How to Embellish with Easy Ribbon Flower Embroidery
Ribbon embroidery uses thin ribbon to decorate a piece of fabric rather than traditional embroidery thread. This design looks elegant and provides an interesting alternative to the more traditional forms of embroidery. Many people create flowered designs with ribbons and it is not difficult to embellish a fabric item or piece of clothing with ribbon embroidered flowers. Experiment with stitch size, flower color and base ribbon color to determine your ideal colors and design.
Things You'll Need
- 3/8-inch wide ribbon
- Clear nail polish
- Thread
- Needle
- Ribbon embroidery needle
- Fabric
- Embroidery hoop
- Scissors
Instructions
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Making the Flower
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1
Cut a 3-inch length of ribbon. Coat the ends of the ribbon in clear nail polish so that they do not unravel. Allow the nail polish to dry.
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2
Sew a length of stitches down the length of one long edge of ribbon. Pull the string tightly to gather the ribbon in a circular shape.
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3
Sew the bottom of the ribbon in place to secure the flower shape. Sew little ribbon leaves to the bottom of the flower, if desired.
Embellishing
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4
Thread the ribbon embroidery needle with the ribbon just as you would when using regular thread. Place the fabric on the embroidery hoop to hold the fabric tightly in place while you sew.
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5
Tie a small knot in the end of the ribbon. Push the needle up through the bottom and through the fabric. Place the needle about 1/4 inch away from the initial placement to create a small stitch. Pull the ribbon tight and arrange it so that it lies flay against the fabric. Continue to make these stitches until you are done with the embroidery design.
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6
Sew the ribbon flowers to the embroidered design using regular thread and a regular needle. Thread a needle. Tie a knot in the end of the thread. Push the needle up through the bottom of the fabric and through the center of the flower. Push the needle back down through the center of the flower. Continue this stitch about five or six times to secure it. Tie a knot in the other end of the thread to keep the stitches from pulling loose.
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