How to Do Ribbon Embroidery

Ribbon embroidery is an old art that uses silk ribbon to create decorative stitches on clothing, accessories and even quilts. There are a number of stitches you can learn, and you can even substitute embroidery floss in many of the stitches. The following steps explain three basic stitches for ribbon that will allow you to make lines, flowers or other decorations.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Embroidery Hoop
• 2mm, 4mm, or 7mm silk ribbon
• Chenille Needle
• Fabric
• Scissors

Thread the Needle

1. Cut a piece of ribbon to 12 to 14 inches long.

2. Slide the ribbon through the eye of the needle.

3. Slip the point of the needle through one end of the ribbon about half-an-inch from the end.

4. Pull on the end of the ribbon that is not on the needle. This will "lock" the ribbon on the needle.

Straight Stitch

5. Mark your design on the fabric if you don't plan to free-hand the design. Or you can buy kits with pre-printed designs to follow.

6. Place your fabric in an embroidery hoop.

7. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the first point.

8. Push the needle back through the fabric at the second point to create a simple line. You can create lines with this stitch or place them on the fabric to create flowers or other designs.

Ribbon Stitch

9. Mark your design on the fabric if you don't plan to free-hand the design. Or you can buy kits with pre-printed designs to follow.

10. Place your fabric in an embroidery hoop.

11. Bring needle up through the fabric.

12. Place ribbon flat on your fabric.

13. Insert needle into the fabric while piercing the ribbon. Pull the needle through slowly. The ribbon should curl a bit at the end. This stitch can be used to create flower petals.

14. Alter the look of the curl by piercing the ribbon in different locations in following stitches–center of the ribbon, to the right of center and to the left of center.

Lazy Daisy Stitch

15. Mark your design on the fabric if you don't plan to free-hand the design. Or you can buy kits with pre-printed designs to follow.

16. Place your fabric in an embroidery hoop.

17. Bring the needle up through the first point on the fabric.

18. Push the fabric back down through the fabric, but leave a loop of ribbon above the fabric.

19. Lay the loop on the fabric.

20. Pull the needle up through the fabric at the center of the loop.

21. Push the needle down through the fabric on the other side of the loop so that you anchor the loop to the fabric, creating a petal.