Friday 11 December 2009

Ribbon Butterfly TUTORIAL

Y0u will need:
* Hot glue and hot glue gun
* Sharp pair of scissors
* A lighter
*Cotton bandage for your fingers
* For two top wings :
- 2 x 3" length 3/8" width grosgrain ribbon
- 2 x 2" length 3/8" width grosgrain ribbon
- 2 x 1.5" length 3/8" width grosgrain ribbon
(dark blue and dark green ribbon in Pic.1)

* For bottom wings :
- 2" length 7/8" width (light blue ribbon in Pic.1)
- Scrap ribbon in yellow and black

* For the antennas : 4.5" length 3/8" width black grosgrain ribbon



STEP 1: Make the top wings : Heat seal the ends of the ribbons. Glue the 2" length 3/8" width ribbon on top of the 1.5" length 3/8" width ribbon at one end making a small corner as is shown in Pic.2. Similarly glue the 3" length 3/8" width ribbon on top of the 1.5" length 3/8" width ribbon (Pic.2)

Turn it upside down (Pic.3)


Bring back the other end of the shortest ribbon and glue to make a loop (Pic.4)



Do the same with the middle ribbon - Make another loop (Pic.5)



Make the last loop with the longest ribbon but pay attention. Pic. 6 shows the wrong way doing it.




To make the last loop when bring the other end of the ribbon back to glue you need to flip it over once to make a twist, so the inside of the ribbon will stay on top (Pic.7)



You've just make one top wing. Repeat this step to make another top wing but you need to mirror what you've done. I.e in Pic.2 the longest ribbon stay in the left hand side, now to make the other wing, you should have your longer ribbon stay in the right hand side. Pic.8 shows 2 top wings completed.


Use some hot glue to glue two wings together at the very end (just about 1/4" - Pic.9)


Pic 10 shows your two top wings from a different angle - from the bottom where you should attach the bottom wings.

STEP 2: Make the bottom wings : Use the 7/8" width ribbon and trim off the areas with white strips flowing the dotted lines, going about 3/8" t0 1/2" toward inside from each end depending on how you want it look, so play with it a bit. Make nice curves at the corners (Pic.11)

Heat seal the cuts (Pic.12)

Now make an accordian fold by folding the ribbon lengthwise in half firstly (Pic13)...

... then bring down the two edges of the ribbon (Pic.14)

Secure the fold either with hotglue or simply use your lighter to melt thr ribbon a bit at the fold and quickly use your fingers to squeeze firmly - the melted ribon will merge and secure the fold (somehow :-) and it's enough!). Now glue the bottom wings to the top wings. Pic.15 now shows the front of your butterfly upside down!

STEP 3: Add the antennas . Use the 3/8" width black ribbon
From one end, cut along the 2 edges to make 2 very thin strips on two sides, about 2.5" length. Remove the ribbon left in the middle. Heat seal your cut with the ligbhter and when the ribbon still hot try to shape the antennas the way you like while heatsealing - they can be very curly or you may want to bend them alittle bit. Again, it's personal taste. I like the the way they look in Pic.17


Now glue the other end of the black ribbon to the front of your butterfly, starting at the bottom. (Pic.18)


Pic. 19 shows the back side...
Now fold the black ribbon over and glue it to the back side the way you wrap the center of a bow but don't squeeze, leave the black rinbon long enough at the center so that it will look like the butterfly's body. Then again fold the ribbon over and glue it to the front of the butterfly, you will now have what's shown in Pic.19
STEP 4 : Finisgh it off! Use your black and yelow srap ribbons. Cut two eye-shapes out of the black ribbon , and two round ones out of the yellow ribbons. Heat seal all of them (Pic.21)
Glue the yellow on top of the black and glue both of them black/yellow each onto every bottom wing (Pic.22).

Yay! Here is your butterfly , ready to find some flowers :-). Attach it to a pin, a hair clip, a hair bow as a center, to your child's dress with flower prints, put it on your hair bow bouquet, or even a bridal bouquet... how fun!
Hope you like the tutorial (Hope it's in time for spring). If you do you might want to check my blog from time to time for other projects. I'll post a fray fabric flower tutorial soon when this xmas shopping madness is over :-)
Happy Holiday everyone!

5 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for this tut! It's very unique, and makes a beautiful butterfly! I'm going to have fun trying this in different color combos. Thanks!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are adorable! I think I'll be making these for my daughters! Thanks for the tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is ever so cute! Great tutorial :)

    ReplyDelete