It's ribbon palooza over at my house these days! Between my kiddos and I, everyone wants different kinds of ribbon for different projects. I, like many crafters, can NEVER have enough crafting materials. Anytime I venture into a craft store like Michaels or Hobby Lobby or a less well known store like SK Houston or Ribbons & Crafts and parooze around the aisles, I usually buy something. Whether its ribbon, specialty tape, unique vinyl, custom buttons, etc. we always have "room" for more.
The problem is actually finding what you have when you need it. For years I dealt with it the way most crafters do: a bin that turned into a tangled disaster the moment I needed one specific spool. I would dig, I would pull, I would untangle, and by the time I found what I was looking for I had already lost the will to craft.
So, I built this. A wall-mounted ribbon holder, 5 feet tall by 25.5" wide, with 9 levels of storage. Every spool is visible. Every spool is accessible. And my craft room finally looks like it belongs to someone who has their life together.
Here is how I built it.
What to Buy at the Store
- 1x6x8 pine board (x2): These become your two side rails, each cut down to 60" (5 feet).
- 1x2x8 pine board (x6): These get cut down into all of your shelf boards (24" long) and trapezoid blocks (4" long side, 1.5" short side, cut at 45 degrees). Six 8-foot boards gives you plenty of material for all 18 shelf boards and 36 trapezoid blocks.
What You Need
- Pine boards (see shopping list above)
- Wood screws (1.5" and 2.5")
- Wood glue
- Sandpaper (120 and 220 grit)
- Paint or stain, if you want it (optional)
- Wall anchors and mounting screws
- Level and measuring tape
- Drill and drill bits
- Miter saw (for the 45-degree trapezoid cuts)
- Jigsaw (for the wave cut on the side rails)
- Clamps and painter's tape
- Pencil and cardstock or cardboard for templates
How to Build It
Step 1: Cut Your Boards
Start by cutting your two 1x6x8 boards down to 60" each for the side rails. Then work through your six 1x2x8 boards, cutting 18 shelf boards at 24" long and 18 trapezoid blocks from the remaining material. For the trapezoid blocks, set your miter saw to 45 degrees and cut each one so the long face is 4" and the short face is 1.5". Cut a test block first and check the fit before cutting the full batch. Sand everything with 120-grit, then finish with 220-grit, and wipe off the dust with a tack cloth.
Step 2: Cut the Decorative Wave on the Side Rails
This is what gives the holder its custom, finished look. The wave cut goes on the front-facing edge of each side rail only. The back edge stays perfectly straight since that is the side that sits flat against the wall.
Start 3" from the bottom and draw a line across the front edge of the side panel then measure 6 3/4" until you reach the top. These marks are the widest points of your scallop design and will guide where each curve peaks. Make a cardstock or cardboard template of your scallop shape using those marks as your reference points.
Here is the trick to making sure both rails match perfectly: lay one side rail on top of the other with the penciled side facing up, then use clamps and painter's tape to hold them together securely. Trace your template onto the top board, then cut through both boards at the same time with your jigsaw. Cutting them together as one piece guarantees they come out identical. Take your time following the curve smoothly and sand the curved edges well when done.
Step 3: Mark Your Shelf Positions on the Side Rails
Lay both side rails side by side with the straight back edges aligned. Mark your shelf level positions from the bottom up. Each level consists of two shelf boards forming a V-cup, held at angle by the trapezoid blocks. The short side of the trapezoid should line up with and sit at the penciled widest point.
Step 4: Build Each Shelf Unit
Before attaching anything to the side rails, build each shelf as its own unit first. Take one trapezoid block and attach a 24" shelf board to the angled face using wood glue and screws. Repeat this for the other 24" piece. Once you have one side complete, attach another trapezoid piece to the other side facing the same direction (with the long side facing up). The shelf board sits along the 45-degree angled line of the trapezoid, so the four pieces together create the V-cup. Repeat this process for all 9 levels before moving on.
Step 5: Attach the Shelf Units to the Side Rails
Once all your shelf units are built, it is time to attach them to the side rails. Position each shelf unit at its marked location on the inside face of the side rails, with the short side of the trapezoid block sitting at the widest point of the scallop (even with the penciled line of the side panel). The angled faces of the two shelf halves at each level should mirror each other, angling outward to form the V-cup. Glue and screw the trapezoid blocks securely to the side rails. Work your way up through all 9 levels, checking your angles as you go so each cup is consistent.
Step 6: Let It Cure
Give the glue at least 8 hours to cure before moving the unit. Wipe away any squeeze-out with a damp cloth right away. Dried glue is a pain to deal with later.
Step 7: Finish It (Optional)
I left mine natural pine because I love the warm wood look in my craft room. A coat of white paint would look just as good if you want something cleaner. Either way, it looks intentional on the wall, which is the whole point.
Step 8: Mount It
Find your studs with a stud finder, hold the unit against the wall with the straight back edges flat against the surface, and check it with a level. Mark your mounting points, drill pilot holes, and drive 2.5" screws into the studs. If studs are not where you need them, use heavy-duty wall anchors rated for at least 30 lbs. This thing is going to be full of ribbon so make sure it is secure.
Step 9: Load It Up
Drop your spools into the V-cup slots and arrange them however makes sense for how you work. The angled boards cradle each spool so it does not roll, and you can lift any one out without disturbing the rest. I organize mine by color family, with holiday ribbons grouped together so I can swap them in and out by season without thinking about it. Everything is visible, everything is reachable, and I have not untangled a single spool since I put this up.
A Few Things I Would Tell You
- Cut one trapezoid block first and test it: Before cutting all 18, make one and check that the angle seats correctly against the side rail. It is much easier to adjust your saw once than to recut a full batch.
- Stack and cut both rails at once: Clamp and tape your two side rails together and cut the wave through both at the same time. It is the easiest way to guarantee they match perfectly.
- Keep the back edge straight: Only the front-facing edge gets the wave cut. The back edge needs to stay straight so the whole unit sits flush against the wall.
- Build your shelf units first: Assembling each shelf as its own unit before attaching to the side rails makes the whole build much easier to manage and keeps everything square.
- Check your V-cup angles as you go: The cradle only works if both shelf boards in each pair angle away from each other consistently. Take a minute to verify each level before the glue sets.
- Label your levels: A label maker or chalk labels on each level make it easy to find what you need at a glance, especially if you organize by ribbon width or type.
- Build two: If your ribbon collection is anything like mine, one unit will fill up faster than you expect. Two side by side gives you a full ribbon wall and it looks incredible.
This build changed how I use my craft room. Everything is where I can see it, I actually know what I have, and I stop buying duplicates of ribbons I already own. That alone was worth the afternoon it took to build it.
Until next time,
Red
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