Ribbon Roses

bunch of ribbon roses


The type of Ribbon Roses studied in this lesson will be Rolled Rose, Concertina Rose, Gathered Rose, and Wired Ribbon Rose.

The ribbon sizes are not exact since the width of your ribbon and your preference will determine the size of your rose. The materials list gives suggested sizes only. We also suggest that you use recycled ribbon for practice.

Materials:

  • Rolled Rose
    Woven edge ribbon 1" wide or more approx. 12" to 18" long
    Needle and thread to match ribbon
  • Concertina Rose
    12" piece of 1/8" or 1/4" double sided satin ribbon
    Needle and thread to match
    This rose can be made with a wider ribbon and the length will have to be adjusted to the fullness of the rose you want.
  • Gathered Rose
    12" piece of 3/8" or wider ribbon
    Needle and thread to match
  • Wired Rose
    12" piece of ribbon wired on both sides, lightweight ribbon works better than tapestry type
  • Leaves
    For Gathered, Rolled and Wired Ribbon Rose leaf ribbon should be 1" or slightly wider by twice the width of your finished rose.
    For Concertina Rose use 1/4" by 3 times the width of the finished rose.
    Needle and thread to match
  • Treasure Package
    This is a bonus wrap design. Materials are listed with the project.
  • Scissors
  • Wire cutters

  • **Tip**

    Always use wire cutters to cut through the wire portion of wired ribbon. Nothing ruins a pair of scissors faster than to use them on even fine wire.

    *******


    Rolled Ribbon Rose
    steps for Rolled Rose

    Instructions:

    Roses can be made any size depending on the width and amount of the ribbon used.

    Use needle and knotted thread and take a few stitches through the rose base to anchor as needed.

    Step 1: Begin with approximately 20" of ribbon. If the ribbon has a right and wrong side hold the right side away from you and fold a 3" tail at right angles to the rest of the ribbon. Fold the tail portion from the top toward the bottom several times forming a roll of the entire width of the tail.

    Step 2: Hold the rolled tail and fold the extended ribbon backwards so that the right side is facing you again. Continue to roll the tail along that fold allowing it to relax slightly as you go. Continue rolling until you have almost reached the point created when you folded the ribbon backwards.

    Again holding the tail securely fold the ribbon backwards again. The right side will now be away from you. Roll the tail along the ribbon as you did before until you have almost reached the end of the fold.

    Step 3: You will continue by folding the ribbon backwards rolling the tail along the fold. As necessary take a stitch through the base of the rose to help hold it in place. This also prevents the center of the rose from rising higher than the surrounding petals.

    As you fold and roll the rose be sure that the points on the roll fall between the points in the last row. When you reach the size you want your ribbon rose to be take several stitches through the base of the roll, wrap the thread around the base. Anchor securely with the thread and tie off.

    At this point if your rose is to be sewn to clothing you will trim the tails, add a couple of ribbon leaves and sew it directly to the garment. The alternative is to place a piece of floral wire around the base and cover with floral tape adding the leaves as desired.



    Concertina Rose

    Makes tiny satin roses for doll and children's clothing.
    Although you will be using double sided ribbon, for demonstration purposes the diagram shows a right (bright blue) and a wrong side(tweed blue) of the ribbon.

    Instructions:

    4 steps to fold for Concertina rose


    Step 1: :With a 12" length of 1/8" or 1/4" double sided satin ribbon make a right angle fold at the center of the ribbon.

    Step 2: Take the horizontal leg and fold it to the back behind the right angle fold.

    Step 3: Then take the vertical leg, fold it to the back behind the horizontal fold.

    Step 4: Then the horizontal leg is folded to the back behind the vertical. Continue alternating these two folds until you have almost reached the end of your ribbon.

    Grasp the two legs of ribbon firmly together and let go. The ribbon will form a woven chain that looks like the old time concertina from which it got it's name.step 5 and the finished Concertina Rose
    Pull either leg gently as your rose forms (see tip to save ribbon or chain roses). Using needle and knotted thread stitch **through the center of the rose** two or three times to anchor. Wrap the thread around the end of the ribbon beneath the rose. Trim the excess ribbon and add a leaf.

    **Tip**

    If making a number of roses leave one end attached to the bolt, make your right angle fold at 6" and when pulling the rose into shape use the leg that is still attached to the bolt. This saves ribbon and you can make garlands of roses by not clipping the ribbon between and using the leg attached to the bolt as the space to the next ribbon rose.

    *****

    Gathered Rose


    Gathered Rose diagram

    The size of the rose will depend on the width of your ribbon.

    Step 1: Fold the raw end of a 12" length of ribbon to meet the bottom edge about 1/2" from that same end.

    Step 2: Beginning at the point fold along the bottom edge forming a tight roll and with a needle and knotted thread take several stitches at the bottom edge to anchor the center of your rose.

