Flip-Flop Ribbon Trim

Cute, cute, cute... I'm in love with Kathy B's cool flip-flop ribbon trim. It's perfect for adding a fun touch of grosgrain ribbon to a casual summer dress made with fun prints, like this halter-style from our Summer Separates pattern:

With spring and summer quickly approaching, it's time to start thinking about adding some easy, breezy summer outfits to your little ones' wardrobes. Sewing garments yourself is fun enough straight from the patterns themselves, but adding special creative details and really makes it worth your while. For even the beginning seamstress, figuring out how to use what you know about sewing to add details to your pieces is lots of fun.

Ribbons are one of our favorite notions around here (as evidenced by our themed ribbon issue, #129), and the flip-flop ribbon trim that Kathy came up with last summer is just too cute. At the time Issue #125 was published, where we announced the new Summer Separates pattern, we offered free instructions on the flip-flop ribbon trim on our website (click here to download the instructions in PDF format). But since we recently received the new DVD collection of last season's Martha's Sewing Room, we've pulled video for you of Kathy herself teaching the technique. We hope that, combined with the printed instructions, the video helps make sense of creating this great trim on your own.

After we shared the flip-flop ribbon trim instructions on our website, SB reader Elizabeth Vickers shared a dress with us using this technique that she made for her granddaughter. I've been holding onto the photo Elizabeth sent me for six months, and finally, I have the perfect opportunity to share it with all of you:

It looks like Elizabeth has used a wider width of grosgrain ribbon in different colors to add a fun accent between her solid red fabric and multicolor polka dot fabric on the hem and sleeves.

Do you have ideas for using this technique in other ways? I wonder if it wouldn't work to use a thin-width of silk satin ribbon to make a tiny flip-flop trim; I might try it. If you do try this technique, please share it by posting a link below or sending pictures to us at blog@sewbeautifulmag.com. As always, we love to see what you're making!