Free Design Gerbera's

SILK RIBBON EMBROIDERY PROJECT

                                                        Gerbera Gift Bag

 I have chosen to embroider this design onto a silk bag 

but you may choose to use it in other ways. Decorate

 the lid of a jewellery box, a pocket or a small pillow.

Stitches Used:

Whipped Chain, Ribbon Stitch and French Knots.

Ribbon: 7 mm Silk Ribbon x 2 Metres - Hand Dyed will

 give a variance of colours through the petals. 

Colour is optional Red, Oranges, Pinks etc.

              7 mm Silk Ribbon Green for leaves  .7 mt. 

Sundry: .5 Mt. of 2 Different tones of Green embroidery cotton.

                .5 Mt. Metallic to highlight French Knot Centres.

Seed Beads - Gold for Centres.  Butterfly charm. Naturally if

choosing another colour option these can changed.

Fabric 20 cm x 60 cm. Finished size: 17 cm  x 25 cm.

Instructions: Pre-wash the ribbons, then iron when dry 

on a silk setting before you begin. Fold the piece of fabric

 in half and position the transfer as illustrated centred

 and 6cm from the base fold. At this point I find it is easier

 to roll up the material which will be the back of the bag

 and pin this down, so as not to get it caught up while

 working. Transfer the design onto material with water

 erasable pen. This can be done using a light box or by 

taping the design up to a well lit window and holding 

the fabric over it. Tack a piece of wadding onto the

 back of the design, this is needed to stitch your ribbon

down and helps with your embroidery in general.

 It is best that you get into a routine of stitching down

 the ribbons at the start and finish immediately.

If not, it is easy to snag while you are working and 

all your good work can be wasted.

Stems: Using 2 strands of green thread work the stems

 in Chain Stitch and with 2 strands lighter green whip the chain.

Gerberas: With 7 mm Ribbon work the first row of Ribbon 

Stitch using the inner and outer circles as  your guide, 

leave a  distance of just under one petal size between them.

Second Layer, position these Ribbon Stitches over this gap, 

working clockwise around the circle.

 

Centres: Fill the centre with French Knots embroidered

 with 1 thread of Lighter Green and 1 thread of Gold,

 combined ( give it a few twists to keep them together).

 Should you have trouble threading the two together,

 make a loop from sewing thread or use a needle

threader to bring them through the needle eye. 

Next step is to stitch the gold beads around

the French Knots, you may have to take some over

 the ribbon stitches which is fine.

Leaves: Work long Ribbon Stitch leaves in the 

Green 7mm. Ribbon.

Finally stitch down the Butterfly Charms or an alternative.

 Design is 10 cms Width  x 9 cms. Deep

  Gerberas a radius 1 cm.

Make up your bag rounding off the bottom corners

 Fold over 1 cm seam and press, then fold over a 

4 cm seam press again and then stitch. 

 If you wish you could make the bag with a 

contrasting or matching lining.

Fill bag with gift of choice and tie with wide 

organza ribbon to embellish. 

 

                         

                                      

Petite Ribbon Rose

Twirled Ribbon Rose.

Suitable for 2 mm. or  4 mm.  Pure Silk Ribbon

You may wish to use other ribbon other than

Pure Silk put personally, I do not believe that you 

will get it to curl and shape as it should. 

 1:  Take your Ribbon through to the front in 

the position you wish your Rose to be  placed. 

( Easier if the Silk Ribbon has been pre ironed)

Stitch the tail of the ribbon in place at the back

 of your fabric with matching thread. 

Leave this thread attached as you will be 

using it   to hold the completed rose in place. 

Hold the ribbon away from the fabric and

twist in an anti clockwise direction until the

ribbon is tightly twisting and starting to buckle.

Note: the tighter the twist the small and 

closer the curls in the finished rose.

Avoid executing this with too much length

in the ribbon the silk - 2 roses per length is best,

just gets too knotted and worn.

2:  Hold the ribbon 5 cm ( 2 inches ) away from

 the fabric. Fold the ribbon over, holding the two

 together at the base and let it twist around itself.

 Keep a finger on it at the base, taking the

 needle back through close to the entry point.

Step 3: Very gently pull the ribbon through until this

 double twist moves into the shape of a rose.

 4:   Bring the needle of matching thread up to the 

front and place a few tiny stitches to hold it in position.

 Take extra care that you do not dislodge the rose. 

I use the tip of my nail to hold it in place, as I do this.

Then if you wish place a small pearl or seed bead for 

the centre. Totally unravel ribbon before threading 

through to the front for the next Rose.

A hand dyed ribbon you will create highlights

through the rose, but be aware that Hand Dyed 

Silk Ribbon with a high density of colour will stay in

 a much tighter twist, and at Step 2 will not twist around 

itself so well. Therefore the completed roses will not be

as soft and delicate. Compare the pale pink one

with the top picture and you will see what I mean.  