    Step 3: With this same needle and thread run a gathering stitch along the bottom of the ribbon.

    Step 4: Gather the ribbon tightly and wrap the gathered edge around the center using stitches as needed to anchor gathers.

    Step 5: As you reach the end fold the raw end down and catch it in the gathers. Take several stitches to anchor. Add leaves.


    Wired Ribbon Rose

    This rose is made the same way as the Gathered Rose with these exceptions: At the beginning of the rose the wire from the top edge is twisted with the bottom wire and both pulled down as if to form a stem as the first fold is made. The ribbon is gathered tightly along the bottom wire until it begins to roll around the center.

    A stitch is taken every little while to anchor the gathers to the center of the rose and prevent your rose center from rising higher than the surrounding petals.

    When you reach the end of the ribbon or your rose looks complete, twist the top and bottom wires together as in the beginning and fold the raw end of the ribbon to the bottom of your rose and twist all the wires together.

    Clip the wires and add one or two leaves.

    Option: Instead of sewing, all roses may be anchored with a drop of hot or tacky glue if you would rather.


    leaves of ribbon for roses



    Leaves for Ribbon Roses

    This leaf (diagrams 1 - 3) is used for the gathered, wired and folded rose. Cut green ribbon into a length twice as wide as your rose. Place wrong side up and fold the right side at a right angle in the center of the ribbon. Repeat with the left side of the ribbon.

    Gather the two ends slightly and stay stitch. Catch the bottom of the straight side at the back with a single stitch and anchor it to the right side in the center. Trim the tails. Stitch to the base of your rose and stitch the finished rose to clothing or glue to your project .

    When you wish a stem on your rose pull the ribbon tail down, place a heavy covered floral wire in the center and wrap the tail to the wire using floral tape. Add the leaves as you wrap down the stem.

    Leaf for Concertina Rose: See diagram 4
    Narrow green ribbon is folded with both ends folded to the center and overlapped. Stitch to bottom of rose. Looks like flat bow without a knot. The rose is where the knot would be.


    Treasure Package


    We will give you the instructions here for a Teddy Bear but check through your disposable canisters and containers and design animals using the throw away containers you have.

    Material:

  • 5 Empty 1.8 oz. Pringles containers
  • 1 Empty 10 to 12 oz. nut can
  • Thick craft glue
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • Felt, Fun Foam or fabric
  • Gesso, acrylic paints, water based varnish and brushes
  • Wiggle eyes
  • Pompoms and embellishments of your choice
  • Scissors
  • Permanent marker
  • Instructions:

    This container can be covered with felt, Fun Foam, fabric or base coated with Gesso and then painted adding the varnish before the embellishments.

    Begin by drawing a line around the canister at the edge of the lid while the lid is on the container. The area underneath the lip of the lid and the lip itself are left uncovered to allow for ease in putting on and taking off the lid although it can be painted to blend in.

    Using your canisters for a pattern measure the depth of the canister from the edge of the lid down including the bottom lip and around the can with no overlap. Cut a piece of felt, Fun Foam or fabric to fit and cut two pieces of felt, Fun Foam or fabric to fit the bottom of the canister. Repeat this for each canister/container used in the construction.

    With the craft glue, glue all felt, Fun Foam or fabric to cover each canister. Set aside to let dry completely.

    To assemble the animal use the largest canister placed lid to the back, seam to the top. This forms the body. Glue the seam side of four Pringles canisters to the body canister to form the four legs all facing forward and slightly extended beyond the body to allow for easy removal of the lids.

    Using the fifth Pringles canister for the head glue it seam side down to the seam side of the body canister lid facing to the front with the lid extended just beyond the body canister (for easy opening) This places all seams facing another canister and glued in place to prevent peeling back.

    You now have the body which opens at the back, the head and four legs which open to the front.

    Add a pompom nose, draw a mouth with a permanent marker, glue two wiggle eyes in place on the lid of the head canister and glue two 1 1/2" pompoms in place for the ears.

    You can decorate your bear as you wish. Place a small gift in each canister. This gift wrap can then be used to hold treasures.

    Options: Using the same instructions but substituting felt or Fun Foam ears and adding a pompom tail it becomes a bunny. A string of same sized canisters with the lids on alternating sides, a real pipe cleaner with a tiny pompoms glued to each end for antennae can become a caterpillar.

    Replacing the body canister with a decorative holiday tin you can face it front with the head and leg canisters facing to the back. Be sure legs and head are extending at the back for opening ease. Your animal only needs to have covering on the head and legs canister leaving the decorative tin as the clothing.

    These canisters can all be painted in place of covering with fabric, felt or foam if you would rather. Remember to add a coat of sealer to protect the painted finish.

    Let your imagination be your guide and have fun.



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