Common ribbon embroidery mistakes and fixes

Twisting and puckering.

• Ribbon twisted: arrange it flat round the needle and hold with your thumb.
• Puckering: stitches too tight.
• Ribbon stitch too narrow: make another on top.
• Ribbon slipping out of the needle: needle-lock it.
• Frayed ribbon: use shorter lengths.
• Ribbon still twisting: slide a second needle under it near the hole while you pull through.

Sources

All checked November 1, 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.

1. Threads: A beginner's guide to silk ribbon embroidery
2. Threads: Basics of silk-ribbon embroidery