After making hair flowers for my maids, I decided to embellish a clutch.
I used ivory organza, and cut the “petals” in free-form round shapes — much quicker than the shapes I used for the maids’ flowers.
Here’s how to do it:
Cut different-sized circles (or 5-petal flowers) out of organza. I purchased 2/3 yard at Joann for $2 — and it has created a total of 4 maids’ flowers.
The 5-petal flower shapes (I use that loosely, mine looked like gingerbread men) curl nicely to create more of a petal look. The round shapes create a flower that’s more like a buttercup.
Hold one of the “petals” or edges over a candle. You don’t need to get too close, the heat from the candle rises and makes the petal bend toward the flame. Occasionally, they’ll bend away from the flame, but they’re pretty easy to bend back the other way, so the petals all go in one direction.
Work all the way around the piece of organza. It seals the edges and makes for a nice, curved look. This takes a bit more time when working with the 5-petal shape, but it’d probably add only 2 minutes of time to the project.
* these 2 “petals” were the same size. One has been heated, one has not.
Create 6-10 petals or layers for each flower, using the larger ones on the bottom of the flower and smaller ones in the top (what will become the center).
Once you’re finished, stack them up and start a needle and thread from the bottom. When you reach the “center” of the flower, add 3 beads (if they’re small) or a pearl. Go back through the flower to the bottom, and come back up to the center. Add another 3 beads or pearl. Repeat. Once you have enough beads/pearls (I like the look of 9 -12 beads and 3 pearls, but it’s really up to you), sew back down to the bottom of the flower and either finish your stitches and tie off, or use the thread to attache an alligator clip, bobby pin, or brooch clip.
I sewed mine directly to my bag, and it ended up looking like this:
This post was an altered version of an absolutely fabulous tutorial created by Reese Dixon. You’ve gotta check out the site, it’s fabulous.
Total cost breakdown for 9 organza flowers:
organza 2/3 yard of green – $2
organza 2/3 yard of ivory – $2
green beads – $3.50
alligator clips – $1.99
= less than $1 per flower!
Oh, and HAPPY MAY DAY!
It’s really nice, and interesting, I like to do the same.
I tried this, but missed that you should use different sized circles, I thought you meant that whichever ones melted smaller should go in the middle. I’m gonna hold off sewing them together until I decide whether to make smaller ones, melt my inner ones a little more, or just go with it.
I would like to add that doing the melting STINKS, so do it outside.
[...] I did a quick scan of how to make a hair fascinator. Mrs Pineapple’s tutorial and this engageology tutorial (which gave me confidence to hold perfectly good fabric above an open flame!) helped give me the [...]
good job well done! Cheers from a New Zealand florist!
[...] resource, I did a quick scan of how to make a hair fascinator. Mrs Pineapple’s tutorial and this Engageology tutorial (which gave me confidence to hold perfectly good fabric above an open flame!) helped give me the [...]