Suggested uses for such a delicate rose:

Baby clothing such as headbands, bootees, or smocking.

I have added it also to wedding accessories, such as

garters and good luck charms. 

Crazy Patch Workers this could help to add interest to a

seam embellishment, by making your own ribbon braid.

Great for imitating climbing tea roses, just imagine a 

garden trellis with these roses and greenery weaving 

through the framework.

Rose Loveheart Blanket

Could also be embroidered with Two Intertwined Hearts 

Stitches Used: Stem Stitch, Spider Web Rose,

Detached Chain, Ribbon Stitch, Running

Stitch / Colonial Knot Combination., Y Stitch.

Preparation: 

Prewash the ribbons, then when dry, iron on a

silk setting before starting.

To transfer the design onto fleece, I suggest using

 netting or light organza and a pencil. Trace the

 design on this from the pattern, then with a 

dressmakers chalk or water erasable pen transfer 

it to the fleece. You may find though that 

the pen, is a little more difficult to remove

 from the fleece.

Firstly using Embroidery Cotton Thread ( 2 strands )

 stem stitch the outline of the heart. 

( Or for a more raised frame, wrapped chain )

Cut a piece of wadding the size of the blanket, and tack it 

to the fleece. Take matching cotton thread and make a spoke 

for the spider web rose, one at a time and embroider.

So as not to get the ribbon tangled in the other threads.

Spider Web Roses:

After making the spoke, do not cut thread, leave it at

 the back of your work. Thread ribbon 25 cm in length

 onto Chenille Needle supplied.

Bring it up to the centre of one of the spokes, leaving

 a short tail at the back of the fabric. Stitch down

 with thread. Twist the ribbon and thread through

 the spokes. When completed bring needle to back

 of fabric, carefully take ribbon through wadding and

 stitch down. Should you have enough ribbon on the 

needle, you can take the needle over to a position

 to do a bud. ( At least 10 cm. Ribbon left on the 

needle to do this. )

Complete all Spider Web Roses in this way.

 

Stem Stitch in Green thread, the stems of the Leaves. 

Place fabric now in Embroidery Hoop. All the other

 stitching can be done with fabric in the hoop.

Detached Chain Buds: This stitch is the same as 

Lazy Daisy in Thread. Cut Ribbon no longer than 25 cm.

 and make the buds in each group. With green thread

 make small straight stitches at the tips and Y stitch

 around the bud and add a stem.

Ribbon Stitch Leaves: With green ribbon make all the 

leaves, be careful not to pull the ribbon after each 

one, best if you keep your finger on the last 

completed stitch while you are making your next.

Running Stitch / Colonial Knot Combination:

Follow the instructions given, wrapping the ribbon 

around the needle, hold that firm and make small 

running stitches down to the base of the ribbon.

 Pull through as in colonial knots, taking it slowly

and let the ribbon run through under your finger, 

so it doesn't curl and knot. Pull gently and keep an

 eye on it, you will see the centre form as you do so. 

( Should you have problems with this, use a large

 French Knot in the ribbon )

Final Step is to make the bead flowers. Stitch the centre

 coloured bead down first and then string the others on to

 the thread and stitch into a circle. Add stitches

 between to keep flat.

Make up Blanket with backing and trim as you wish.

 Ribbon Embroidery can be hand-washed in a soft 

washing detergent. Should the ribbon droop slightly,

 hold a STEAM IRON above it and the steam should

 lift it slightly. Do Not press the ribbon once you

 have stitched it in.

This can be any size you wish, copy and

enlarge to whatever size you desire.

For further assistance go to the stitch tutorials.

posts linked to the instructions above.

Running Stitch / Colonial Knot is worked the

same way as Running Stitch / French Knot.

Colonial Knot is constructed in a figure 8 

and will give a higher centre to the flower.

Sunflowers in Silk Ribbon Embroidery

Re-creating a flower with a raised centre

 as in the Cosmos Tutorial

The Silk Ribbon I am using is a hand dyed

Dinky Dyes 4 mm. Wattle.

One flower took less than 1 metre.

There are many varieties of Sunflowers with a varying

number of petals, but for this exercise I am creating 

24 Petals.

So logically you need to average 6 petals in each quarter, slightly crossing over into the next.

 1: On Main Fabric - Mark out a circle for the 

Sunflower with a diameter of 3.5 cm - 1 1/4 inches

and an inner circle of  1.5 cm -1/2 inch 

Button: As per the Cosmos Tutorial make the 

centre of the Sunflower, by working  it 

separately on a piece of calico or cotton.

(Placed firmly in a Hoop ) marking the area

 the same size 1.5 cms. ( 1/2 inch).

