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You are about to enter another dimension. A journey into a wondrous land whose only boundaries are that of your own imagination. Your next stop - Ribbon Flowers and Adornments.
Companion YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/ILwhPyuIypk
Seriously, though, ribbon flowers can be thoroughly habit-forming! This blog post and the YouTube video were created as a companion to a July 2024 class which included a kit for each of the six ribbon flowers and adornments. But I'm making this available as a stand-alone tutorial for everyone who wants to join me on this beautiful and incredible journey
A Very Brief History of Ribbon Flowers and Ribbon Flower Inspiration
The Metropolitan Museum of Art carries an exhibit of hair ribbons dated 2600 - 2500 BCE.
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Ribbons were manufactured in France as early as the 11th century and ribbons with finished edges as we have today came into being around 1500. Ribbons were so popular that the 16th century English Parliament tried to enact laws limiting the wearing of ribbons only to nobility.
Ribbon adornment reached a high art in the form of dress adornment in the 17th and especially the 18th centuries. Both men's and women's clothing were adorned with yards of trims and flowers. All would have been hand-made and removed and reused on new garments and hats.
Ribbon flowers and adornments continue to please us through their use during the Victorian era and through today's films and fantasy.
Lady Mary in the Downton Abbey series can change a simple black dress with a simple change of her flower.
Resources for learning to make ribbon flowers can be found in print and video. The five books I've used to learn include:
1. Ribbon Flowers, Timothy Wright & Nicholas Kniel
2. The Artful Ribbon by Candace Kling
3. The Secrets of Fashioning Ribbon Flowers by Helen Gibb
4. Romancing Ribbons Into Flowers by Elly Sienkiewicz
5. Ribbon Art 1920s ebook offered by Mrs. Depew on Etsy
While the questions always arise as to where to gather ribbons and supplies, I can honestly say I have no one special source. There are times when I find beautiful ribbon at estate sales and flea markets. Other times I find ribbon at craft stores. The supplies for the class kits provided to students are gathered from many different sources and include everything from polyester to French taffeta.
While gathering supplies I also begin writing instructions and drawing illustrations.
Polyester ribbon is readily available and, of course, less expensive than the taffetas or silks, but needs to be sealed to prevent fraying. This can be done by lightly moving the ribbon edge over a flame. Ribbon cutters can be purchased if you find you have many yards of ribbon to cut and seal the ribbon cutter is a great investment.
Finally all ribbons are cut, the edges of unwired ribbons sealed, the instructions copied, and the supplies ready to create the class kits.
One more practical tip: Fortunately I found the ribbon colors I needed for these six kits. Often I will have white polyester ribbon on hand in the sizes I use most - 5/8", 1", 1-1/2", and 2-1/2" - and usually wired so that I can remove the wires as necessary - and I will use fabric paints to create the color or ombre effect I desire.
The fabric paint is used or diluted or mixed to the shade you want. The ribbon length is rolled and then dipped into the paint. The ribbon will quickly soak up the dye so when you have your desired effect, remove the ribbon and immediately blot on paper towels to remove the excess and stop the dye process. Allow the ribbon to dry. Don't be afraid to experiment! Sometimes the riskiest dye trials yield the most beautiful flowers!
Class Kit Supplies
For the students I prepared the following kits which included my info card so they could find my blog and YouTube channel for the information you are receiving here, and an event ribbon, supplies for a Gathered Rose, Basic Leaf, Pansy, Gardenia, Tahitian Gardenia, Pineapple, thread and clothespin, a yardage of pink and moss green ribbon, and painted Kukui nuts. For those of you reading or watching this without a kit, the supplies and instructions will be listed in the following chapters with a link to the video for those who prefer a demonstration. You are welcome to download the photo of the instructions in the blog post and save or print for a hard copy of the instructions. And share everything to your heart's content! I would love to see everyone enjoying ribbon flowers!
A Gathered Rose
There is no limit to the type of ribbon you can use to create a gathered rose as long as the ribbon is wired. In previous classes students chose from an assortment of ribbons and we created an amazing bouquet!
Other examples for inspiration:
Royal Purple Polyester
Black and Red Flocked - used on a Victorian Natural Form gown.
Turquoise Metallic
White Sheer Sparkle
Pink Striped Eyelash Edge
Striped Sheer with Coordinating Leaf
Turquoise Sheer with Satin Edge Ready for Final Step
Pink Sheer with White Edge
Pink Polyester Recreation for Manet Painting 'Spring' This is a favorite and has become the logo for my YouTube channel.
The class kit included printed instructions with illustrations. This photo can be downloaded from the blog post to be saved or printed.
The kit also included 2 yards of wired pink polyester ribbon and a needle. For different sizes of roses these guidelines work well.
1/2 yard of 5/8" wired ribbon
1 yard of 1" wired ribbon
2 yards of 1-1/2" wired ribbon
2-1/2 yards or more of 2" or 3" wired ribbon
I supplied milliner needles for all the kits. I use these needles usually in Size 9 as they are long and strong.
Since we all learn differently, I've supplied written instructions and will touch on a few tips during class since I wanted to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. For those who want a full demonstration of the Gathered Rose I've recorded a video.
The finished Gathered Rose with different leaves and placed on a black straw 1930s hat.
