How to Make Ribbon Flowers

Are you looking for something new and creative to do? Something that is so easy, everyone can do it? Ribbon flowers might just be exactly what you are looking for. This is a great DIY project that can easily be done without any fancy expensive tools. All you really need is ribbon, time, and patience. Whether you have small children or just want to pass the time by yourself, ribbon flower making is a great exercise. It helps children to learn fine motor skills and allows them to express their creativity. The best part is that they do not have to be perfect in order to look amazing. People of all ages and abilities will be able to create stunning results.

Not only are DIY ribbon flowers easy to make and great for developing skills, but they can be used for so many things. Instantly jazz up any wrapped gift with a ribbon flower instead of a bow, creating a unique touch that everyone will love. Sew them onto your clothes to create a one-of-a-kind garment that nobody else has. You can even make many of them, and attach them all together to form a beautiful, longlasting bouquet. If this is a project that you are completing with your child, it allows them to feel as though their creation has a purpose, making them feel important.

If you want step by step instructions on how to create DIY ribbon flowers, just read on! There are many different variations of this craft, but we feel as though this option is great for those who are looking for a quick and easy version that yields beautiful results. The flowers only require a few materials and only take a couple of minutes to make.

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You will need:

Ribbon (it doesn’t matter what color, texture, or size you use – that is up to you)
Needle and thread (we recommend that you use thread the same color as the ribbon but it doesn’t actually matter as the thread will be unseen)

Instructions:

Cut the desired length of ribbon. The longer your ribbon is, the larger your flower will be. We recommend using ribbon that is approximately 10 inches long.
Fold your ribbon to make an “L” shape. It doesn’t really matter where along the length of ribbon you make the fold, but it is easier if you do it closer to one of the sides, not in the middle of the ribbon.
Hold the fold in your fingers, and roll it towards the shorter end of the ribbon. This will make the center of the flower. You can choose how tightly you roll this, based on your preferences. The tighter you roll, the smaller the center will be. Don’t roll all the way to the edge of the ribbon, as the leftover material becomes the flower stem.
Create a small stitch in the roll, to keep it together while you create the flowers. Stitch the bottom of the roll, so that it is invisible when the flower is completed.
Now you are going to make the flower petals. Take the long length of the ribbon, and begin winding it around the center. Fold the ribbon in half (along the width) as you wind. This fold does not have to be even, in fact, it can look better if it isn’t.
Keep winding and folding to create your petals. The petals should not look even, so don’t worry about making them look perfect.
When you are almost at the end of the ribbon (with approximately 1 inch of ribbon left), stop. Make another stitch in the flower to hold it all together. Sew this near the bottom of the flower, so that the petals can still turn outwards.
Twist the inch of ribbon that you have left around the original piece of ribbon, that has become the stem of your flower. Now both ends of the ribbon are the stem of the flower.
Make a few final stitches in the stem, to keep both ends of the ribbon secure, and to prevent it from coming untwisted.

* If you don’t want your flowers to have stems, you can easily just cut off any loose ends when you are done creating your flower. Once you have cut off excess fabric, stitch the ends together at the base of the flower to keep them out of the way.

Don’t be afraid to experiment

If you’ve mastered the basics, why not add some fun decorations to your DIY ribbon flowers? We recommend adding wire to the center of your flower bud and then covering it with a green ribbon. This creates a stem for your flower, allowing you to create a bouquet that looks a little more realistic. You can also glue gems or pearls to the petals, for a stunning, elegant touch. If you want to achieve the same effect using easier glitter. Simply place the glue where you want, and sprinkle glitter over the top.

We also suggest using different types of ribbon to achieve different results. Satin ribbon is going to provide you with soft, silky flowers, while a studier ribbon such as grosgrain is going to retain shape a lot better. Any ribbon flower will look great, but if you are making them for a specific purpose, you may want to consider how you can best achieve this.

If you don’t want to stitch your flower together, you can just use a hot glue gun. This will achieve the same outcome and for many people, it might be a little easier to manage. If you are making these flowers with children, always be careful they don’t burn themselves with the glue gun.

Need some visual support?
It can be difficult to follow instructions if you cannot see what you are supposed to be doing. If you are struggling, check out this YouTube video that shows you every step of the ribbon flower making process. This is a very short video that provides easy-to-follow instructions, providing you with all the basic information you need.