Simple Formula for Choosing Ribbon (Even When It’s Out of Stock!)

Watch this Video to Learn How To Choose Ribbons or Scroll Down for Written Tips!

Choosing ribbon for a wreath shouldn’t feel like a guessing game—but for a lot of people, it does.

You pick out a few rolls you think will work together, start building your wreath… and something just feels off. The colors don’t quite connect, the patterns compete, or it just doesn’t have that polished, finished look you were going for.

The good news? There’s a simple formula you can follow that takes the guesswork out of it.

Watch the video here:

Learn How to Make a Ribbon Wreath

If you’re new to this style of wreath-making, be sure to check out our step-by-step guide on how to make a ribbon wreath to see this process in action.

See Our DIY Ribbon Wreath Tutorial Here

Shop Our Pre-Made Combos

These ready-made ribbon combinations follow the formula and make it easy to recreate a polished look for any season.

CHRISTMAS

HALLOWEEN

FOURTH OF JULY

VALENTINE'S DAY

The Simple Formula for Choosing Ribbons

When you break it down, great ribbon combinations usually follow a consistent structure. Instead of randomly picking ribbons, aim for a balanced mix of these elements:

1. A Focal Ribbon

This is your statement piece—the one that sets the tone for the entire wreath.

• We recommend a fun seasonal print with graphics or images
• Something that immediately catches your eye
• It’s the ribbon you build everything else around

2. Supporting Patterns

These add interest without overwhelming your design.

• Smaller-scale prints
• Patterns that share at least one color with your focal ribbon
• Think stripes, polka dots, or other basic prints

3. Solids or Textures

This is where everything comes together.

• Solid colors that match your palette
• Textures like linen, burlap, glitter, or metallics
• These give the eye a place to “rest” and balance the design

Stick to a Color Story

One of the biggest mistakes people make is choosing ribbons they like individually—but that don’t belong together.

Instead, focus on a tight color story:

• Choose 2–4 main colors
• Repeat those colors across your ribbons
• Avoid introducing too many “random” extras

If everything shares a common color thread, your wreath will automatically feel more cohesive.

How to Swap Ribbons When Something Is Out of Stock

This is where the formula really pays off.

If you’ve ever had your perfect ribbon picked out—only to find it’s sold out—you know how frustrating that can be. But once you understand the structure of your design, swapping becomes easy.

Instead of looking for the exact same ribbon, look for one that fills the same role:

• Replacing a focal ribbon?
  Choose something equally bold in the same color family.
• Replacing a pattern?
  Match scale + color, not the exact design.
• Replacing a solid?
  Keep the color within your palette; texture can vary.

When you think in terms of function instead of exact matches, you’ll never get stuck.

A Few Quick Design Rules to Keep in Mind

• Mix patterns—but vary their scale
• Repeat colors throughout your ribbons
• Balance bold prints with solids or textures
• Don’t overcomplicate it—simple combinations often look the most high-end

Final Thoughts

Once you start using this formula, choosing ribbon becomes faster, easier, and a lot more consistent.

No more second-guessing.
No more wasted ribbon.
Just combinations that work—every time.

If you want to see this formula in action, make sure to watch the full video where I walk through real examples and show exactly how I build these combinations step-by-step.

To watch a step-by-step tutorial on how to make these ribbon wreaths, check out the video here:  Fun Ribbon Wreath DIY: Easy & Fast