A Basic Leaf
While there are many leaf forms and many ribbon leaf techniques, I've found this Basic Leaf adaptable to many types of ribbon and many different flowers.
The class kit contains instructions and illustrations.
The companion demonstration YouTube video.
Other sizes for Basic Leaves include:
6" of 5/8" wide for small leaf
9" of 1" wide for medium leaf
13-1/2" of 1-1/2" wide for large leaf
Different ribbons yield very different looks and don't always need to be green!
A Pansy
Basic Leaves and Pansies were the first ribbon flowers I created. I was inspired by this Harper's Bazar illustration and created leaves and pansies for everything I wore. Did I go to the extreme? Well, maybe! But who doesn't love flowers?!
Pansies can be gorgeous with a combination of colors for the back petals and front petals. Ombre and sheer ribbons create beautiful flowers. Another Harper's Bazar illustration and hat recreation with ribbon flowers.
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The instructions and illustrations for creating a Pansy. Please feel free to download to save or print.
The supplies:
6" of 1" wide wired or unwired ribbon for the back 2-petal section
10" of 1" wide wired or unwired ribbon for the front 3-petal section
(Note: The purple French taffeta wired ribbon I chose for the front section was only available in 7/8" width. I found 7/8" unwired poly satin in white for the back section. These are included in the student kits.)
6 stamens
backing
needle
(Note on backing: This can be whatever you wish for supporting the finished pansy. Suggestions would be buckram, crinoline, net, or fabric pieces. I supplied a lace piece which provided a similar silhouette to the pansy.)
The demonstration YouTube video:
A finished Pansy with different leaves and on the 1930s hat.
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The ribbon flower Gardenia is a more complicated creation and one that I haven't taught before. It is created with two different techniques - one for the five outer petals, and one for the five rolled inner petals.
The separate techniques can be used in so many different ways. The technique for the outer petals of a Gardenia can be used to create the outer two layers of a Tea Rose. The technique for the inner petals of a Gardenia can be used to create the inner layer of a Tea Rose. This Tea Rose was made with a white polyester wired ribbon dyed with fabric paint.
The technique for the Gardenia outer petals also creates the four bracts of the Dogwood Blossom. Here I've used white polyester wired ribbon, and the same ribbon dyed pink with fabric paints.
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A Dogwood Blossom made with a brick-colored satin ribbon and paired with coordinating pansies on a 1920s hat.
Photos of the my instructions and illustrations are for your use to download to save or print.
Supplies for a Gardenia:
5 pieces of 1-1/2" wide by 2-1/2" long wired or unwired ribbon
5 pieces of 1-1/2" wide by 3" long wired or unwired ribbon
4" x 4" piece of backing (I used a very stiff plastic net)
needle
corsage pin
The demonstration YouTube video:
The personality of the Gardenia changes with the selected leaf color.
A Tahitian Gardenia
There are wonderful YouTube videos for creating ribbon flower leis. A favorite creator of mine is Momslittlethings.
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This creator's video for A Tahitian Gardenia seemed perfect to show the use of other materials with ribbons to create exciting texture.
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I wrote instructions from her video:
The supplies for each Tahitian Gardenia include:
1 piece 4" long dark moss green sparkle eyelash yarn - medium
1 piece 6" long 1/8" wide peach/gold edge satin cut at an angle
7 pieces 2-1/4" long 3/8" wide pink satin ribbon unwired
needle
In the class kit I provided were supplies to create three Tahitian Gardenia flowers.
I included two pieces of pink satin ribbon and two hand-painted Kukui nuts to fashion a headband, necklace, choker, bracelet, or anklet.
Here is the link to the video from Momslittlethings on YouTube and the Etsy shop link.
This is my completed three-flower Tahitian Gardenia with the ribbon ties and Kukui nuts.
A Pineapple
Another YouTube creator of ribbon leis makes a very fun mini pineapple out of Rick Rack and Weavon ribbon which I purchased from their website. I couldn't resist adding this fun creation to the student's supply kit. I'll share both their YouTube channel and website.
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Instructions for A Pineapple:
Supplies needed:
1 piece 14" long 1/2" or 9 mm gold Rick Rack (I used Fray Check on each end as my product frayed easily.)
3 pieces of 3/16" wide Weavon Light Moss Green 3" to 3-1/2" tip to tip sharp angle cut
3 pieces of 3/16" wide Weavon Moss Green 3" to 3-1/2" tip to tip sharp angle cut
5" Doll Needle
I supplied enough Rick Rack and ribbon for three Pineapples.
I also included a clothespin to hold the Rick Rack in place as the ribbons were being formed and placed. The 5" doll needle is long enough and strong enough to allow the pineapple base and then the ribbons to be created and slid down the thread in single pieces. A milliner needle would not work.
A length of dark moss green ribbon was included to create a choker, bracelet, or anklet. I supplied 18k gold plated nickel free earwires for those who might want to make earrings with their cute mini pineapples.
A necklace and earrings were my choice for my completed Pineapples.
The End - Or Is It Just The Beginning?!
I hope this tutorial and the accompanying videos get you started on this wonderful journey of Ribbon Flowers. Please ask any questions you have and I will answer each and every one. There are several other ribbon flower techniques I would love to share in the future and will add them to the YouTube Playlist under #ribbonflowers.
Enjoy! Thank you so much for being here!!
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