Create a Flower with Ribbon or Other Trim

I love fluffy texture rich flowers like the one created for the card above.  The fun part is that I created that flower with string and yarn!  Yep!  And here's a fun tutorial to show you guys how I created the flower above!  In this tutorial, I used Glubers but all you really need is a piece of cardstock cut into a circle as the base for your flower.  Just add some high tack glue like craft glue, Tombow Mono Multi glue or similar glue to the circle so that you can slowly wind and press your trim into a spiral starting at the center of the flower.  For details, see my tutorial!  Enjoy!

Supplies

Scissors

Glubers or Large Adhesive Dot

Ribbon

Tulle

Yarn

Step One:  Cut about a 2 foot length of tulle, ribbon and yarn.  You can use the yarn to tie together the ends of the braid.  Note: Experiment with different kinds of fabric, twine, and string.

 Step Two:  Braid until you have about an 18 inch length of trim.  Again, use the yarn to tie off the end and snip off the excess trim.  This will be the piece you will wind into a flower.  Note: You may need varying lengths of trim depending on the width and thickness of each trim.  18 inches was just the amount I needed to create this flower.

 Step Three:  Take off the top layer of film from the Gluber and press one end of the braided trim into the center of the glue dot.  Slowly wind the trim into a spiral, using your thumb and fingertips to help flatten the trim as you continue to wind.  Wind until the flower is the size you like or until you’ve reached the edges of the glue dot.

Step Four:  Tuck the end piece under so that it does not show.  Trim away any excess adhesive from the bottom of the flower (if there is any).  Keep your flower on the glue dot until you are ready to use it on a project.

Braided Trim Flower by Maureen Esquillo-Kao Supplies Yarn: EK Success; Adhesive Dot/Gluber: Cosmo Cricket; Other: Ribbon, tulle

If you want more fun and fabulous out-of-the-box ideas, you really need to take my Creating with String Class:  Embellishments available soon.

Until then, you can check out my Creating with String class that focuses on creating backgrounds!

Yes, you read that right. A String of Ideas: Creating with String focuses on using string in your crafty play. You’ll also employ other stash busting items such as baker’s and hemp twine, embroidery thread, yarn and even ribbon as a tool in your artwork and to partner them with different mediums such as ink pads, reinkers, acrylic ink, mists and watercolor for a variety of looks. Spritz, splash, dribble, drizzle, roll and stamp until your heart’s content. 

Get ready to get your hands good and inky with this inspiring class. I’ll show you how to stamp, masks and make impressions with string. I’ll even go over fun ways to store them either very cheap or even free! You’ll learn how to create beautiful backgrounds to incorporate onto your cards, pages, tags, ATCs and even altered items. You can also apply the techniques learned in this class to mixed media projects and art journal pages. 

Everything you’ll learn in A String of Ideas: Creating with String is applicable to multiple disciplines of fun and you’ll see artwork in action as I share and discuss scrapbook pages, cards and tags created specifically for this class.   

The class is presented in video format and accompanied by helpful PDFs to illustrate the ideas and techniques you’ll use over and over again. There are 6 finished projects in this class as well as 27 backgrounds. You'll never look at a piece of string the same way again!