Ribbon Flowers (10 easy DIY tutorials)

I could easily have titled this post “100 ways to make ribbon flowers” – there are that many and more ways. I already have a crazily boggled mind, so I decided to stop at ten and showcase just the best and, of course, the easiest ways to make beautiful ribbon flowers.

ribbon flowers

Ribbon flowers make great embellishments on anything you sew – so long as you do not wash it; I mean, you cannot not put the ribbon flower embellished thing, whatever your project is, into the washing machine and forget it. You will need to hand wash it.

Besides this disadvantage, ribbon flowers are great on bags, gifts/ packages, wedding decorations, jewelry, accessories especially hair accessories. Ribbon flowers look beautiful as a one-off flower but when made in more than one piece you have a garden already, wherever you want it.

How to make Ribbon flowers – 10 easy tutorials


1. Easy Gathered ribbon flower

gathered ribbon flower

This is the easiest ribbon flower you can hope to make.

Just take  1/2 inch wide ribbon in the color of your choice and cut into a 12 inches long piece. Fold it 3 inches from one end (short edge – this ensures that the cut edge is folded to the inside). Take a sewing needle and thread and make running/gathering stitches along the long edge.

Gather the ribbon on one edge with a thin long needle and thread
Gather 12 inch long ribbon on one edge with a thin long needle and thread

Gather the ribbon into your flower by puling at the gathering stitches. 

Tighten the gathering stitches and gather in a round shape.
Tighten the gathering stitches and gather in a round shape.

When the flower is arranged to your liking and you have stitched the loose ends at the back together, attach a pearl/bead etc in the middle.

Make small anchoring stitches on the back
Make small anchoring stitches on the back

You can add two different color ribbons and make flowers this way for a multi color flower.

2. Pleated ribbon flower

pleated ribbon flowers

To make this flower, take a 1 inch wide ribbon.

You will be making pleats on this ribbon – you can pleat as you sew it on the sewing machine. The portion which comes to the center should be pleated more closely than the outer edge

pleat the ribbon continously - ribbon flowermaking
Pleat the ribbon and stitch in place

Start to stitch the pleated ribbon on to a circular felt base with a hand sewing needle and thread. Start from the outer edge.

sew the pleated ribbon on top of a felt base - making ribbon flower
Attach on a base
continue arranging and sewing the pleated ribbon on the felt base - ribbon flowers
Continue with another color ribbon

3. Pleated ribbon flower (2)

A beautiful ribbon carnation-rose flower can be made by pleating ribbon.

This flower is made with a ribbon which is 1/2 inch wide and 20 inch long.

pleated DIY ribbon rose flower - Make box pleats on the ribbon
Make box pleats on the ribbon

Cut the ribbon and pleat it into small even inverted pleats.

easy ribbon flowers - diy tutorials - make several box pleats
Complete box pleats

After you pleat it will now be a 10 inch long ribbon 

How to make ribbon flowers -Gather the pleated ribbon in a flower shape; Stitch in place
Gather the pleated ribbon in a flower shape; Stitch in place

After making the pleats, just roll it into a flower.

It resembles a pretty carnation rose this way. You can also have a look at the different ribbon roses you can make here.

diy - ribbon rose making
Ribbon roses

4. Knotty ribbon flower

make ribbon flowers
Easy ribbon flower

This flower is very pretty but very very easy to make. Cut out many ribbon pieces in different lengths – I took 3 inch long ribbons for the outer petals and 2 inch long ribbon for inner petals.

Knot ribbon strip in the middle for making this ribbon flowers
Knot ribbon strip in the middle

Knot all the ribbon pieces and keep aside. Fold the ribbon pieces with the knot in the middle. Using needle and thread, attach the knotted pieces on to a base/fabric. The cut edges should be together.

ribbon flower diy tutorial
Sew the knotted ribbon to fabric

Layer all the ribbon pieces in a flower shape

Stitch all knoted ribbon pieces in a circle
Stitch all knoted ribbon pieces in a circle
Layer all the knotted ribbons making ribbon flowers
Layer many knotted ribbons

For the inner petals take smaller ribbon, 2 inches long. Assemble and attach. 

how are ribbon flowers made
Change color of ribbon for a multicolored flower

Add a bead or more to hide the petal raw edges, joints and stitching

5. Medallion flower

medallion ribbon flower making

This ribbon flower is made by making loops like the ones below. Just layer these ribbon pieces one on top of the other and attach, buttons, beads or another flower in the middle.

make a bow clip - Make loops with your ribbons
Make loops with your ribbons
Making ribbon flowers - easy tutorial
Arrange the loops in a circle

6. Ruched ribbon flower

ruched ribbon flower making tutorial

Mark the ribbon evenly on both sides. 

mark the ribbon
Mark the ribbon piece

Take small stitches on alternative points as in the picture below.

make stitches on the ribbon
Make stitches on the ribbon

Gather the stitches and arrange the ruched ribbon into a circle. Stitch the raw edges together with a matching thread

make flowers with ribbon
Gather the ribbon
ribbon flower

7. Loopy ribbon flower

This flower is made with ribbon loops. Cut out 1/8 inch wide ribbon into small pieces of about 3 inches. I wound the ribbon on three of my fingers many many times and then gave a single cut to get these ribbon pieces.

