Ribbon Flower Arrangements

Tulip Flowers
The tulip has a six-stamen center surrounded by six arched petals. Use a bunch of tulips and leaves in a glass vase, or select several and put them in a tussie mussie (posey) holder.

Materials

30" red wire-edge 1-1/2" ribbon
6 black double-headed stamens
3" of 32-gauge thread-covered wire
9" of 18-gauge thread-covered wire
9" of olive green bias-cut silk 1-1/2" ribbon
18" olive green ombre wire-edge 1-1/2" ribbon
10" of 22-gauge thread-covered wire
hot glue gun
glue sticks
green floral tape

Steps:

1. Secure six black double-headed stamens using 3 inches of 32-gauge wire. Glue this wire to a 9-inch piece of 18-gauge wire (figure A).

2. Make six petals using 5 inches of 1-1/2-inch wide red wire-edge ribbon for each petal. Fold the ribbon in half. Begin stitching the gothic arch stitch pattern 1 inch down from the top fold (figure B).

3. When the stitch pattern is complete, turn the ribbon inside out and press flat. Gather across the bottom of the petal and pull tightly (figure C).

4. Stitch/glue the first petal to the stamen/stem.

5. Arrange two more petals evenly around the stamens and stitch/glue in place (figure D). This helps stabilize the stamens on the stem.

6. Glue the remaining three petals under the first row of petals so they peek out between the petals in the first row (figure E).

7. Cover the raw edges of the petals and the stem with lightly glued green bias-cut silk ribbon (figure F).

8. To make a tube stem cover: Using 8 inches of olive green bias-cut silk ribbon. Sew up the long side of the ribbon, turn right side out and then slip it over the stem and glue/stitch it as close to the base of the petals as possible (figure G).

9. To make the tulip leaf: Make a wide tulip leaf using 18 inches of olive green ombre ribbon and 10 inches of 22-gauge wire. Fold the ribbon in half and stitch the top of the ribbon (at the fold end) in a tall gothic arch stitch pattern. Start stitching 2 inches down from the fold (figure H).

10. Turn the ribbon right side out and press flat. Insert the wire into the cavity and secure with a dot of glue at the raw edge of the ribbon (figure I).

11. Fold the base of the ribbon on itself and secure with floral tape (figure J).

A lily has six petals and six stamens. A lily spray in a simple vase is very striking. Or, bead the petals with seed beads (figure K); assemble the lily with no stem and use it on a hat.

Materials

60" of 1" wide pink/white wired ribbon
3" of 32-gauge wire
6" of 22-gauge wire
6 wine lily stamens
floral tape
hot glue

Steps:

1. Secure six wine lily stamens together with a 3-inch piece of 32-gauge wire. Glue this to a 6-inch piece of 22-gauge wire (figure L).

2. Fold one 10-inch piece of wired ribbon in half across its width. Do not remove any wires from the ribbon. Turn up the bottom corners of the ribbon so a "boat" shape is formed.

3. Begin the running stitch pattern from the folded point on the right, continuing along the short edge of the ribbon to the other point (figure M).

4. Pull the gathering thread so the bottom of the ribbon goes straight (figure N).

5. Open the ribbon and test the gathering until the petal is the shape you want. Secure the gathering with stitches (figure O). Trim off the ribbon tabs at the back of the petal.

6. Repeat the above steps for five more petals.

7. Assemble the lily by stitching/gluing three of the petals around the stamen center. Attach the other three petals in between the first petals (figure P). Finish the lily stem with floral tape or bias silk ribbon.

Use one hydrangea head in a small cut glass vase and place on a bedside table. Or, place a few hydrangea florets on the top of some lace on a pillow, or frame them in a jardiniere.

Materials

12 yellow double-headed stamens
18" of 1-1/2" wide bias silk ribbon
24" of 22-gauge wire cut into four pieces
floral tape

Steps:

1. Cut 12 squares of bias cut silk ribbon into 1-1/2-inch squares. Fold each square of ribbon into quarters.

2. Cut a tiny slit at the folded center. Cut the outer edges of the ribbon to form a rounded petal shape. Open the ribbon and you will see four petals with a tiny hole in the center (figure Q).

3. Fold over one stamen and insert it into the hole. The stamen stems will hang down below the ribbon.

4. Place a dot of glue at the junction of the stamens and the ribbon and pinch them together at the base of the stamen head.

5. Wrap the exposed stamen stem with 2 inches of floral tape (figure R).

6. Make 11 more florets in the same manner.

7. Assemble the hydrangea florets into groups of three (figure S). Wrap these three floret stems in floral tape (figure T). Repeat for all groups.

8. Now put four sets of three together and stem with a 6-inch piece of 22-gauge wire and secure with floral tape.