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Fashion Statement Watch
By LeNae Gerig

This is a perfect gift for those hard-to-fit wrists. Measure the recipient’s wrist for an appropriate length of ribbon for a custom fit.

Supplies

  • 10” of 5/8” wide red/green/gold striped grosgrain ribbon
  • gold watch face with 5/8” wide band pins and buckle
  • four 1/8” wide gold eyelets
  • eyelet setting tools
  • sewing needle
  • red thread
  • black pen
  • X-acto® knife, cutting surface
  • Fray Check™ liquid

 

Instructions

  1. Remove the existing band and buckle from the watch. If your watch manual doesn’t offer instructions for pin removal, we suggest taking it to a jeweler or watch repair shop to have the pins professionally removed.
  2. For the buckle end: Cut a 3 1/2” length of ribbon. Wrap a 1/2” of the ribbon around the watch top pin, folding the end to the back. Use the needle and thread to sew the ribbon around the pin, forming a casing.
  3. Place the ribbon band on a cutting surface. Measure 1/2” from the ribbon end, then use the X-acto® knife to make a 1/16” slit in the center for a slot to insert the buckle prong. Insert the buckle prong into the cut slit, then wrap the ribbon around the buckle pin, folding the end to the back. Use the needle and thread to sew the buckle in place.
  4. Cut a 1 3/8” length of ribbon, then fold it in half horizontally so it is 5/16” wide. Wrap the folded ribbon around the ribbon band so the ends meet at the back. Use the needle and thread to sew the ends together (closing the overlapping ends with thread) to allow the ribbon to loop to slide freely along the ribbon band.
  5. For the eyelet end: wrap one end of the remaining ribbon around the watch bottom pin, folding 1/2” to the back. Use needle and thread to sew the casing in place. Place the former band onto the top ribbon band to use as a template for placing the buckle prong holes into the ribbon. Use the pen to mark each hole on the ribbon. Remove the former band and place the ribbon band on cutting surface. Use the X-acto® knife to make 1/16” slits through each pen mark. (Note: Keep the slit small so the eyelet will not fall through the hole.) Insert an eyelet into each slit, then turn the ribbon band over and use the eyelet setting tools to secure each eyelet in place.
  6. Trim the eyelet end at an angle. Apply Fray Check™ to each raw edge on the ribbon to prevent it from fraying; let dry.

Project reprinted from 102 Reasons for Ribbon.