   

 2: Using Embroidery Thread, fill the calico button 

with French Knots. 

 

Inner area: Firm French Knots,  - 2 wraps

 2 strands Green, 1 Strand Mustard Yellow.

Outer area:  Loose Knots  - 3 wraps

 2 strands Brown 1 strand Mustard Yellow.

Cut around as shown.

3:  With double Sewing Thread make small

 tacking stitches approx. 5 mm. from the

 Knots gather the calico neatly underneath,

 tie off securely, so it does not loosen. 

Leaving cotton and threads attached. 

 Put aside.

 4:  Main Fabric. Proceed with Ribbon Stitches

starting at the inner marked circle, and ending

 with the needle just outside the outer circle.

Not every petal has to be perfect, make 

some folded or twisted, for a more 

realistic flower head.

 

 5: With all the Petals completed it may not

 look effective, but it will once you have added

 the premade button. Place it in the centre 

stitching down firmly with the sewing thread.

Add tacking stitches with the matching embroidery

 threads around the outside, so that the calico does

not show through.

 6:  Leaves added in 13 mm. Bottle Green Silk Ribbon

 appearing  from between the flower petals.

For instructions on Folded Ribbon Stitch you may refer to

 the tutorial on the Iris

Side Ribbon Stitch Tulip Tutorial

Another option for Sunflower is to create the Ribbon 

Stitches as shown and add Seed Beads for the Centre.

Silk Ribbon Embroidery is always enhanced with

the addition of Stitches in thread.

Adding stems, leaves, background detail, 

French Knots centres to name a few.

Cosmos in Silk Ribbon Embroidery

Re-creating a Flower with a Raised Centre

Cosmos Flowers are stitched using

Dinky Dyes Argyle  7 mm. Silk Ribbon

Sunflowers, Anemones, Cosmos are two flowers which 

come to mind for this effect.  When you are 

replicating a flower with a raised centre, in the

 case of Cosmos, Dahlias, Daisies etc. the pistils

 in the centre of the flower are quite prominent.

Firstly, decide on the size of the full flower, sketch

 it onto the fabric. Leaving an inner circle. To create

 these pistils the easiest I find is to use a small 

square of calico, placed very firmly and taut in

 an embroidery hoop. With a pencil make a circle 

the size that you wish for the centre of the

 flower, allowing a little extra to cover

 where the ribbon petals have begun.

You now have 2 Options:

1.  French Knots in Embroidery Thread.

2.  Small Seed Beads.

1.   Mark a circle the required size on calico.

2.  Fill this area with French Knots, using

 Embroidery Thread.  In this eg 2 strands of

 thread and 3 wraps of the needle for each one.

3. With 7 mm. Ribbon construct the Flower Petals

 in Ribbon Stitch. Work clockwise overlapping 

each one. In the case of the Cosmos Flower

 keep the tip as rounded as possible.

 Whereas if it was a Daisy or Sunflower they

 would be finer and more pointed.

4.  Mark another circle outside of this to give 

you a gathering line. Thread a needle with a 

double sewing cotton to match the yellow.

You may wish to cut the calico into a smaller

 piece at this point, so as it will not be too

 bulky when set down in the flower .

Gather the calico up with the thread and sew

down the fabric as flat as possible. As you

would when covering a button.

                                                                                                                   

5.  With this needle still attached, take it through

 the centre of ribbon petals and stitch it down firmly.

Should you feel there are some empty spaces,

 add a few more French Knots in the 

Yellow Embroidery Thread.

6.  Next step if you wish to show the stems, add

 this with twisted 4 mm. couched down in places 

to stop it unravelling.

The buds are Ribbon Stitch in 4 mm. Yellow

with  Green 4 mm. Calyx.

The leaves I have stitched using 4 mm. Green

in Ribbon Stitch, by completing it the same

way as you would with a Satin Stitch Leaf.

( They could also be a simple Ribbon Stitch

or made from Embroidery Thread. )

Free Designs Inspiration Sampler

A Sampler I designed for Classes in Silk Ribbon Embroidery 

Loop Flower 

This may give you some inspiration, should you wish

 to take the time and practice each one.

 Very simple flowers all worked within a 10 cm box.

 Colours choices can be varied or co ordinated, or

whatever ribbon you have available. Some of these designs

 are in earlier posts on this blog. Fabric is loose linen to

 make it easier for the needle and ribbon to penetrate. 

Silk Ribbon Embroidery Projects

 Here are a few simple SRE Embroideries that you may

wish to use in the future.

They were all worked within a 10 cm square.

 

                    Five Petal Flower              Spider Web Rose                     

                 Detached Chain Spray       Ribbon Stitch Pansy

Ribbon Stitch Bluebell   Ribbon Stitch Yellow Daisy

French Knot Combination     Folded Rose Combo