Further review of the handbook of silk ribbon embroidery, with some of my own stitches

Hello,

A bit of happy news is that I am getting married in April. Part of this is packing up my things, like my kits. I am unable to find my instruction booklets and patterns that I use in my silk ribbon embroidery kits, and so I have deactivated my silk ribbon embroidery kits. I do plan on bringing them back when I find the folder or recreate it.

A few days ago, I reviewed the book the handbook of silk ribbon embroidery. I'd like to share with you a project that I have adapted. I am making an iris card for a relative who is in the hospital.

I am taking this project and adapting it to fit into a heart shaped card, which means the project will be a bit smaller. I also don't have yellow ribbon in this shade, so I am changing the colors from white, yellow and blue to white, pink and purple.

To start with, make two lazy daisy stitches in a 'U' shape. Pull the ribbon through the fabric and place the needle down again about 1/4 an inch from w

here you came up. Hold the loop with your finger and pull slowly through the fabric. When you have a petal sized loop, secure with the last lazy daisy stitch.

For some of the irises, I like to add more depth. You won't find this in the handbook of silk ribbon embroidery, but I enjoy it. You can do this by bringing your lighter color ribbon up and folding it over on itself. It should have a fold as above. Pierce the ribbon and make a ribbon stitch. Be careful to hold the stitch so that you do not pull too tightly and lose the raised layer. Do the same thing on the other side.

Now I am showing you a photographed how - to to how to make an upper portion of the iris with a lazy daisy. You can do this the same way for the lower portion.

Pull the ribbon through, but hold the loop.

The two pictures are where you bring your needle back up. Now place your needle very close to where you brought it up, hold your stitch and bring it through. Once the stitch is made, secure with a knot. Now you can use the flat end of a needle - or once you gain confidence, pluck it with your fingers- to create more or less fullness, depending on what you want.

Once the three irises are complete, use embroidery flos

s to create stems. I also place different lengths beside the stems to simulate green stalks. Using two different colored green embroidery silk, place long and short stitches around the stems with ribbon and straight stitches. Twist the ribbon for the ribbon stitches for more fullness.

You can also add straight stitch flowers among the stems, but be careful not to pull a stitch through. Here is the final piece:

I apologize for the dark pictures, my fiance's house has poor light. Battle #1 is for a higher energy but brighter light bulb ;)