Rose Bows

From working late the past two nights, I've been a little distant from crafting. As frustrating as it is staring at my two blank stools/end tables just waiting for spray paint when I get home after a 12-hour day at the office, I keep saying to myself "it's just more money to put toward my crafting habit".

But tonight, I had to come home and catch up on "Project Runway" so I wasn't in the dark tomorrow when coworkers talk about it tomorrow. So, while I'm watching this week's episode, I wanted to do a quickie-craft post.

I chose to give away one of my favorite skills: making roses out of ribbon. I use these for bows on presents when I want a little something extra that's not usually seen in stores. I learned this from a craft show I would watch back in elementary school on my sick days. Hell, sometimes they would show what would be on the next day and I'd "coincidentally" feel sick the next morning so I could watch it. I wish I could find it on DVD. (Not sure if it was "The Carol Duvall Show", but it may have been...)

Start with a ribbon, at least a foot long.

Find the middle of the middle and fold it over so the two ends form a right angle. (See? I still remember math! Kind of a personal victory.)

Take the bottom piece of ribbon and fold it over the triangle. Then fold the alternate piece over the first fold.

Keep folding until you get to the end of your pieces.

Grab the very last fold between your first finger and thumb and let the rest fall. It will look like an accordian-like shape.

This is the tricky part that takes a little practice: while keeping one piece stable, pull the other piece toward you.

It will start forming a rose.

When you pull the one piece, it does not stop; if you keep pulling it, it will come completely undone.

Once you've pulled the piece to create the desired rose size you're content with, tie it together with either floral wire or a twist tie, which was what I had on hand.

And you're done!

Different width ribbons create very different roses, some more realistic than others.

I've been known to re-enforce the tightness of the rose with a needle and thread.

If the gift is a bigger than the rose, itself, you could double or triple them up, or add one rose to a little ribbon below it, like I've done below.

(The bow below the rose is simple figure-8s folded over one-another and sewn together with a needle and thread to keep its shape and keep it together.

Oh! And the best thing I've discovered for ribbon is Fray Check. It's a very liquidy glue that keeps, well, frays in check.