satin rose

Here is a Tutorial for making the Folded Ribbon Roses I made in this card. Have fun!

This tutorial will show you how to make felt roses in a few quick steps. These roses can be used as embellishments in clothing, for decorating pillows, for making a bridal bouquet and so on.

Glimpse of the Result:

How To:

Step 1:

Cut out a broad piece of felt. The length of the strip can be 14 – 18 cm for a regular size rose.

Step 2:

Fold the felt strip in half and start gathering them at the edge using a needle as shown.

Step 3:

Make spaced out stitched for the entire strip.

Step 4:

Now just hold the start of the strip and wrap it to get a rose structure.

Step 5:

Secure the rose by making a stitch at the end of the strip and cut off the thread.

You can make a wreath, bouquet or a ball of such roses…

These are good for arranging in a vase as well. Only thing is that, in case you want to arrange these roses in a vase, you will in Step 4 wrap the gathered strip around a string and then use some floral tape for the stem.

Tutorial: Japanese Kanzashi Fabric Flower

       Today we are making beautiful Japanese Kanzashi folded fabric flowers.  This is our own interpretation of this artful fabric origami where we choose linen as our primary material.

What is Kanzashi?

       Kanzashi flowers are a Japanese art form that are traditionally made with honotai silk to give them a dazzling color and lovely texture.  However, many modern versions of these delicate flowers are created with a wide range of fabrics.

       Kanzashi are typically worn as decorative hair ornaments in traditional Japanese hairstyles.  Brides and geisha participating in tea ceremonies to this day can be seen wearing this elegant accessory. In fact, the style and manner in which kanzashi are worn indicate a geisha's status.

       Some people even collect kanzashi because they possess a unique beauty and are significant to historical Japanese culture.
   
       You can embellish your Kanzashi in whatever style suits your taste.  Feel free to experiment with a variety of fabrics to achieve different textures.  Coordinate colors to match different occasions or celebrations.  Adding a button or decorative jewelry to the center is another way to jazz up your flower.

      Now that we know a little bit more about Kanzashi, we can begin our craft!  Remember,  creating a beautiful Kanzashi flower requires some practice (and patience!).  Keep trying and you will get the hang of it in no time.

      There are a many different methods to making these flowers.  Today, we will cover just one way to make Kanzashi.  After you master this method, you can experiment with other petal forms, sizes, and techniques.

Materials:

• Ten 3" squares of linen fabric
• An iron 
• Needle and thread
• Pins
• Scissors
• Buttons
   

 
Kanzashi Tutorial:

Begin with a square of 3" fabric.  I recommend starching and ironing your fabric before, as it will be easier to work with and leave you with a neater finished product.

Fold this square in half diagonally. Hold the triangle with the open end pointing up.

Fold the bottom left corner up to the center peak.

Then fold the bottom right corner up to the center.

Flip your fabric over and fold the outer corner in (left and right) so that they meet in the center.

Fold your fabric in half.

The folded corners should be tucked in.

Pinch the folded fabric together.  Put a pin through the petal, making sure to go through the smaller triangles, to secure it.

Clean up each petal by trimming off the base.   To do this, just cut straight across the bottom fold.

Repeat with all of your 3" squares.

Now that your petals are clean and ready to go, thread your needle.  I like to double up on the amount of thread for more reinforcement.

Pull the threaded needle through the first petal near the base.

Do not knot your thread at the end.  Instead, leave about 5 inches to work with later.  Thread all the petals in the same spot.

Cut the needle off and leave enough thread to create your knot.  Loop the two ends of thread together to create a surgeon's knot.

Tighten the knot to bring the petals closer together. Once the flowers are evenly arranged, double-knot your thread.  Cut the remaining lengths of thread. Press your flower down gently with your fingers to straighten any crooked petals.

Pucker the ends of the petals with your fingers so that they open nicely.  This step is optional.  If you prefer straighter petals, then skip this step.  Pushing the ends with your fingers will give you rounder, fuller petals.

Some extra tips:

• Make a smaller flower to glue on the center of your flower for more dimension.  Just cut the squares smaller (for example, 2" squares  this 3" base). 
• Choose a different shades or patterns for even more style.
• Add a button to the center to complete any Kanzashi.

