Thursday, October 1, 2009

Fabric Flowers Tutorial

Well, this is my first big tutorial so please be patient with me and I hope you can all understand it and follow along. I thought up these flowers last year and I love making them. They are quick and super easy and the possibilities are endless!


I am someone who hates to be told there is only one way to do something. I like options! So, when I say "fabric scraps" or "buttons" you could use fancy fabric, corduroy, denim, etc. or for buttons you can use some wool circles, wool balls, a fabric covered buttons, etc. As they say on PBS kids "let your imagination RUN WILD!" So, let's collect our supplies...

1. Fabric scraps
2. Heavy Duty Iron-On Adhesive (I like this stuff the best for this project, you need it to be heavy duty to help give your fabric stiffness and body)
3. Buttons
4. Floral Wire

(not pictured)
5. Your trusty sewing machine
6. Thread (matching, contrasting, etc.)
7. Disappearing fabric pen (water-soluble, erasable, etc.)
7. Your handy dandy iron and ironing board
8. Sharp scissors (not your kitchen scissors like I use because I am too scared to go get my nice scissors for fear of waking my sleeping 6 month old daughter who is sleeping in my sewing room, do as I say not as I do)
9. Hot glue (preferably low temp, we don't want to burn your fingers!)

Step 1: Cut out 2 squares of fabric and 1 piece of iron-on adhesive all large enough for each of your flower pieces. Make sure your piece of adhesive is just slightly smaller than your fabric or else you will probably get some adhesive stuck to your iron and we don't want that.

Step 2: Following your manufacturers directions, iron on the adhesive to the wrong side of your fabric. Peel off the paper from your adhesive and iron the two fabrics, wrong sides together.

Step 3: Draw your flower shapes with your disappearing fabric pen. You can see my shapes above if squint your eyes they are hard to see. I like to use a large flower and a small inner flower shape to add dimension. Also, draw out your leaves. I like to connect the two leaves together when I draw them so its easier to attach to the floral wire in the end. Don't cut these out! I know you thought that was the next step, didn't you?

Step 4: Sew around the lines your drew on your fabric. I like to use a small satin stitch but you could use any stitch you like...remember you have options!

Step 5: Now you get to cut out your shapes! Here's a tip: always cut towards the insides of corners even if it means you have to turn over your shape. This will help you have nice sharp corners. FYI, my leaves look funky because I used a variegated thread on them. I don't know if its my favorite look now that I've done it but oh, well lesson learned.

Step 6: (click on picture to see it larger if you need to) Make a flat spiral with the end of your floral wire and poke it through the center of your largest flower and hot glue it down. I like to pull the flower into my hand like you see in the picture while the glue is cooling because it adds a little bit of dimension to the flower, try it you'll see what I mean.

Step 7: Glue on the smaller inner flower if you have one. Then glue on your button. If you happen to be anti-hot glue you can also do these two steps with needle and thread, sewing it all together. I tried this but I find my flower doesn't have enough body and my stitches are too loose. If you want that "sewed together" look then its smart to sew the button to your small inner flower and glue that to the large flower. Then you'll trick everyone and they will think you sewed the whole thing. Tricky!
Step 8: Glue on your leaves. I use the tiniest drop of hot glue (yet another reason to use low temp) and pinch my leaves onto the floral wire like you see in the picture.

Viola!

Your done! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and I hope it wasn't as "clear as mud." Oh, I almost forgot...I like to display these in a small vase and use rice to help hold them up in their vase so they don't all flop over to one side.

If you make a flower using this tutorial please add it to my flickr group!

40 comments:

  1. Neat! And I bet they are Nixon proof too.

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  2. Oh! These are so fabulous. I can imagine decorating clothes with them too. Gorgeous!

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  3. thank you so much for sharing!!! I will try indeed they are gorgeous!!!

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  4. These are pretty! I was just sorting out my fabric stash 2 days ago and was wondering what to do with the scraps. This would be great for it. Thanks for sharing the tutorial! - me@salihan.com

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  5. Absolutely gorgeous! I'll definately be giving these a go thanks.

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  6. Thank you for this nice tut!
    I've linked your tut on my blog :
    http://zarinaia.blogspot.com/2009/10/tutorial-del-sabato-saturdays-tutorial.html

    Eleonora, an Italian girl in Sweden

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  7. This is such a cute idea!

