Fabric flowers are an easy craft to make, and are a great way to use patchwork or recycled old fabric to make book covers, gift box decorations, or hair accessories. The guide in this article will help you to make fabric flowers without needing a lot of sewing. Learn how to make fabric flowers, circular flowers, and flowers with burnt edges.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Plain Fabric Flowers
Step 1. Select the fabric
There is no limit in the selection of fabrics for making flowers. Use any patchwork you have, or visit a fabric store to choose a new one. Keep in mind that the thickness of the fabric you use will affect the final look of the flower.
- To make flowers with drooping petals, use silk, cheesecloth, or another light, non-stiff material. To make flowers with stiff petals, choose felt, denim, linen, or another thick, stiff material.
- Fabric flowers are composed of more than one layer, and each layer does not need to be made of the same fabric. Create contrasting petals by choosing two or more types of fabric for your flowers. For example, you can choose one plain blue fabric, and another with a white background, and a pattern of blue circles.
Step 2. Draw the floral pattern
Use a pencil to draw a flower shape on a thin piece of paper. You can make this flower shape as you like. Make daisies, sunflowers, or dogwood flowers. Keep the petals evenly spaced, or make the flower look wild by making different sizes of petals. Cut the pattern you made with scissors when you're done.
- If you don't want to draw your own pattern, look for patterns you can print online.
- Make more than one pattern if you want to create contrasting multi-layered petals. For example, you can draw a long and large petal of a flower, and draw another petal with a smaller and shorter size. Laying these petals in layers will give the flower a neat appearance.
Step 3. Pin the pattern image to the fabric and cut the fabric following the pattern
Use a straight pin to pin the pattern on the paper to the fabric you selected for the flower. Make sure to pin each flower petal well. Use sharp scissors to cut the fabric along the edges of the pattern. When you're done, remove the image from the fabric, and observe the flower shape of your fabric.
- Make as many layers of petals as you want by pinning the pattern back to the rest of the fabric, cutting, and repeating until you have enough.
- You can make more than one flower shape at a time, by folding the fabric, and pinning the pattern over both layers of fabric before carefully cutting it out.
Step 4. Stack the layers of flower petals
Arrange the layers of petals that show off the different shapes and sizes of the petals. If you are making different flower shapes, stack them by placing the smaller petals on top of the larger ones.
Step 5. Sew the flower pile
Thread the thread that matches your floral fabric into the sewing needle. Insert the needle through the center of the pile of flowers, then pull it to the opposite side. Repeat several times until the pile of flowers is sewn together at the center of the pile.
Step 6. Make the stamens
You can just finish the flower like this, or you can create stamens in the center of the flower using buttons, beads, gemstones, or other small objects. Glue the stamens with fabric glue or hot glue, or sew them together using the same needle and thread.
Method 2 of 3: Making Circular Fabric Flowers
Step 1. Prepare the patchwork
To make a beautiful looking round flower with curved back petals, prepare several pieces of patchwork measuring about 10 x 7.5 cm. Flowers like this look best if they are made with a stiffer fabric, such as felt.
Step 2. Fold the patchwork in half lengthwise
Thread a pin along the bottom, where the two ends of the patch meet. Attach the pin about 0.3 cm from the open end.
Step 3. Make a wedge at the folded end
Use scissors to make evenly spaced wedges along the folded part of the fabric. If you want to make a flower with multiple petals, make slices every 0.6 cm. For fewer petals, make slices every 1.3 cm.
Step 4. Sew the fabric
Thread the thread that matches the fabric you selected for the flower into the needle. Tie a thick knot at the end of the thread so that it stays on one side of the fabric. Starting at one end of the row of petals, insert the needle in the corner of the fabric where the ends meet, close to the first pin. Sew with a basting stitch all the way through the fabric, so that the two layers are sewn together.
- For a tidier final look, make sure that the stitches you make are evenly spaced from each other, and are in the same place from the end of the fabric. Sew the fabric just above or below the pin you used to hold the two fabrics together.
- Remove the pins when you are finished sewing all the way to the end of the fabric.
Step 5. Shape the fabric into a flower
Slide the fabric toward the knot of the thread so that it closes. As you slide and press it down, the fabric will begin to form a circle, and the petals will separate. Continue to fold the fabric until a flower forms. Finish sewing the flower by folding it in half and securing the first and second petals with a few whip stitches. Keep the yarn in place by tying a knot and trimming the rest.
Step 6. Add the stamens
Now that you've got the circle of flowers, it's time to add the center. Make a circle out of the same fabric before, or use a contrasting fabric. This circle should be large enough to cover the hole in the center of the flower, but not so large that it covers the petals. Apply fabric glue to glue the edges of the circle and keep it in the center of the petals.
Step 7. Add embellishments
Use hot glue or fabric glue to add buttons, beads, rhinestones, or other decorations to the center of the flower.
Method 3 of 3: Making Fabric Flowers with Edges Like Real Flowers
Step 1. Choose a soft cloth
For this method that involves burning the edges of the fabric to create this lifelike floral look, you'll need a light, soft fabric. Avoid using felt or other thick fabrics when making flowers this way.
Step 2. Make a circle out of cardboard
You will need a circle that is about 1.2 cm larger than the diameter of the flower you want to make. The other circle must be 1.2 cm smaller than the first circle, and the third circle 1.2 cm smaller than the second circle. Continue cutting smaller circles until you have 5 or 6 circles.
Step 3. Copy the circle shape onto the fabric
Use a cloth pen or chalk to copy the circle shape. Since the edges will be burned, pen streaks may appear on the edges of the fabric. Cut the circle you copied onto the fabric using scissors.
Step 4. Make a wedge in the circle
Use the scissors to make incisions along the edges of the circle to create the petals. The petals don't have to be round; all you need for this method are simple slices. Space between the slices so that 6 petals form after you're done. This slice should extend until it reaches about 1/3 of the way in the circle.
Step 5. Light a candle and burn the edges of the petals
Hold the fabric flowers about 5 cm above the burning candles one by one. Rotate the flower constantly so it doesn't burn completely. The fire will melt the edges of the flower and give it the appearance of a real flower. Repeat this step for each layer of petals.
Step 6. Stack the petals
Place the flower circles on top of each other so that the largest circle is at the bottom and the smallest circle is at the top. Place beads on it as stamens. With a thick thread and sewing needle, thread the thread through the center of the flower, and sew the beads and all the layers of the flower together. Sew a few times so that all the layers of the flower come together.
Tips
- The buffer layer used for flowers is determined by their use. For book cover decoration, use double sided tape or glue dot. Safety pins can be used to decorate clothes. For hair accessories, sew flowers onto a barrette hat, bobby pin, or headband.
- Fabric flowers are an easy craft to make that the kids can help you with. However, be careful when using scissors and keep children away from flames when burning the edges of the flowers.