Other Ways to Use Your Kanzashi:Kanzashi are traditionally worn as hair ornaments, but you can use them in so many other ways.

• Attach a flower to a purse for a fashionable vintage look.
• Sew flowers to the bottom of a scarf.
• Stitch a flower onto a knitted hat or to the brim of any hat.
• Attach a flower to a pin and wear it as a brooch.Decorate pillows by attaching flowers to them.
• Make a flower arrangement for an adorable centerpiece. Sew flowers along a piece of grosgrain ribbon for a unique garland.
• Use them instead of a bow on gifts.
  *Have fun making Kanzashi flowers!  Remember, they take just a little bit of practice, but you'll love the results.  Let us know how your flowers turn out and what you like to decorate with them.  Visit our Facebook page for more crafts, ideas, and more.

Vintage Organza Ribbon Flowers

by Lindy

Using the 10mm organza white ribbon cut ( 5) 2inch strips

Do a running stitch on three sides of the ribbon starting from the narrow side up along the long side and down the wider side and pull together to make one flower (figure 2) and sew together in the centre

Just added some bling to the centre of the flower and some loops of rhinestones to the

back of the flower. (and Tracy some has feathers now in store which will look great on these also)

I also make a black flowers with white acrylic rhinestone chain and a rosebud 

Glue the bud on with glossy accents (fantastic glue I use this on everything ... (Tracy uses Dimensional Magic for all her gluing but I love glossy accents so there are two choices for your gluing needs and they also are a glossy medium as well) 

Lindy

Ribbon Rosettes

by Geli

Making ribbon rosettes (with a version for seamstresses and one for the sewing impaired)

 

Here's a great way of making ribbon rosettes.

Take 1m of my2angels girlfriends ribbon , and gather it in loops with your sewing machine. I simply fold the ribbon as I go.
Sew only along the edge of the ribbon.
The smaller the loops the better it will look.

 

Your ribbon is now only about 1/3 of the original length.

 

Cut a circle (about 4cm diameter) from sturdy cardstock. This does not have to be perfect as it won't be seen.

For the next step I have used a hot glue gun (cause I'm the impatient kind).
You can also use Pritt glue  and hold down each section for a little while till it sticks. Starting from the outer edge, glue on sections of the gathered ribbon until you've come all the way around. Then you start overlapping the previous row. Like a snail. You get it.

 

When you come to the middle leave a small empty space

Now you glue in a cabochon flower or an acrylic flower , daisy charm flower or a flower from arhinestone chain .
Whatever takes your fancy.

This looks great on a hair pin or a head band too!

Are you a sewing impaired person?

Delicate ric-rac flowers

These little ric-rac flowers are adorable - you just want to put them everywhere! Some assorted ric-rac, scraps and felt and a few other tools are all you need to make these gorgeous buds.

You will need:

Lengths of coloured ric-rac
Small scraps of green felt
Fabric glue or hot glue gun and glue sticks
Needle and matching thread

Here's how:

1. Join the length of two sections of ric-rac together with fabric glue or a hot glue gun - as shown below .

2. Start to roll up the braid, stitching to hold together as you wrap up.

3. Roll up and fasten until you reach the end of the strip.

4. Tie off at the bottom of the flower.

5. Take the needle and thread up through the centre and back down to secure the inner sections of the flower.

6. Use scrap felt, needle and thread to sew the leaves.

Ric rac is just one of those things. It's down home, girly, and classic all at the same time. And it comes in just about every color of the rainbow.

Time to share another quick craft a la Martha, for little girls and big girls alike. I found the instructions in an old copy of Martha Stewart Kids magazine, unfortunately out-of-print:

The raw materials:

Ric rac in different colors, sizes and textures

Love the texture of the white ric rac

I like the traditional texture, too

Milliner's flowers

Stitch the ric rac carefully into a circle and join (tuck the raw ends and glue carefully).

The stitching doesn't have to be perfect

Top side of the unfinished flower

Make multiples of different sizes and colors.

Remove the stamen from the milliner's flowers and glue into the center of ric rac circle.

Use the finished flowers on ballet flats, hair clips, hair band, or sew onto sweaters or other clothing.

Very cute and so easy to make!