Woven Rose Stitch
A woven rose is a round, raised flower made by weaving thread over and under a set of straight stitches. The needle only goes into the fabric to make the spokes and to finish; the rest of the time it moves on the surface. The stitch is also called a spider web rose, woven wheel, woven spider web or woven spider wheel. It is one of the quickest ways to get a full, dimensional rose, and it works with stranded cotton, perle cotton, wool and silk ribbon. The two things that decide how it looks are the number of spokes and how tightly you weave.
How to do a woven rose, in short: stitch five straight spokes from the edge of a circle into its centre, then bring a thread up near the centre and weave it over and under the spokes, round and round, without going into the fabric, until the spokes are covered.
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Used for | Roses, round flowers, buds, wheels and raised dots |
| Thread | Spokes: 2 strands of stranded cotton. Weaving: 4–6 strands, perle cotton No. 5 or 8, or silk ribbon |
| Needle | Embroidery needle for the spokes; blunt tapestry needle for weaving |
| Spokes | An odd number: 5 for most roses, 7 for large ones |
What You Need
- Two needles. A sharp embroidery needle for the spokes and a blunt tapestry needle for weaving. The blunt tip slides under the spokes without splitting them or catching the fabric.
- A circle and its centre marked on the fabric. The size of the circle is the size of the rose.
- Thicker thread for weaving. The more thread you use, the fuller the rose. Thin thread gives a flat wheel.
- Fabric in a hoop, drum-tight. The spokes need firm fabric to hold their tension.
How to Work a Woven Rose
- Make five spokes. Work five straight stitches of equal length from the edge of the circle to the centre, evenly spaced like the spokes of a wheel. Use thread in the colour of the rose, so any part that shows blends in.
- Bring the weaving thread up close to the centre, between two spokes.
- Weave over one spoke and under the next, going round in one direction. Do not pierce the fabric or the spokes.
- Keep going round. With five spokes, each round automatically goes over the spokes it went under the round before, so the weaving locks itself.
- Push the rounds towards the centre every few rounds and keep the thread relaxed, not pulled tight. This is what makes the rose rounded.
- Stop when the spokes are covered. Slide the needle under the last round and take it down to the back at the edge of the rose, so the end is hidden.
To shade the rose, start with a darker colour and change to a lighter one halfway: bring the new thread up between two spokes and continue the weave. Variegated thread gives shading automatically.
How to Control the Size
| Rose | Circle diameter | Spokes | Weaving thread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small bud | 6–10 mm | 5 | 3–4 strands |
| Standard rose | 12–15 mm | 5 | 6 strands or perle No. 8 |
| Large rose | 20 mm or more | 7 | 6 strands, perle No. 5 or ribbon |
For roses of the same size in one design, mark circles of the same diameter and use the same thread and number of rounds.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The spokes show around the edge | Not enough rounds, or the spokes are longer than needed | Keep weaving until the spokes are fully covered; next time make the circle slightly smaller. |
| The rose is flat, like a wheel | The weaving thread is too thin or pulled too tight | Use more strands or thicker thread and keep the weaving relaxed. |
| The weave does not alternate | An even number of spokes | Use 5 or 7 spokes. If you have already made an even number, add one more spoke before you start weaving. |
| The needle splits the spokes or catches the fabric | A sharp needle used for weaving | Switch to a blunt tapestry needle, or weave with the eye end of the needle first. |
| A hole or loose centre | Weaving started too far from the centre | Start right next to the centre and push the first rounds inwards. |
| The fabric puckers around the rose | The spokes were pulled tight, or the fabric is loose in the hoop | Tighten the fabric in the hoop and keep the spokes taut but not tight. |
A neat way to make the five spokes is one fly stitch with a long tail plus one straight stitch on each side. The fly stitch gives three spokes from the centre (its two arms and its tail), and the straight stitches fill the gaps.
Where to Use Woven Roses
- Rose bouquets and wreaths. Groups of three in different sizes and shades, with lazy daisy leaves.
- Garden scenes. Climbing roses on a wall or arch, with small buds between the bigger flowers.
- Small raised dots. Tiny woven wheels for berries, buttons or flower centres.
- Ribbon embroidery. Woven in silk ribbon for a soft, full rose.
Woven Rose vs Bullion Rose vs Ribbed Spider Web
- Bullion rose: built from rounds of coiled bullions. It looks more like a real rose but needs practice. See the bullion stitch.
- Ribbed (whipped) spider web: the thread wraps back around each spoke instead of weaving over and under, which gives a flatter wheel with ridges.
- Ray (spoke) stitch: the spokes of a woven rose are a ray (spoke) stitch; on their own, they make a flower centre or a sun.
- French knot: for a small round dot in the centre of a flower, a French knot is quicker than a tiny woven wheel.
For an overview of all the basic stitches, see our complete guide to hand embroidery stitches.
Patterns to Practise Your Stitches On
Woven roses suit floral designs. Here are our floral patterns:
These two patterns use woven rose stitch: Weasel with Berry Branch and Spiky Pufferfish.
New to Embroidery? Start with a Free Pattern
All of our free embroidery patterns in one place:
Woven Rose Stitch FAQ
How many spokes does a woven rose need?
An odd number, usually five. With an odd number the weave alternates automatically on every round.
Is a spider web rose the same as a woven rose?
Yes. Spider web rose, woven wheel and woven rose are names for the same stitch.
What thread is best for woven roses?
Stranded cotton in 4–6 strands, perle cotton or silk ribbon for the weaving. Use 2 strands for the spokes, in the same colour as the rose.
Why are my spokes showing?
The rose needs more rounds, or the circle was too big for the amount of thread. Keep weaving until the spokes disappear.
