10 Ribbon Embroidery Flowers with silk/satin ribbons (Tutorials)

Ribbon embroidery is a 3-dimensional embroidery in which you stitch beautiful designs with ribbons on the needle instead of embroidery floss. The effect is simply stunning given the vivid colours of ribbon, be it silk or synthetic ribbon and the smooth silky luster of the ribbons.

I cannot resist buying more and more ribbon – the satin ones are so inexpensive and they are so pretty; no words for the silk ones. The embroidery they make is exquisite however you make it; The simplest designs and the least amount of effort are all that is needed to make the most beautiful work. The only grouch I have is in storing the ribbons.

If you are unsure about how to start with ribbon embroidery you can look at this post which gives you the basics of ribbon embroidery stitches. Most of the stitches used to make the flowers here are detailed in the post. Also checkout the different types of ribbons, as many as 15 types, available for sewing and embroidery.

Gather all your supplies for the ribbon embroidery

You can do ribbon embroidery with satin ribbons (synthetic satin) or silk ribbons. Silk ribbons look exquisite but they are not easy to come by and are expensive. Satin ribbons can look worn out pretty fast. You may also need embroidery thread, or sewing thread in matching colors, beads if you want to further embellish your flowers. The needle should have a big enough for the ribbon to pass through – a chenille needle is exactly that. It has a large eye.

Place the fabric taut on a hoop

For making ribbon flowers, You need the fabric to be stretched out on an embroidery hoop.

Thread your needle with the ribbon

You will need to thread the needle in a special way.

Start stitching the flowers

Follow the instructions given below to make these beautiful flowers.

1.Fishbone stitch flowers

This is made the same way that you do the fishbone stitch in embroidery. checkout this post on fishbone stitch for more details.

The fishbone stitch is made very closely, making them small as you go up the stalk. You can make flowers using the same stitching around a point.

2. Lazy daisy flowers

Stand alone lazy daisy stitch is made around a point just like you do in lazy daisy flower embroidery.

3. Twisted flowers

This is a very easy embroidery flower. You need to keep a small hand needle and sewing thread in matching thread nearby before making this flower.

In this, you have to thread ribbon the same way that you do embroidery thread. Knot at the end.

Take up the thread from under the fabric to the front. Now twist the thread all the way to the needle as below.

When you get the fully twisted coil, twist the coil around somewhat closely around the point where you started the stitch. Hold the coils with your hand and use the hand needle and thread to attach the coils on the fabric with small stitches

4. Buttonhole flowers

Small buttonhole stitches are made around a point. You can go through the same hole to make the buttonholes. If the hole gets big place a small bead or a sequin.

5. Gathered flower

This is a very easy flower to make. You need a long hand sewing needle and matching thread.

Thread ribbon on the big needle and knot one end. Bring up the thread from the back to the face of the fabric. Using the threaded needle, take up the ribbon on the needle  all the way to the end gathering the whole ribbon. Make gathers by tightening the thread. Now form the gathers around the point. Stitch in place

6. Ribbon stitch flower

Make ribbon stitches around a point. These stitches look just like petals

7. Spider web flower

These flowers are made by weaving ribbon between hand sewn stitches, the same way that it is done in the rose flower embroidery tutorials

8. Folded flowers

And the most easy of all – the beautiful folded flowers. This involves just you and the ribbon playing fold. Take a long ribbon. Fold by half and from the fold, start folding the tails stacking on top of each other. In the end you will get a piece like below. You just have to pull one of the ribbon tails now to get a beautiful flower.

9. Twisted bud

This flower is made the same way that the earlier shown twisted flower is done. The difference being that the flower is not made with the whole twisted ribbon. The twisted ribbon is taken to the back of the fabric through a hole just 2- 3 threads from the take up hole. This will create a twisted bud shaped flower which is very small and looks like a small rose – mine not so much. You can do better.

10 French knots

French knots is that stitch with which you can conjure up a whole garden. Just two wraps around the needle and you have this sweet little flower to fill designs or as a stand alone flower.

A bonus ribbon embroidery rose

Step 1

To make this very beautiful rose you have to first take a 3 inch piece of ribbon and then fold it to make the small bud shape inside.

Step 2

Tie thread on the base of this to make the bud shape

Step 3

Cut off the extra in this bud. Use a needle and thread to fix this on to the fabric

Step 4

Bring up a ribbon embroidery needle with ribbon and curl the ribbon around the bud. take down the needle ; make more curls like this around the bud

Step 5

Now start making small loops around the curls and buds. These will form the petals.

You can make a beautiful ribbon Pansy flower with ribbon embroidery stitches- checkout the post on 4 ways to recreate a Pansy flower for more details

Related posts :

How to make ribbon flowers

DIY Ribbon Roses