The easiest rose – Silk Ribbon tutorial

You all can thank my friend Anne (waving to Anne) for this post – although I had been planning it for sometime, she needs it for a dress she’s working on. I have stalled around trying to find out the original source of this flower, my friend Rhonda taught it to me and she was going to look up where it came from, but hasn’t had time yet. If you know…let me know and I’d love to credit it!

So, here’s the very first step in simple (and I mean simple) silk ribbon embroidery. You need a long needle with a large eye. I actually use a variety of needles although they sell them specifically for silk ribbon embroidery (also known as SRE, I may shorten that name!).

Anyway, the first thing you have to do is thread the needle. This is important because otherwise the ribbon frays and is hard to keep on the needle. So go ahead and thread the ribbon through the needle.

Then, you’re going to pull the ribbon just far enough so you can reach the end of the ribbon to prick it in the end…..sew through the end of the needle

You will end up with just a little tail….tighten the loop you’ve created up on the needle so you have as much ribbon to work with as possible. You will end up with a tightly threaded needle that isn’t going anywhere!

Now, you’re ready to start your rose! Pull your ribbon through the fabric. The end of the ribbon can be tacked with a few stitches or you can weave it under another ribbon on the back or you can knot (I’ve seen all three techniques and they work fine). If you’re using this on something wearable (especially by a child), I’d go ahead and put a few stitches in the ribbon on the back to keep it from moving.

It’s a bit hard to see from picture 1. (above), but make a knot in the ribbon about 3-4 inches up the ribbon. You’ll get so you know it by eye, but you need to knot it longer the wider the ribbon is. If you have a very narrow ribbon, maybe only 3-4 inches out. Don’t tighten the knot too tight…it’s part of the flower!

Next, you’re going to start a straight stitch down the length of the ribbon between the knot and the fabric where you pulled it through. I would vary the length of these stitches – it makes the rose look much more natural. It’s especially nice if you do the stitches closer together near the knot and make them wider the closer to the fabric.

When you’ve got it threaded you simply stick the needle right back where you started from. Basically putting it almost in the same hole.

Pull the ribbon gently right down through and the knot you made will not only hold it, but also make the center of the rose!
And VOILA! A lovely and really really simple rose! Vary the ribbon thickness, width and many other things to get a variety of looks. Variegated ribbon looks lovely!
I hope you all enjoy and if you do any of them, please send me the photos! Feel free to email me or post here if you have any questions or problems!

Pat Winter

April 7, 2008 at 6:24 pm

The Fargo rose is my favorite!!! Great tutorial!

jane

April 7, 2008 at 6:43 pm

That’s great! I’m going to make a baby hairbow with those!

Claudia

April 7, 2008 at 9:52 pm

Wow! I have to read it a few times to really understand it but I’d love to try it on a cardigan I want to embellish!

BTW, you should submit your tut to Sew, Mama, Sew! Here’s a link to the blog page that tells you what to do, http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=332.
Please let me know if you do submit it so I can keep an eye out for it.

Ellen

April 8, 2008 at 9:19 pm

I love it!!! I need to try that on something that I make. Thanks for sharing.

Margaret

April 10, 2008 at 5:38 am

These are so beautiful! I’m going to sew them all over my son! (Don’t tell his Dad…)

Melanie

April 15, 2008 at 3:33 pm

I love your blog! Interesting Articles and Links! I am favoriting this one in case I haven’t already!

Conni

April 21, 2008 at 10:47 pm

Wonderful tutorial – thanks!!!