Candy Cane Ribbon Weaving Instructions

The Candy Cane Stripe Weave is an Original Design for a Homecoming Mum Corsage

This weave pattern has a funny story behind it. Reader Patti wrote me that when she tried to follow my directions for the Diamondback Weave, she kept ending up with a candy cane stripe pattern.

When I tried to follow my own instructions, I got the same thing!

So I re-did the diamondback weave directions and added more photos. But I didn’t want to let this find go to waste. If you want to use this pattern for your Homecoming Mum Corsage, you may be the first person to do so! LOL.

This weave is done on a core and then slipped off, just like the diamondback. The picture above shows the finished braid ready to be tied off, trimmed and embellished as desired before attaching to the Homecoming Mum Corsage backing shield.

Candy Cane Weave Materials

Two contrasting colored ribbons three and a half times the desired finished length (For Homecoming Mum Corsages, the school colors are traditionally used.)
A thin pole to use as a core (I used a pole from a small 4th of July flag. If using a thicker pole, you will need more than three and half times the finished length.)
Rubber band
Paper clip and pinch clip – optional

How to Weave the Candy Cane Braid

Fold the ribbons in half and drape them over the tip of the core so that they hang down like on a Maypole. The colors must alternate: color 1; color 2; color 1; color 2. Secure the ribbons at the top with the rubber band. [In my example, color 1 is red and 2 is white. Just assign your own school colors the number 1 or 2 if they happen to be different.]

Take two of the strands in each hand as shown below. Arrange them so that color 1 (red) is held by thumb and forefinger of each hand and is in front, while color 2 (white) is behind and held between forefinger and middle finger.

The left and right hand movements are the same, so it doesn’t matter which you start with. Just alternate doing the movement with one hand and then the other.

Let a top (color 1 red) ribbon fall across the back of the pole. Grab it with the other hand and bring it through between the two strands on that side; then across the front ending underneath the color 2 (white) strand that was on the bottom.

Grasp both strands again with the first hand. Notice that one side now has color 1 (red) on the bottom, while the other still has it on top.

Repeat Step 3 on the other side. Notice that color 2 (white) is now on top on both sides.

And so on until you have the length you want.

If you run out of pole before the braid is as long as you want it, slip the rubber band off the tip of the pole. Slide the braid partially off to reveal more of the pole again.

Replace the rubber band with a paper clip. Clamp a pinch clip onto the braid where it still covers the pole to hold it in place. Continue weaving.