Charm School Week One -- Ribbonwork

Poise

Well, I picked a doozy of a book for week one of Charm School -- I think it would be possible to spend the entire Summer exploring instructions in Helen Gibb's Ribbonwork book -- ruching, pleating and fashioning ribbon into flowers...all beautiful techniques.

Ultimately, there was one picture of antique ribbonwork items that inspired my muse. See that woven "basket" on the right side made from ombre ribbon?? That's the one.


The only thing is...I picked the one technique that Ms. Gibb did not have illustrated in her book but it wasn't too tough to figure out.

I set out to weave the ribbon in a similar technique using 4mm ombre Mokuba ribbon that I had picked up in New York... I used crinoline as the support for my ribbonwork as the book suggested.


I then made two little curved leaves from green ombre ribbon --


Attached a ruffle around the edge, couched some green gimp for a stem, and then sewed the crinoline piece together with a piece of felt and an old stamp finding with invisible thread.


Here's what I learned in Week One:

1. It takes just as long to work in a miniature format as it takes to work in a bigger one!
2. Ribbonwork differs from ribbon embroidery because each motif is made separately, then put together into a pleasing composition and stitched to a background fabric like crinoline. The excess crinoline is then cut away and the resulting ribbonwork can then be attached to a dress or item for which it was designed.
3. The zigzag effect of laying this ribbon doesn't happen automatically -- you have to make sure that you are placing the darkest edges on the same side as you weave, both horizontally and vertically.
4. The zigzag effect is more predominate if you don't cover it up with something else. The background still appeals to me in this charm but the zigzag that I loved so much is somewhat lost here.
   
5. I really enjoyed making individual motifs and then attaching them all to crinoline. I can envision other uses for this approach other than ribbonwork.
   
6. Going to school takes time and it isn't so easy to post this on Monday morning following a busy weekend. From here on out, you can expect the Charm School post on Tuesdays.
   

Maybe after my Summer Charm School, I'll be as charming as this lady...


OK...Maybe not. But she is "Eliza Doolittle" lovely, isn't she?

As for the book selection for week two, Jack picked number 22 -- so here was the 22nd book on the middle shelf of my bookcase.

This is the book I'll be "studying" this week...Already it looks like it's full of fabulous ideas...

The back cover, alone, is worthy of study...

Have a great day!

OK, sorry. It's really not fair to say how terrific the back cover is without showing you...so here you go....