First let me start by saying, I know I am not the first to post a tutorial on how to make flowers and I don't think my technique differs much from any other method I've seen out there. After I posted photos of the singed flowers I made, I received a few requests for a tutorial, so here it goes.
If you are grossed out by old lady looking hands and unmanicured fingernails, this tutorial isn't for you. If you decide to continue on, laughing at my hands is not allowed.
I will show you two differnt styles. One by simply cutting circles, the other involves petaled blooms.
The one on the right is made up of layers of circles, the one on the left the layers are cut into petal shapes.
Here's what you'll need:
A note about the fabric. You want a synthetic fabric that will melt. Not cotton. I've found lighter weight fabric gives you fuller more ruffly flowers. Lining type fabric. Today I'm using a light weight satin. Think bridesmaid dress.
I like to make the back of the flower so that you can wear it in your hair with a clip or a headband or as a corsage with a pin back. That is where the stiff interfacing (peltex) and heat n' bond come in.
Peltex can be found in the interfacing section of fabric stores and if your walmart still has a fabric section they have it there too.
The heat n' bond allows you to fuse two fabrics together, or in this case fabric and the peltex. It will make sense in a moment.
Cut a small square (~3") from the peltex, your flower fabric and slightly smaller piece of heat n' bond.
Using your iron, fuse the heat n bond to the peltex.
Allow to cool and remove the paper backing from the heat n' bond
Place the fabric over the peltex and iron. This fuses your fabric to the peltex.
You could actually skip the steps above and move on to the next step. They aren't necessary, but it allows the back of the flower to look nice.
Cut a circle from your fabric covered peltex (or just peltex) about 2 inches.
This is a little hard to see, but with a seam ripper or x-acto knife, cut two small slits about 3/8" that are about 1/2" apart. Am I totally confusing you? It will make sense.
Now set that aside, that will be your flower back. Lets make a flower.
For the first one, cut circles ( 2 or 3 of each size) in graduating sizes- the largest being about 4 inches, the smallest about 2 inches.
The fabric is thin so you can fold it and cut several layers at a time. Just pin the layers together to keep things from slipping around.
Now that your circles are all cut, let's heat things up. I like to use a small jar candle to singe the edges. Don't actually touch the fabric to the flame, just hold it close enough to melt slightly. You can play around to get the feel for how much melting and curling you like and how close or far from the flame you need to hold it.
Very carefully, continue all the way around the circle for all your circles. For the smaller circles you may want to hold the fabric with some tweezers to keep from burning your fingers.
Once you have all circles singed, stack them largest to smallest and secure in the center with a few stitches or a dab of glue between each layer. I like to secure it with a pin then place a few stitches in the center with my sewing machine. Then I dab a tiny bit of hot glue here and there between the layers. You don't want much glue, just a tiny dot to secure things a bit. You can also add circles of tulle between a few of the layers to give it some extra dimension if you like.
I didn't take a photo of this, but you can embellish the center any way you like. Buttons, beads... whatever suits your fancy. For this one I had an old rhinestone button I glued to the center with hot glue.
Now for the back. Grab that circle you cut earlier and slide some tweezers through the slits.
Run a bead of hot glue around the perimeter of the circle.
Still holding it with the tweezers, slap that sucker on the back of your flower. You want to position it so that it is above center so the top of the flower doesn't flop outward when you have it pinned on.
See, the back looks nice and neat and because you only glued the perimeter those slits remained open to slide in a hair clip,
or a headband
Or a pin back. Sorry I couldn't find one today to photograph. They sell these at any craft store. Open the pin and slide the back portion under the slits. It may take a little wiggling, but it will work.
Now you are finished and you can enjoy your flower in your hair, on your clothes, on a purse. Anywhere you like.
For the other flower, you follow the same steps except instead of cutting out circles you cut a clover shape. I just found a clover in clip art in microsoft word and printed three different sizes. Just print it in black and white. No need to waste ink. You are just using it for the shape or you can draw it freehand if you're good at that type thing. I am not.
So I printed mine.
Use these as patterns to cut your fabric. Again, 2-3 of each size, depending on how full you want your flower. And remember to secure the layers with a pin. That slippery fabric likes to shift.
Another method that works almost as well as using a pattern is to begin with a square of fabric.
fold it in half
in half again
and again.
Then cut off that top pointy part. Round it so that it looks like an ice cream cone. With a tiny scoop of ice cream on top.
Then continue the steps above for melting the edges. For this style flower, I also hold the flower directly over the flame, so as to melt the center slightly.
It causes the flower to pucker up and gives it a little more dimension. Remember, don't actually touch the flame, just hold it above.
Stack the petals and you have a flower.
Here is a photo of the machine stitching I do to secure the layers in the center.
Embellish the center any way you like, glue that back on and you're in business.
pretty back with a hair clip
same pretty back with a headband
The pretty color of the purple flower didn't come through in most of these photos, here's one more that shows the color better. You can also see the size. It's about the size of the palm of my hand.
wish I had noticed that little string of hot glue earlier
Now go forth and make flowers, but please don't burn anything down.
If you'd like to win these two flowers, leave a comment and I'll randomly select a winner Monday morning, say 8am.
