Want to put some spring in your step? As soon as the holidays are over, we all look forward to the change of seasons. It's not yet time for sandals and sundresses, but you can add a bright springy touch to a cuddly pair of slippers by decorating them with ribbon roses.

You've seen these roses for sale at craft and fabric stores, costing as much as a dollar each. I always knew there had to be a trick to making them, and there is. We've used them to decorate slippers, but once you master the making of the roses, you'll find tons of other uses for them. Decorate anything from doll clothes to gifts, picture frames to pillows, barrettes to? And best of all, you can now make the roses in the exact color and size that's right for your project, instead of being dependent on whatever is in stock at the store.

What You Need

Satin ribbon for roses, any color, 1 wide, 3" per rose
Satin ribbon, 1/2" wide, green for leaves, 5" per color
Heavy-duty thread, any color
If you're trimming slippers as shown, make 8 or 9 roses for each slipper.

1.This is much easier than it sounds. Read all the instructions through first, and don't be frustrated if it takes you a couple of tries to get the hang of this. It is so easy to demonstrate, and so hard to explain! As you read the instructions, picture a zig zag paper spring that you learned how to make in kindergarten. That is exactly how the ribbon is folded. First, fold the ribbon in the center on the diagonal at a right angle, so that one end faces you and the other end goes toward your left.

2. Fold the end that goes to your left over the center fold of the ribbon so that that end now faces your right.

3.Fold the other end, the one that faces you, over the center fold so that it faces away from you.

4.Repeat these folds alternately, holding all folds in place as you go, until only an inch is left at both ends. Your ribbon is now folded into a stack of 1" squares.

5.Holding loose ends tight, let go of folded portion. I t will jump out from you but will stay formed in a zig zag.

6.Fold end at right over other end and hold between thumb and forefinger. With other hand, pull free end slowly and firmly down. This will telescope the folds, which form the petals of the rose, into a close cluster (pictured, right). Stop pulling when the top corner of the original diagonal fold has almost disappeared into the center of the cluster.

7.Still holding firmly at the base, tie a piece of heavy duty thread around the base of the flower to hold in place.

8.Tie a 5” piece of green ribbon over the thread. Snip to points so the leaves peek out from under the rose.

9.Cut excess ribbon from the base of the flower. Reserve for other projects.

10.To secure rose, you may want to make a single stitch from the back to the center of the rose, then to the back to hold all folds permanently in place. If you make a very small stitch, it will not show at all.

11.If you are trimming slippers, simply used a doubled length of the heavy duty thread to take the roses in place all around the top edge. One stitch per rose is all it takes. Be sure to place your roses close together.

Tips: Organdy ribbon makes beautiful roses. Also try patterned or striped grosgrain ribbon. Use any width, depending on the size of roses you want to make. You may need to increase length of ribbon if using a very wide piece.