart's book, I created this simple tree garland.  Though she recommended using ribbon scraps or leftovers, I am a fan of symmetry and patterns so I used new rolls purchased on sale at Jo-Ann for 50% off.

Supplies:
Scissors (strong and sharp ones for smooth cuts)
Rolls of 2" ribbon of your choosing*
Staples
Hot Glue Gun
Ruler

*I found an assortment of wire ribbon and standard ribbon worked well.  Also using opaque designs rather than sheer will hide the crafting evidence.  Wire ribbon was easier to work with and will hold its shape over time.

1. Cut your ribbon into 6 inch strips.  They don't have to be exact so don't measure every single strip.

2.  Figure out your pattern.  Will your ribbons follow a certain pattern?  Will it be random?  Decide this ahead of time.

3.  Now, hold your first ribbon in your hand face up (design up).  Bring the two ends together - face to face - and staple.  You will want to staple because if/when the hot glue gives out on you, the staple will hold the link together.

HOWEVER, if you prefer to just hot glue, make a hot glue strip across the top ribbon piece and press together.

4.  Hot glue the ends down.  When working with wire ribbon, I found it easier to fold the ends over first to shape the wire.  Then I would add the hot glue and press down.  Regular ribbon is much easier to fold over. 

5. Flip the ribbon right-side out and you have your first chain.

6.  Feed next ribbon through the chain, and repeat from Step3.

**Please be extra careful and patient with this project.  It's extremely tedious and very easy to burn yourself.  Because hot glue can leak through the ribbon, I applied it to the ribbon and blew on it before proceeding with the step.  This greatly reduced the searing heat and made it easier to move quickly and safely.

Update
I actually sold this garland a year after the original post.  Below are the listing photos for a better view.