How to make thick, rounded stems

How to make thick, rounded stems for Roses and other flowers

Ever wondered how to make a large, rounded, life-like stem?

It’s really easy… 

1. Make a foundation row of back stitches. 

2. And wrap the stitches with ribbon…

Here is an example of a stem that I made for a little grasshopper in the Stork’s Bill Fairy from my Flower Fairies™ book.

Click on the image to enlarge…

I will show you how…

1. Make a foundation row of back stitches with 4mm silk ribbon… the stitches should be about 5mm (3/16 inch) in length to accommodate the ribbon in the next step.

2. Wrap the ribbon around each stitch, inserting the needle under and over without going back into the fabric. 

Each stitch should be wrapped two or three times for a neatly raised stem. 

Hint: whilst wrapping the ribbon around the stitches, keep it as flat as possible: unwind and hold the ribbon as you wrap each stitch, only letting go to let the last bit of ribbon through. This way the ribbon remains flat and the stem has a smooth texture.

To make a thicker stem, make two rows of back stitch alongside each other..

and insert the needle under both stitches at the same time to form a chunky stem.

The completed stems.

Tomorrow I will show you a BEAUTIFUL little Fairy … she will make your day, you will see :)

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Until tomorrow, take care

Love

Di