Silk Ribbon Patterns: Tips & Stitches

We use introductory stitches in all of our "FreeBees" patterns. If you don't already know these stitches, you can learn them from our video, Introduction to Silk Ribbon Embroidery". Or purchase one of our many silk ribbon kits for complete printed instructions. We also have a wide selection of books to choose from with many more stitches to learn!

Use silk thread to add stem stitches, French knots and twigs to your stitching.

One stitch that you may not see in other references is what we call the "Twisted Stitch". You may have discovered this on your own if you've been embroidering with ribbon for a while. We found this to be a great filler stitch and it's just WAY too easy...

Twisted Stitch

To do a Twisted Stitch, simply bring your needle up through the fabric, let the ribbon gently twist 5 or 6 times. Insert the needle into the fabric close to where you came up, and GENTLY pull the ribbon back through. Watch as the ribbon curls and swirls around, and when it sits up just to your liking, stop pulling. Be sure to leave some height to the stitch, as this is what adds a lot of dimension to your piece.

We leave color selections up to you, since you may have specific color themes in mind.

Christmas Patterns

To stitch the pointsettias, use 7mm ribbon in red, white or variagted pinks and greens. Stitch 3 or 4 Split Leaf stitches as illustrated, then place 1 or 2 stitches at the "top" of the flower to indicate petals on the far side. Leave these straight stitches with a little loop to add height. Add some beads or silk thread French knots to the center. If you want to get a sharper point on the tips of the petals, try wrapping the tips with matching silk thread, or add a straight stitch in thread or ribbon coming out from the tips. Play around until it's just right.

Transferring the Patterns

To transfer the pattern to your base fabric, try any of these methods:

• Sewing transfer paper - Trace the pattern onto the back of the transfer paper, then lay the carbon side down to the fabric base. Use a ball point pen to transfer the design. Do this on a hard surface for best results.
• Direct transfer - If your fabric is sheer enough, simply trace lightly from the printed pattern.
• Mother Nature's Light Table - Tape the pattern to the window, then tape your fabric over top. Trace from the pattern. This works on middle-weight and light-colored fabrics, and best on bright sunny days!

If you require more detailed instructions on how to use these patterns, please e-mail us.

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