You can measure each and every ribbon painstakingly and cut it out individually. Good for mental peace.

Fabric flower making
Cut lots of ribbon strips

I stitched it into a loop by just inserting needle and thread through one end of batches of the ribbon from one side and then from the other end. Once the loop is made, cut through the middle

make flowers with ribbons/fabric pieces
Gather the ribbon pieces

Add more loops around this bunch in a different colour ribbon. Stitch in place. You can make the loops and add another flower in between for a variation

easy way to make a ribbon flower

8. Simple Ribbon flower

easy ribbon flowers

Cut out several ribbon pieces of length 5 inches. I used 1 inch ribbon. Less wide ones would look as good. Fold the ribbon as shown in the picture below.

easy tutorial to make flower with ribbon
Cut ribbon strips ; fold it as shown

Turn this to the other side. 

Now turn the sides to the back to resemble a petal. It is when you gather the lower edge and tie with a thread that this will look really like a petal

how to easily make ribbon flowers
Make ribbon petals for flowers

Layer all of these petals over a fabric/felt piece or simply one on top of the other. Stitch each petal in place as you layer.

ribbon flower making tutorial
Stitch the petals together

If you are adding pips you will want to add them before they are gathered. Add beads for prettying it up as well as hide the stitching.

make ribbon flowers easily

9. Ribbon embroidery flowers

DIY flower making with fabric scraps
Ribbon embroidery flowers

Ribbon embroidery uses ribbons to embroider pretty flowers and other floral designs on fabric. Some of the flowers you can make using this technique can be seen in this post – Ribbon embroidery designs for flowers.

10. Multilayered ribbon flower

ribbon flower tutorial

This flower is made by folding the ribbon pieces in a particular way. Nothing complicated. Cut ribbon into 3-inch pieces (for the outer layer) and 2-inch pieces (for the inner pieces – in a different colour). Cut out a piece of felt as the base.

Fold these ribbons in the way shown below. 

make ribbon flowers
Prepare the petals and base

Gather the lower edge and tie with a sewing needle and thread. Prepare all the petals this way and keep aside.

making easy to make ribbon flowers
Stitch petals on to base

Layer and stitch on a felt base as done with previous flowers.

ribbon flowers
Complete another circle inside

When life gives me ribbons I make flowers. What about you? What do you make with ribbons?

If you want to make simple rosettes check out this post or this post on DIY fabric rose Tutorial. or this post on making felt roses

rosette

Other Related posts :

Find the perfect ribbon for your project

Different ways to make ribbon trims

diy ribbon trims

10 ways to make bows with ribbon

How did you like this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 4.8 / 5. Vote count: 5

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

This article was written on

& updated on

Subscribe to get weekly notifications of posts in your email

Author: Sarina Tariq

Hi, I love sewing, fabric, fashion, embroidery, doing easy DIY projects and then writing about them. Hope you have fun learning from sewguide as much as I do. If you find any mistakes here, please point it out in the comments.

11 thoughts on “Ribbon Flowers (10 easy DIY tutorials)”

  1. Marichu Ong

    Hi Sarina! Love your writing especially the easy to follow guide to make flowers from ribbon. I am into it now and hoping to read and follow more of your tutorials.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    I think most are straight forword I will give them a try I made 2 I want 1 more not sure which one I will keep in touch Thanks

    Reply
  3. Lesley Hodges

    Thank you so much for your tuition in ribbon flowers. I have recently taken interest in Tsumami Kanzashi (Japanese flower making for headpieces) and these simple little flowers will be a great addition to the range.
    I found the presentation easy to understand and am excited to learn more for my Kanzashi workshops.
    Much appreciated.

    Reply
  4. Carol Haynes

    I’m sorry but your instructions for making a ribbon flower are not clear at all to me . Could you please explain another way? I really want to make these! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sarina

      Hi Carol
      Which one is not clear for you?

  5. Mrs Herta Phillips

    I would like to have patterns for these flowers. How can I get them?
    Perhaps I have, I cannot remember but I certainly did not have a reply.

    Reply
    • Sarina

      Hi Herta
      There is no specific pattern as such. They are very easy to make and I would think the photos are enough to guide you on how to make them. If you have specific question you can ask me

  6. Veronica Bernard

    I will like to know and understand sewing techniques and free patterns please.

    Reply
  7. GAYATHRI S

    ITS AWESOME! I AM A STUDENT AND I HAVE SUMMER
    VACATIONS NOW.CAN U SUGGEST ME SOME OPINIONS SO
    THAT I CAN UTILISE MY VACATIONS.I HAVE A GREAT
    INTEREST IN ART AND CRAFTS. AND THAT PINK FLOWER IS
    SO PRETTY.

    Reply
  8. Destiny

    You make these look so simple I can’t wait to try them out! I’m always buying ribbons for no real reason other than I like them and now I can finally do something with them 🙂

    Reply
    • Sarina

      Hi Destiny
      Please do try them out – they are simple . I can empathize with you on buying all those ribbons -they are so pretty

Your opinion is important here. Leave a comment