What Is 3D Ribbon Embroidery? How Our Hair Clips Are Made
Most embroidery is worked with thread. Ribbon embroidery is worked with ribbon, threaded through a large needle and drawn through fabric so that each stitch becomes a petal, a leaf or a whole rose standing up from the surface. The result is a little garden you can hold in your hand, and it is the technique behind our Fleur & Fil hair clips.
A very old craft
Ribbon work became fashionable in 18th-century France, when silk ribbon roses decorated court gowns, bodices and accessories. The style is often linked to the Rococo period, which loved soft pastels and flowers. It returned in the Victorian era on hats, purses and christening clothes, and has been rediscovered again and again ever since.
How a ribbon becomes a rose
The embroiderer works with soft, narrow ribbon and a handful of stitches, each with its own shape:
- Ribbon stitch folds the ribbon over itself to make a pointed petal or leaf.
- Spider web rose weaves ribbon around a star of thread spokes until a full, round rose appears.
- Loop stitch leaves the ribbon standing in small loops, perfect for buds and fluffy blossoms.
- French knots and fine thread work add flower centers, stems and tiny details like strawberries and cherries.
Because the ribbon twists and folds a little differently with every stitch, the flowers have real depth: light catches the curves, and the petals cast tiny shadows.
Why every piece is one of a kind
Each Fleur & Fil clip is embroidered by hand by skilled artisans. Even when two clips follow the same design, the ribbon never folds in exactly the same way twice. A rose may lean a little more to the left, a bud may sit a little higher. That is not a flaw; it is the proof that a person made it.
It is also why these clips are made in small numbers. A single clip can take hours, and a design is rarely repeated exactly.
Wearing and caring for ribbon embroidery
- Keep it dry. Ribbon embroidery should not be washed. If it gets dusty, brush it gently with a soft, clean makeup brush.
- Don't press it flat. Store clips in their box or on a ribbon board so the petals keep their shape.
- Fluff the petals. If a petal gets squashed, lift it gently with a fingertip or a toothpick.
- For little ones: clips are an accessory for supervised wear. Take them out before naps and bedtime.
A keepsake from the start
A hand-embroidered clip is small enough to keep forever: in a memory box with the first shoes, or pinned to a ribbon in a nursery. Many end up being worn by a little sister years later, just like the dresses they were made to match.