    You should really submit this tutorial to Sew,Mama,Sew! October is scrapbuster month over there and if you submit a scrapbuster tutorial to their contest you get entered to win one of three $50 gift certificates to the online store. You should totally do it!

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  8. They look great, so simple yet so effective!

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  9. These are really fabulous. I reckon you're in the running for a bit of a prize for scrap-bustin', lady!

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  10. Che meraviglia!!!!
    Complimenti!!

    *Isa*

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  11. Hi!
    I found your tutorial so interesting that I thought to link it into my blog.

    http://fattoamano-conamore.blogspot.com/2009/10/tutorial-per-creare-fiori-di-stoffa-e.html

    Let me know if you don't like it, or if there are problems!

    Thanks
    *Isa*

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  12. Thanks for sharing! I think you did a great job on your first tutorial!

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  13. Thanks for sharing! I think my daughter and I will make some for her teacher's upcoming birthday. I'll post on flickr if we do. Nice work!

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  14. Very cool! What a neat thing to make for a new house.

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  15. Good job Kirsten! Love it!
    -Kristal (at Quilting Adventures)

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  16. I am so excited about these flowers!!! I am brand-spanking-new at sewing and was just given a whole bunch of scrap fabric. I can 't wait to get comfortable with my machine with this project! I don't feel intimated anymore. Thank you so much!

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  17. i've been looking for a good tutorial for fabric flowers - thank you! i'm deliciousling this for later :)

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  18. great tute and super cute idea. this is just what i needed for my daughter's party this weekend. i guess i should get cracking! they will look great on the tables! thanks!

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  19. I like this a lot. I love flowers, but it's always to bad they don't stay pretty to long. These are great!

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  20. I saw you on Sew mama Sew!! Great job!! They are very pretty and fairly easy to do!! Great job!!

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  21. oh man. GORGEOUS site! So glad I found you through! (from Sew Mama Sew). I'll be coming back!
    - dana
    www.dana-made-it.com

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  22. This is GREAT - but I'm confused - you use the "no sew" heat n' bond - my experience is that this can muck up the machine? Do give your experience/advise...

    Thanks!

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  23. I have found that it doesn't muck up my machine so far. I try and use a new needle so its super sharp but so far so good. My machine could use a good cleaning anyways, I don't think I have cleaned it in at least 5 years! How horrible is that?! I am definitely a bad sewing machine mama! But as for the heat n bond I've been sewing over it for at least 2 years and so far no problems. Great question! Thanks for asking!

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  24. These are adorable!!! And easy to make!!! And won't die!!! As soon as I get my craft room set up and sewing machine out, I'll be making bunches of these for all over the house! Thanks so much for making this tutorial - I know they're hard to do as well as time consuming...you did a fantastic job!

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  25. My machine likes "Wonder Under" better than heat n' bond.

    Thanks for sharing the tutorial, these might even be good as a DIY wedding centerpiece!

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  26. These are fantastic!!! I want to make a whole bouquet!!

    I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-fabric-flowers-from-your-scrap-bin/2009/10/09/

    --Anne

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  27. Love, love, LOVE these! I can't wait to make some. :) Thanks for sharing!!

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  28. Love your flowers! Thanks for sharing your awesome tute!

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  29. The leaves are a nice touch! Thank you for sharing this tutorial :)

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  30. Very nice! I really like these!

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  31. Those are so pretty! I want to try making some. I think they would be beautiful on a present or something like that.

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  32. This tutorial is great! I just adore fabric flowers and these ones I have to try and do it :)
    Tks

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  33. Love these! Have you considered selling them? I'd love to buy a bunch for my friends since I'm sure yours look much better than mine will :)

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  34. This is a great tutorial. I made some for my Grandmother for Christmas and linked the tutorial on my blog:
    http://rebekahmcgowan.blogspot.com/2009/12/fun-with-fabric-scraps.html

    Thanks for the fun and for the perfect gift!

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  35. Thanks for posting this. We made these in school...i've been looking for a refresher tut. for awhile :)

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  36. merhaba muhteşem bır çalışma elınıze sağlık sevgıler

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  37. What a cool project! Great use for fabric scraps!

    I linked to your tutorial over at Craft Gossip Sewing:
    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-easy-fused-fabric-flowers/2010/09/13/

    --Anne

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  38. I have question regarding your creation that what is the best fabric that we can use to create this kind of creation because my mother's BD iscoming next week and i m in UAE and wanna Send Flowers Pakistan on this special day of her life

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