Silk roses are good for decorating purposes, beautifying clothes on special occasions, and for craft projects. This tutorial will teach you how to make your own homemade roses from ribbon, satin, or silk. (Actually, any length of fabric can be used - even shoelaces.) Once you've mastered how to make them, you'll be able to make roses in 30 seconds or less!
Step
Step 1. Choose the color of the material
Red and pink are traditional rose colors, but you may want to make the rose yellow, white, or even black for a different effect.
Step 2. Cut the ribbon to a length of approximately 20 cm (optional)
If the cut is shorter, it will be more difficult to work with, and if the cut is longer, there will be some unused ribbon for a rose. Remember, since you'll be cutting the ribbon again when the roses are done, you can skip this step to avoid wasting ribbon.
Step 3. Fold the ribbon over the first crease in the middle to form an angle
Step 4. Fold the bottom piece of tape over the crease in the middle
One more strand will now be at the bottom.
Step 5. Continue to fold each strand under the top crease in the middle until you have a stack of squares
Fold alternately until the pile has sufficient thickness or else you will almost run out of tape.
Step 6. Pinch the two loose ends of the tape between your thumb and index finger
Don't worry about removing the square stack; because the stacks are folded together, they will stretch to become like an accordion.
Step 7. Take one end of the loose ribbon and gently pull it out of the folded accordion
Make sure to keep the other end balanced when you pull. This will knit the folds of the accordion closer together, creating tiny petal ties. Pull until the rose is the size and shape you want, but remember that if you drag too far, the square creases will come out and the rose will come loose.
Step 8. Tie a knot at the back of the rose and gently trim the excess ribbon
It may be helpful to turn the rose upside down and press the ribbon with one finger as you tie the knot. Again, don't pull the ribbon too hard, as the petal folds may come loose.
Tips
- The longer the ribbon, the more petals on the rose.
- The wider the ribbon, the bigger the rose will be. The narrower the ribbon, the smaller the rose.
- To finish this rose, you can attach some thin wire and tie the two ends of the ribbon (and wire rod if you prefer) with floral tape. This will give the perfect look. Just make sure the stem is proportional to the size of the rose, otherwise it will look cute.
- These roses make a beautiful bouquet. If you made a dozen red roses, they would fit together with a box of chocolates!
- The stiffer the fabric, the sharper the petals will look.
