Saturday, December 3, 2011

How To: Scrap Fabric Flower Accessories



What seems like ages ago, I gave away some vintage sheet fat quarters and a fabric brooch I made as a bonus. I was asked by a couple ladies how I made it so I put making a tutorial for it on my to-do list but, as most things blog related last year it was de-prioritized. Well, since I began my fabric scrap management series, it was re-prioritized and finally completed! *yay* Would you like to make one (or five) o these little beauties? Sweet!

Gather ye materials
Fabric scraps cuts into circles (What size, how many different sizes and how many circles is dependent on what you want your flower to look like.) I like six per layer, sometimes eight and even five works.
Coordinating felt scraps (Or now that I think about it, leather and vinyl would look good too.)
Baubles for the center of the flowers (Buttons, brads, pins etc.)
Findings for the back (Brooch clips, alligator clips etc.)

Gather ye tools
Sewing machine (Not necessary but I don't enjoy hand sewing that is not purely decorative)
Needle and thread
Glue gun & glue sticks

Begin at the beginning...
Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 1 and 2
Step 1: Cut circle.
Step 2: Cut the circle in half.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 3
Step 3: With right sides together, sew around curved edge.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 4
Step 4: Turn right side out.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 5
Step 5: Thread a needle, sew a loose running stitch along bottom of turned circles. Pull tightly.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 6
Step 6: Continue threading petals onto needle and thread until you have enough petals or a single layer. Tie of after each petal if you find them unraveling to quickly. Tie after last petal before you tie two ends together.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 7
Step 7: After you have tied the two ends together, arrange your petals. This might take a bit of shifting and such. I also stitched a few petals in place because I didn't like how they had gathered. You'll figure it out once you get playing with it.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 8
Step 8: Repeat steps 1-7 until you have all the petals and layers you would like for one flower.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 9
Step 9: Play with the centers. Try a few things out. Here I tried a vintage green button, an extra large white brad and finally a button pin.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 10
Step 10: Cut a piece o felt for the back about a half inch smaller than the largest flower. Begin layering and gluing.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 11
Step 11: When gluing, add the smallest bit of hot glue (or tacky glue) around the center of each flower.

Fabric Flower Tutorial Step 12-14
Steps 12-14: Attach your desired accessory piece. If you use a brooch pin, I like to add a piece of felt to cover up the glue. But I also made one into a hair clip and one into a wrist corsage. And you're done!

Fabric Flower Tutorial
Voila! Your new fabric scrap flower accessories! Now go make a billion for your little girl(s) and sister(s) and mama and grand mama and co-workers and BFFs and acquaintances!