If you’re a hand embroiderer, you may be surprised to know that you can actually do silk ribbonwork on the sewing machine! Yes, it’s true… You can duplicate intricate hand-stitched flowers, stems, knots, etc. and you can create some decorative machine stitches with ribbons as well.
What you’ll need
Choose real silk ribbon for your work, not satin or grosgrain ribbons as these are too stiff. Real silk is pliable, shapes well and looks elegant. Silk ribbons come in widths from 2mm to 7mm, in both solid and variegated colors, so choose a width compatible with your design. Press the ribbon if it’s creased from packaging.
Use a monofilament thread, either polyester or nylon, in the needle, and a regular thread to match the fabric base in the bobbin.
You’ll also need a temporary stabilizer under the ribbonwork, and a stiletto or long-nose tweezer for shaping the ribbon. A hoop will help to keep your work flat—borrow the hoop from your embroidery machine if you have one or use a wooden hoop.
Set the machine
Ribbonwork by machine requires free-motion work, so lower the feed dogs, remove the presser foot and be sure the machine is set for a straight stitch. Check your instruction manual for any additional settings. Insert a new size 70/10 needle. If you’re machine has a needle-down function, use it to hold things in place as you shape the design.
Hoop your fabric with stabilizer so that the surface is flat against the machine. If you’re creating a specific design, roughly draw it on the fabric with a removable marker…or just design as you go.
Ready, set, stitch
As you build ribbon designs, start from the bottom and work to the top. For example, stems, leaves and vines should be stitched prior to adding blossoms and buds.
Anchor the end of your ribbon with a few stitches sewn in place. Travel the desired shape, barely anchoring the ribbon—go down the center space of a leaf or petal, then catch the looped ribbon along one edge. If you stitch down the center of the ribbon, your stitching will be more prominent.
To create stems, twist the ribbon and anchor the ribbon only it at the edge. Leaves can be created with loops tacked into shape, or by folding the ribbon to shape and anchoring the edges.
One of the easiest flowers to make is a daisy with looped petals. For more dimension, twist the ribbon as you shape the petal. Leave the looped end free, or for a flatter design, tack down the loop end edge. For layered flowers, start from the bottom and work upward.
Make French knots one of two ways—either wrap the ribbon loosely around the needle several times and tack down one edge, then slide off the needle. Or, tie an actual loose knot in the ribbon and tack down one edge. French knots are ideal to create flower centers, small berries or grapes, or closely cropped hair on an animal or person.
Decorative stitching
Silk ribbonwork can also be used to mimic machine or hand embroidery stitches. Mark the desired spacing on the fabric for consistency, then shape and anchor the ribbons in place invisibly. This is great for crazy patch embellishment as the ribbon “stitches” are more prominent than machine-done work.
In the end
When your ribbonwork is complete, stitch in place a few times to anchor the ribbon end, then trim closely. Clip the end at an angle to reduce fraying, or thread the ribbon into a tapestry needle and pull it to the fabric underside to anchor.
Helpful Hint: To thread silk ribbon into a tapestry needle, get help from a Needlework Threader designed specifically for that purpose. Look for one with a wide wire opening so it doesn’t crush the ribbon.
Add-ons
If you want to add more bling to your ribbonwork, think about adding some beads, pearls, crystals or charms, depending on the design. Decorative buttons also make an ideal add-on.
Machine ribbonwork can also be combined with computer-generated machine embroidery, doing a portion of a design in each technique. For example, embroider a basket, then add dimensional ribbonwork flowers.
For more information on machine ribbonwork, see C&T Publishing’s Simple Silk Ribbon Embroidery by Machine, by Susan Schrempf.
For a series of videos and ribbonwork by machine, watch the video below:
~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .
