Origin of Rosettes

rosette pronounced roh-zet

1. any arrangement, part, object, or formation more or less resembling a rose.

2.  a rose-shaped arrangement of ribbon or other material, used as an ornament or badge.

Well done! You received your ribbon award!  What are you going to do with that ribbon rosette and have you ever wondered about the origin/meaning of that very special award?

Ribbon rosette-making dates back to the 8th/9th century.  Its origin lies with the Legion of Honor award, a special designation established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to reward and recognize exemplary military service and civil merits. The rosette was mounted on the ribbon from which the Legion of Honor award was displayed.

Around 1850, the rosette was redesigned so that it could be worn on clothing in a manner more appropriate for civilian use.

Today, rosettes are awarded to, and received proudly, by members of various types of organizations in both public and private sectors.  They are presented as a symbol of achievement, or in recognition of an individual’s achievements.

A rosette can be defined as a badge award or decoration made in coloured ribbon to resemble the form of a rose or a rose-shaped ornament on a wall or other surface, or a naturally occurring cluster of leaves radiating from a central point, especially at the base of a stem or any rose shaped structure arrangement or figure.

Rosettes may be manufactured from a variety of materials, most commonly though it is made from ribbon or lace.

In order to make a ribbon rosette, many components are needed. These include a backboard (die-cut from thick cardboard), pleated ribbon/lace, a centreboard, (again die-cut from thick cardboard), ribbon tails and fastenings at the back (safety pin, hook, etc.)

The ribbon is pleated manually with a pleater to form the rosette tiers.  The pleated ribbon is then attached in layers to the cardboard with a sewing machine to form the ribbon rosette head. The tails are swallow cut, and along with the specified fastening, are attached to the head using the pre-printed centreboard: all of this done by hand.

Depending on where you are in the world, a blue ribbon could mean first or second place.  The colors may change according to the event organizers’ preferences, club colors, or expense.  Often the colors used for the first five placings are traditional, but ribbon colors from 6th downwards are less consistent.  In South Africa, the colors used are the same as that for the UK and New Zealand.

Champion and Reserve Champion ribbons are commonly called Tri-colors. They are usually a combination of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place colors for Champion and 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for Reserve Champion).

                                                   Source: Wikipedia