Fabric Flowers

I recently had the opportunity to attend a close friends craft hen do hosted by the company Crafty Hen. Here we focused on making centre pieces for my friends wedding, these were flowers made out of fabric. When I returned home I wanted to continue crafting and make more out of patterned fabric.

               

   

To make these flowers was rather simple using basic techniques but this was quite fiddly, all that was needed was:

A selection of fabric
Heat n bond
Copper wire
Buttons
A hot iron
Glue gun
Scissors
Fabric pencil
Needle and thread

(flower stencils or hand drawn, I pre-drew the stencils)

The first flowers we made were 2D, I kept my designs rather basic, there is always room for experimenting. 

                       

I stuck to different patterned fabric and layered them up. 

First of all I prepared the fabric and heat n bond, I kept with the same fabric for the front and back rather than use two tone. once I had ironed the fabric together I drew on my various flower designs before cutting them out. 

From here using my scissors I pierced two small holes into my flower cut outs big enough to feed through the wire. 

I selected my buttons which I threaded onto the wire, I then pushed on different sized flowers, to hold the fabric in place I twisted the wire, for extra security you can glue the button in place. you can also glue the petals together to form a bud.

1                                                                              2

For the second flowers there were 3D forms, these were less fiddly and easily put together.

These were made with strips of fabric, an example being the length of A4 paper (horizontal edge) by approximately 10cm. you can then fold the fabric in half, depending on the edge and finish you want will decide what side to sew down. By sewing 1/2cm from the rough edge will create a smooth finish on your flower (1) and sewing 1/2cm along the smooth edge will give you a feathered rough edge to your flower (2). Using running stitch sew along your chosen edge, this does not need to be perfect. when you reach then end of your run pull the fabric tight along the thread before knowing the end. 

Glue each end together this will create a flower form, using wire with a threaded button push though the centre whole of fabric and using the glue gun, glue in place. 

Experiment with the techniques and add your own touch of creative ideas you will soon have a beautiful bouquet of fabric flowers.