Make your own Victorian Ivy Ribbons with a step by step guide from our Victorian Christmas experts
Activities: Make Your Own Victorian Ivy Ribbons
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Victorians used greenery from the countryside and gardens to decorate their homes at Christmas. Ivy Ribbons are a very Victorian take on room decorations that emphasised making nature into a perfect, ordered form.
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- Topic: Decorations
- Difficulty: Easy
- Time: 1 hour
Items Needed
- Ivy leaves
- Fabric/Newspaper
- Needle and green thread
- Scissors
Warning:
This activity uses sharp tools. Children should be supervised.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cut or tear the fabric into strips.
Cut into strips
We used calico material and dyed it green, but you can any material for this, even newspaper. Cut or rip the material into the desired length strips, they should be slightly less wide than the ivy leaves.
Step 2: Pick a range of ivy leaves
Pick ivy leaves
You will need a large pile of ivy leaves. Carefully pick off the individual leaves and put to one side.
Step 3: Sew the ivy leaves onto the strips
Sew ivy onto material
Thread a needle with green cotton. Take an ivy leaf, place it on the material. Starting from the back, make a stitch in the ivy leaf and material. Take the next leaf and lay it so it slightly overlaps the previous leaf, and stitch down.
Cover material with ivy
Continue down the length of material, until it is completely covered with ivy. If you want to make longer ivy ribbons, simply sew another piece of material to the end and continue placing the ivy leaves in the same pattern.
The Ivy Ribbons can be used as room decorations or wrapped around the branches of your Christmas tree.
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We are lucky to have things so easy now.
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As a small child I used to help my grandparents decorate their cottage using ivy, string, red crepe paper and lametta. It was nothing like the elaborate decorations that are available today, but incredibly pretty and nice to sit together to make the decorations. I had thought that I would do this again this year, but can't remember how far in advance we did this, so I am a little concerned about how long the ivy would last indoors.
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I think Ruth, Peter and Alex are amazing people to do all this very hard work on the Victorian Farm. I have really enjoyed watching all their adventures throughout the programmes.
I watch every episode and so far I am really enjoying the Christmas espisodes 1 of 3 on 91Èȱ¬ at the moment.
I almost feel like one of the family. Wish I could have worked with them on this project, but unfortunately I am now too old and an invalid.
However, I would like to say thank you to everyone who has made these episodes available to us viewers. Well done everyone and Have a very Merry Chjristmas and Happy New Year.
Joyce Peterborough UK PS I might just be able to copy this ivy leaf christmas decoration thank you.
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Yes, I've really enjoyed this series and am inspired to make more decorations myself next year.
Can't believe how hard they worked to make those bricks!
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Yes that brick making looked like VERY hard work, but I have noticed something, its always poor old Peter that seems to get all the hard dirty jobs!! :P
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I really have enjoyed the Victorian Farm series. A few years ago (in February) I spent a week-end at home with no electricity or gas, using only candles for light and my open fire for heating and cooking. I also did the laundry by hand and used a wringer in the back garden. When dry I used the flat irons, heated on the fire to do the ironing. My friends and family thought I was mad, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and it really felt as if I had been away on holiday. Hopefully there will be more of these kind of programmes in the future - keep up the good work.
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