Fabric Flowers Tutorial

Fabric flowers are all the rage right now. You can see them practically everywhere you look whether they are adorning someone's hair, tote bag, or crafting project. So why not add some to a layout or card?

I made one from muslin and colored it with Glimmer Mist for this layout. To find out how to create one of your own, read on...



Click on any of the pictures for a larger view.

I started with a piece of torn muslin approximately 1" wide and 1 yard long:


Fold the muslin in half so both torn edges are together. (You don't have to fold the whole length in half at once...just fold as you go):


Start rolling from one end and roll 4 or 5 times. This will be the center of the flower. Since I'm right-handed, I started rolling from the right end with the raw torn edges at the top :



Holding the roll firmly, flip it to your other hand with the raw edges still at the top:


Create a half twist in the fabric and then wrap it around the small roll you created: Continue twisting and wrapping as you work your way around the flower center:



Here's what mine looks like from the top after a few times of twisting and wrapping:



Continue twisting and wrapping until your flower is the size you want it:



When you reach the end of the fabric, your flower should look something like this:


Temporarily pin fabric into place with a corsage pin or long needle:

With the large pin still in place, take a needle and thread and stitch back and forth across the back of the flower. Be sure to catch all the loose layers so they stay in place. (I've used dark thread so you can see what I've done. You will want to use white or ivory thread so it doesn't show):



Here's a look at the very ugly back of my flower, but hey...it's all secure! (p.s. make sure you leave yourself enough thread to tie a knot). ;)


Spritz the top of the flower with Glimmer Mist. Don't overdo it...just 2 or 3 sprays is all you need:


Ta da!! I added a couple of beads to a corsage pin and used it to adorn my flower:

Check back tomorrow for a tutorial on tulle flowers. These are perfect for hair bows as well as scrappy projects!