How to Make a Suffragette Rosette ?

 Stand up in support of women's rights and wear your pin with pride Britain, 1908-1918.

There is no item more emblematic of the suffrage movement than a purple, white and green rosette declaring Votes for Women'. Created by the English Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), members were encouraged to wear the tricolour as a duty and a privilege. A triumph for fashion branding, the WSPU introduced the official colour scheme ahead of a demonstration in London's Hyde Park on 21 June 1908. Many of London's most fashionable stores, such as Selfridges and Liberty, stocked suffragette badges and sashes as well as clothes to match — Deny & Toms even sold underwear in purple, white and green! However, not every suffragette could afford to buy a ready-made rosette. In this tutorial, we will show you how to make your own in six simple steps.

What You Will Need ? 

• Card and Ribbons
• Black fineline pen
• Stapler and staples
• Safety pin
• PVA glue

 MEASURE AND CUT CARD

 

Using cream card, measure and cut out two 10-centimetre circles and one 5-centimetre circle. You can do this by either using appropriately sized circular objects, or crack out the compass from your old maths kit. Be careful not to prick a hole in the centre if you're using the compass — especially on the smaller piece, as this will be used for the front.

PREPARE YOUR RIBBONS

To measure your ribbon, run each colour around the edge of the larger piece of card three times. For the hanging lengths, measure out 25-centimetre pieces of ribbon, fold them half at the end and cut a triangle from the outside edge into the centre to create an inward V at the end of each one. Staple them with the flat edge to the backing piece of card.

 

ATTACH YOUR RIBBONS

Starting with the green ribbon, hold the inner run of ribbon to the edge of the circle, folding the inner edge more tightly under to let the outer wave appear looser. At each rise of the rbbon, staple it to the card and repeat this multi until al] the ribbon secure. Repeat this with the cream and then purple ribbons — you will need to trim the ends as they go in.

 

WRITE YOUR SLOGAN

Before you place the pin on the back, take a pencil and sketch out the famous slogan, Votes For Women. Once you are happy with the placement, go Over it with your black fineline pen, making sure to keep your lines strong and clear. If you like, you can try different embellishments around the letters to add a personal flare to your rosette.

GLUE ON THE FRONT

Take the smaller piece of card and place it over the top ot the layered ribbons. Staple Wither outwards to make sure that the centre ribbons do not push the centre piece of card up too much. Now glue down the smaller piece of card but be sure not push down too hard over the staples as this could leave an embossed mark.

FIX THE PIN

 

With the second larger circle, place the pin in the centre and mark where the two ends sit with a pencil. Create wo holes for the ends of the safety pin and then insert the length of the pin through one hole with the clasp end through he other. Stick it down using the glue to hold it in place, and also remember to hide the staples.