How to Make Artificial Wedding Boutonnieres

A ribbon boutonniere lasts long after the wedding is over.

If you have concerns about floral boutonnieres wilting during the course of a wedding and reception, you can fashion the accessories out of fabric instead of fresh flowers. Boutonnieres are a traditional and elegant way to distinguish male members of the wedding party or families involved in the event. You can craft boutonnieres with ribbon so men not only have a lively embellishment to wear throughout the wedding, but also a keepsake of the event.

Things You'll Need

• 1-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon, 24 inches long
• Double-threaded needle
• Scissors
• Iron
• 3-inch piece of green floral wire
• Hot glue
• 1/4-inch-wide ribbon

Instructions

1. Lay a 24-inch-long piece of 1-inch-wide grosgrain ribbon vertically on your work surface. Hold the end closest you in your non-dominant hand.

2. Place a double-threaded needle under the ribbon with the needle pointed up. Position the needle in the lower-right corner 1/4-inch from the right edge of the material.

3. Push the needle 1/2-inch through the ribbon.

4. Pull the ribbon toward you slightly to re-insert the tip of the needle 1/4-inch from the previous insertion point. Push the needle through the fabric about 1/2-inch. The ribbon may start to bunch slightly on the needle.

5. Insert the needle up through the ribbon, 1/4-inch from the previous insertion point. The needle should appear to make a dashed line on the ribbon, like a row of stitches.

6. Pull the needle and thread all the way through until the knot catches on the ribbon. This is a running stitch. It allows you to make more than one stitch at a time.

7. Continue the running stitch along the right edge of the ribbon until you reach the other end of the 24-inch piece of ribbon. The ribbon gathers on the thread as you work.

8. Pull the thread that runs through the entire ribbon. The ribbon will gather into a circular shape. Pull the thread until the ribbon circle is as compact as possible.

9. Lay the ruffles in the ribbon circle to the side, to flatten them against the circle. Lay each fold in the same direction. Press a hot iron on top of the ribbon to secure the folds in the flat arrangement.

10. Stitch the ends of the ribbon together with the threaded needle still hanging from one end.

11. Tie the thread off on the underside of the ribbon medallion. Cut the excess thread with scissors.

12. Turn the ribbon medallion so the underside faces you. Apply a peppercorn-sized bead of hot glue to the center of the medallion.

13. Press one end of a 3-inch segment of green floral wire into the glue. This is the stem of the boutonniere.

14. Cut a piece of 1/4-inch-wide ribbon about 4 or 5 inches long. Tie the ribbon around the stem, in a simple knot or bow, to embellish the stem.