The list runs from a Cottage Ladder Braid, which relies on technique more than materials, to ribbon-heavy designs like the Thick Pink Woven Ribbon Braid and the Embellished Red and Gold Braid, so how much practice time you have before the big day should steer your pick.
A ladder braid depends on even tension, so it needs rehearsal on a friend or a mannequin head, while a ribbon braid mostly needs matching cuts, which a gridded mat makes easy.
The Embellished Red and Gold Braid sits at the dressed-up end of the list.
1. Red, White, and Silver Glitter Ribbons Braided Together with Small Loops
Cut the ribbon into strips first, because loops only look neat when every piece matches. Any width works, and the red, white and silver glitter combination shows that three colors braided together read as one chunky strand.
Pick a size and stick to it. Short strips make tight loops, longer ones make fat loops, and mixing them gives you a lumpy braid.
Glitter ribbon sheds a little at the cut edge, so trim over a tray and not over your lap.
2. Cottage Ladder Braid
A ladder braid lies flat and interlocks in rungs, which makes it the one style here that is built from hair and not ribbon.
For a beginner it looks harder than it is, since the pattern repeats and your hands learn it fast.
Practice on a friend or a mannequin head before the big day, because tension decides whether the rungs sit even. Pulling each section the same amount matters more than speed.
Pearl earrings are a quiet match.
3. Military Braid
Red and white satin ribbon braided into a tight, flat strand gives a mum trim with a uniform, drilled look. Satin slides, so pinch each fold as you go and don’t let the strands loosen.
A rotary cutter and a gridded mat make clean, even cuts, and even lengths are what keep the braid straight. Scissors work, but the edges fray more.
I like it best in two sharply contrasting colors, since the pattern stays readable from a distance.
4. Classic Heart Chain
Interlocking hearts built from ribbon turn a plain streamer into something people stop and look at. Purple and silver is a good pairing, because the 2 shades separate each heart from its neighbor.
Work on a gridded mat. The lines let you cut and fold every piece to the same size, which is what makes the chain look even.
Expect it to take patience and a lot of repeats. Make one heart, check it, then build the whole chain at that size.
5. Thick Pink Woven Ribbon Braid
Width is what makes this braid work: thick pink ribbon, woven, reads clearly even on a mum crowded with other pieces. Here it sits beside leopard print ribbons, a white flower and a name.
Choose one wide pink and keep the weave simple, since a busy pattern fights the animal print. Anchor the braid where it crosses the other streamers so it doesn’t shift.
If the print feels like too much, swap leopard for a solid and the pink braid carries the design alone.
6. Braided Ribbon Border with Silver
Used as a border, a braided ribbon frames the bows on a streamer so they look deliberate and not scattered. Pink and silver is the pairing here, with the silver giving the braid a clear edge.
Run the braid along the streamer’s edges and tuck the bows inside it. Keep the braid thinner than the bows, or it overpowers them.
For a finished look, I would braid a slightly longer strip than you think you need and trim it to fit.
7. Embellished Red and Gold Braid
Pearls and sequins turn a red, white and gold ribbon braid into the piece that catches light on a mum. The embellishment does the work, so keep the braid itself plain and let the trim be the detail.
Sew or glue the pearls and sequins on after the braid is finished, spaced loosely. Crowding them hides the 3 colors underneath.
I would pick one pearl size and one sequin size, since mixed sizes start to look messy on a long strand.
Make the braid longer than you expect, then trim it once the embellishments are on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make homecoming mum braids?
Cut the ribbon into matching strips first, then braid or weave them into a flat, even strand.
Satin slips out of shape as you work, so crimp every fold between your fingers the moment you make it, and cut and fold on a gridded mat to keep each loop the same size.
Add pearls, sequins or other trim only after the braid is finished, and make the strand longer than you think you need so you can trim it to fit.
What is the tradition of mum for homecoming?
Homecoming mums are a Texas tradition that celebrates school spirit during homecoming events.
The braids and streamers are the part that carries the personal touch, since each one is built in school colors and often paired with bows, names and trim.
