How to Make Ribbon Roses

It’s amazing what you can do with a simple ribbon and a little bit of patience. These simple ribbon roses are a great way to add a feminine touch to many of your craft and accessory projects and can also be used alone to create beautiful center pieces and arrangements for your next party.

Things You'll Need

• 2 to 3 ft. of ribbon (various sizes, but the thicker, the easier) 

• Scissors 

• Flexible wire or small rubber bands
• Pencil 

• Floral tape 

• Plastic flower stem (optional)

• Knitting needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. 

   Starting with an 8-inch tail on the left side and the length of the ribbon on the right, fold the ribbon away from you and under so that the long side is hanging straight down.

2. 

   Fold the long tail away and under once more so that it comes to sit parallel to the short side and the two folds form a triangle point, with one open fold edge and one clean fold edge.

3. 

   Turn the now upward facing triangle one turn to the left, so that the triangle point now faces to the left.

4. 

   Fold the long ribbon tail away from you and under once again so that you now have 3 sides of a square and the short tail is being intersected by the long tail.

5. 

   Finish your first square. With the short tail under the long tail, make another 45-degree turn (away and under) to form the final point of the square.

6. Make more rose petal layers. Continue rotating and folding in this 45-degree angle turn fashion until you have about 6 to 9 layers. Be careful to hold all the layers in place and keep the edges as crisp and even as possible.

7. 

   Continue rotating and folding in this 45-degree angle turn fashion until you have about 6 to 9 layers. Be careful to hold all the layers in place and keep the edges as crisp and even as possible.

8. 

   Secure your flower pattern. Using the point of your pencil, push your way through the center of the square. You do not need to poke a whole, there is an opening here. This will serve as your guide for lacing the short tail on bottom through to meet what was initially the long tail.

9. 

   Taking the short tail end, pull it through the center hole between the layers, by turning it over itself and down. Do not pull it all the way through, but just far enough where a small pocket, like the beginning of a bud, forms.

10. 

    Create your petals. With your left hand, grasp all but the top first layer between your thumb and middle three fingers and with your left hand, begin to slowly twist the short tail in a clockwise motion (to the right) until the top layer begins to form what looks like petals. It should be about a quarter or half turn. Do not twist too tightly.

11. 

    Finish the petals. Move your left hand to the next layer and continue twisting, moving through each layer, until all the petals have been formed.

Tips & Warnings

• Finger press each 45-degree angle turn to help keep the edges crisp and even.

• Make a bunch of rose buds at a time and reserve them for a later craft project.

• Do not over twist your petals when forming your rose. Turn slowly and carefully until the rose is the desired size and style.