Sewing The Seasons: Tutorial - Christmas Ribbon Decorations

Today's tutorial shows how easy it is to make stunning Christmas decorations using ribbons. This is an ideal project to use up some of your wadding & fabric scraps as well.

Materials needed:
Ribbons (gross grain or satin, any width, patterned or plain)
Wadding scraps
Fabric- for base piece plus backing
Buttons (optional)
Thread
Decoration shapes on paper
Equipment needed:
Machine
Scissors
Thread
Pins
Needle to hand sew closed
Machine feet - normal to attach ribbon + 1/4" to sew decorations
**if you have difficulty attaching ribbon, use your walking foot if you have one** (I found it easier to do this with some ribbons)

Step 1:
Choose your shapes - there are so many options, draw your own, look in colouring books, or google Christmas shapes in images & find some free downloads.

If they are not the right size, enlarge on copier or as in example below, trace then keep enlarging size till happy with finished size. **Remember to include 1/4" seam allowance**

Step 2:
Choose a variety of ribbons for your shapes. The patterned grossgrain I used in my first designs came in my Sew Box Subscriptions Nov Box, the patterned satin ribbons came from my local Spotlight. The plain grossgrain I had on hand.

Step 3:
Gather wadding scraps & Christmas fabric for backing, plain fabric for base piece under ribbon. **Ideal time to use up some scraps**

Step 4:
Cut rectangle of wadding & base fabric that you will be attaching the ribbon to. (You can sew ribbon directly onto wadding, but it is ideal to have a piece of fabric under ribbon which avoids wadding showing if any slight gaps between ribbon strips.)

Step 5:
Cut strips of ribbon & place on fabric/wadding base ready to attach.

Step 6:
Sew ribbon onto fabric/wadding base piece - I used a normal stitch but you could choose a fancy stitch if you wanted.

Step 7:
Place ribbon piece right sides together with backing piece.
Pin on pattern piece and cut out.

Step 8:
Remove pins & pattern piece, set backing piece aside for a moment.
Cut small piece of narrow ribbon for hanging loop. Stitch this securely to decoration shape. If adding button at base of bell, also add small strip of ribbon ready for button.

Step 9:
Repin backing piece right sides together with ribbon front piece & stitch around with a 1/4" seam. Leave a gap for turning through. Look for the 'straightest' part of your shape for this gap.

**If you want to 'fussy cut' your decoration as I did for the bauble shape, cut out shape, attach ribbon as per step 8, pin to backing right sides together, stitch seam, then trim off extra backing & proceed to step 10.**