How to Make an Iris From Ribbon
A rose by any other name should be an iris. The delicate bloom, intriguing color patterns, delicate petals and flowering fragility make one wonder what Shakespeare was thinking. Because of its frailness, delicate petals and short flowering life, creating a life-like iris from durable material is both a challenge and god-send. That's not much of an exaggeration. In classical mythology, Iris was a messenger of the gods --- the goddess of the rainbow. And when you look at the sublime color variations in iris petals, you'll understand why iris is the rainbow flower. For those new to the craft, there are several terms with which you might be unfamiliar. The craft shop owner where you purchase your material will explain.
Things You'll Need
- Offray wire edge Ombre ribbon, color 3 purple, 48-by-1 1/2 inches
- Offray wire edge Ombre ribbon, color 21 green, 24-by-7/8 inches
- Fine floral wire
- Needle-nose pliers
- Green floral tape
- Brown permanent marker (optional)
- Sewing needle and threads
- 16-gauge stem wire
- Chenille stems, brown
- Yellow "bump" chenille stem
- Hot glue gun
Instructions
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1
Cut the the green 7/8-inch wire in half to make two leaves for the flower, giving you two strips of 12-inch ribbon.
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2
Fold ribbon in half to make a 6-inch length for each leaf. Fold each corner at a right angle, making a point at each end. Using a running or gathered stitch, sew along the folded corners of the short edge of each ribbon. Gently pull the thread to further bunch or "gather" the ribbon, which will form the point of the leaf, and tie off the thread to hold the stitching in place. Open the ribbon between the ends and you've created two leaves.
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3
Cut 1 1/2-inch-wide purple ribbon into 8-inch lengths. Make three petals using the light edge and three petals using the dark edge. You may choose to pattern the outer edges of the petals by rounding them using the scissors in an irregular design. It may be useful to have a real iris petal or a photo as a guide. You can also fashion the petals into irregular rounded ends by bending the wire. A little of both usually produces the best effect.
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4
Cut three 2-inch pieces of "bump" chenille. Using the glue gun, glue one side of the chenille lightly and center the "bump" over the seam of the three dark edge petals, giving the petal a "bearded" iris look. Let dry.
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5
Glue the tips of the three light petals and glue together at tip, or base, making certain to place the right side of each petal facing the same direction when gluing. Allow the glue to dry and fold each of the three petals gently to the right, which will create a cup effect. Be as creative as you want with the ruffling the edges slightly.
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6
Bend a small closed loop at the top of the 12-inch stem using the needle-nose pliers. Attach the top "light" petals to the stem wire through the loop, fastening them with the floral wire. Attach the lower "bearded" petals to the stem between the top petals with the beard side facing upward. Wrap the leaves last, and wrap the floral wire below the loop to secure all the petals and leaves. Gently arrange the top petals upward and the bearded petals slightly downward. Placed the leaves in a way that is most aesthetically pleasing to your eye.
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7
Wrap the green floral tape down the stem, beginning at the top and working your way to the bottom of the stem. This will cover the wire fastening and enhance the "bulb" effect from which your flower has blossomed. Glue the floral tape at the very bottom of the stem, making certain it is wrapped tightly all the way down the stem.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use the brown marker to very delicately draw a few lines on the petals, giving the petals a more life-like appeal.
Your first attempt may or may not strongly resemble the iris you set out to make, but it will look nice in a floral arrangement nonetheless. Make additional flowers and don't be afraid to improvise along the way. You may find new techniques that are more to your liking.
References
- Photo Credit iris image by Edsweb from Fotolia.com
