As any stitcher knows, embroidery is one of the best ways to personalize any garment or home accessory. Using ribbon in your project provides a two-fold benefit: it’s not only beautiful, it makes a stronger impact. Designs can be finished in half the time, since ribbon is generally much wider than standard embroidery thread. Any fabric can be dressed up with a few well-placed stitches.

But you don’t have to be confined to a pattern—with some basic knowledge and imagination, you can create your own designs in no time. You’ll learn a wide variety of stitches, from vines and flower petals to latticework and lines that evoke flames. Each stitch is described and illustrated in detail—and all of the projects can be completed in fewer than six steps! A handful of larger templates highlight suggested stitch combinations to get your creativity flowing, but the most beautiful designs are sure to be the ones you create on your own.

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NATALIE BELLANGER-CLEMENT is a textile professor who also teaches embroidery. She is a frequent contributor to Marie Claire Idées, and lives in Paris, France.

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