How to Make Ribbon Embroidered Tank Tops

Loosen the latch on the embroidery hoop, separating the two sides of the hoop.

Lay the underside of the hoop under the area of the fabric you wish to embroider, placing the other half of the hoop over the top. Pull the fabric taught between the hoops, like a drum. Tighten the screw on the top of the hoops to hold everything in place.

Draw your embroidery design first on graph paper, and transfer with transfer paper to your fabric. If you're using a premade pattern, stencil or iron-on design, apply it to the fabric before starting to embroider.

Thread the embroidery needle with very narrow ribbon and make a small knot at one end.

Starting at the beginning of the design, push the needle through the fabric from the back and pull it through. Choose any place to start embroidering along the pattern. Pull the ribbon gently until the knot is flush with the back of the fabric.

Start your embroidery pattern by using basic straight stitches or a ribbon stitch, which is a simple stitch used for making leaves and petals. To make a ribbon stitch, push the needle up through the fabric from the back and then with the ribbon laying flat on the fabric, push the needle back through the center of the ribbon from the front to the back of the fabric. The ribbon will curl back on itself. Work carefully, because if you push too firmly, you may lose the effect.

Bring the needle forward about 1/4 of an inch and push it back into the fabric from front to back, to continue. Use a stem stitch with ribbon to create flower stems, straight lines or outlines. Push the needle back through the tank top from the back to the front, centering the point of the needle into the middle of the previous stitch. This helps create a smooth line.

Create intricate flowers and petals with a lazy daisy stitch. This stitch works well with ribbon or embroidery floss. Bring your needle through the fabric from the back, pulling the ribbon or floss up to the front. Make a small loop at the opposite end of the stitch and push your needle through from the front to the back just below where you started the stitch. Push from the back to the front at the top of the loop to create the final loose loop.

Make French knots to decorate floral centers or as stand-alone designs. Bring floss or ribbon up from the back to the front of the fabric, wrap it around the needle several times and insert the needle back into the front of the fabric just next to where it came out at the beginning of the stitch. Pull the ribbon through to the back, making a tiny decorative knot on the front.

Remove the hoops when you're finished embroidering and smooth the fabric with your hands. You might need to iron lightly with a cool iron to make the fabric lay flat.