Techneek of the Week - Ribbon Flowers

This Techneek rules the world...the Ribbon World. Now, I am not a huge fan of ribbon and I know I have too much...I can't imagine what the stash of a true "ribbon-phile" looks like!! I hope this technique helps you tackle those yards of grosgrain and gingham (ick), and polka dots and stripes, and Michael's Dollar Bin finds (even I am guilty of digging through the giant bin of ribbon...it's too good a deal to pass up!).

Supplies:

• Your favourite ribbon: I'm using American Crafts that you can buy by the yard at TM...pretty much any kind of ribbon will work!
• A big brad: I used American Crafts' largest size, as these guys make a great flower centre.
• A hole making tool: scissors, paper piercer, hole punch...something that will punch through the ribbon so you don't have to rely on the brad itself...trust me, this will save you some headaches!

Step One: Cut your ribbon into four pieces, each roughly the same length. You'll need to have an idea how large (or small) you want your finished flower to be. Fold each end of your ribbon piece to the middle, overlapping a little bit and you'll know how big your flower will end up. Cut a longer piece to get a larger flower.

Step Two: Poke a hole (sing your hole maker of choice) in the centre of the first piece of ribbon. (Tip: fold in half and this will give you the middle). While you have your hole maker out, you can also poke holes near the two ends of the ribbon as well. Try to make these holes the same distance from the edge as each other so when your ribbon folds over, the "petals" are roughly the same length.

Step Three: Put the brad through the centre hole in your ribbon...

Fold over one side and fit the hole over the brad...

then the other side. Voila...one petal down.
Step Four: Keep going with steps one and two, until you have all four pieces of ribbon looped on the brad. Tip: Don't start at the top and move around to attach the ribbon. Once you have the first piece attach, turn the flower 90 degrees and do the next piece of ribbon. In other words, make a + and then make another +. This way you don't have to guess where the next piece of ribbon is going to lay compared to the first piece. They will line themselves up!! (I hope that made sense!!)

Once you have all four petals on your brad, fold the ends of the brad down to secure the ribbon in place. I use a glue dot or liquid adhesive to attach my ribbon flower to my layout.

The finished product!!

This is a layout we completed in the Rockin' Ribbon class last Tuesday night. If you like this technique, I'm teaching it again in Getting Crafty next Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.

And here is an additional layout I made using the same technique with different colours and widths of ribbon. I really love how the polka dot pattern on the green ribbon looks!

Try this:

Use something other than a brad to hold the ribbon together. For example: stitch it, use staples

Decorate the brad in the centre with some bling.

Use different coloured brads with matching ribbon

Use two different coloured or patterned ribbons on the same flower

The possibilities are endless! This would even look great on a handmade card or on top of a beautifully wrapped gift!

See you tomorrow for the Project of the Week!

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Supplies Used:
Layout#1

Little Yellow Bicycle pattern paper

May Arts ribbon (black polka dot)

American Crafts ribbon & sticker letters & black brad

Prima lace ribbon & bling wings

Layout#2

Prima pattern paper and transparency, fabric flowers, "T is for" label sticker

American Crafts ribbon (orange), Thickers sticker letters & paper flowers

Heidi Swapp butterfly die cut & journaling spot ("Sunday")

Ranger orange Stickles

Buzz & Bloom chipboard hearts

Maya Road plastic journal tag

Green ribbon by the yard

Staples label sticker