Ribbonwork Revisited

Make two cream blossoms using 4 1/2" of 3/8" -wide, cream silk ribbon for each blossom. Divide the ribbon into four equal portions, leaving a 1/8" margin at each end of the ribbon. Stitch four scallops (5) and gather the ribbon very tightly, creating four distinct petals. Secure the gathering with backstitches, then join the gathered petals into a circle. Add four pearl seed beads to each blossom center.

Make four lavender and pink rosettes using 2 1/4" of 1/4" -wide, lavender and pink ruffle-edge ribbon for each rosette. Stitch a U-shaped stitching line (6), gather the ribbon tightly and overlap the ends to form a circle. Secure the gathering at the overlap in the flower center. Decorate each rosette center with one gold seed bead.

Refer to the photo for placement. Using a simple whipstitch, and catching just the centers or the hidden layers of the ribbon, stitch the ribbon flowers over the green leaf trim at the lace upper edge.

From the May 2004 issue of Sew News magazine.