By Aldona Bird
Newsroom@DominionPost.com
Although spring flowers are starting to bloom, sometimes it is nice to have a few blossoms that don’t quickly fade.
Artificial flowers can be worked creatively into home décor, and the lack of a need for water makes them versatile.
You can make handmade imitations of flowers from a variety of materials. This DIY works well with fabric.
To make fabric flowers you will need:
- Fabric scraps in your chosen pallet (see below for notes on fabric types)
- Thread and needle
- Scissors
Most fabrics will work to make flowers, but the type of fabric may influence which types of blooms you make. Fabric which does not fray much (think felt, and others that hold together when cut) are good for any flower as raw edges won’t disintegrate.
Fabrics more likely to fray work for folded flower petals. Folded petals make for a tidy creased edge, with the friable cut edge sewn together in the center of the blossom.
Some DIYers recommend using polyester fabric, and melting the edge with a lighter or candle to keep it neat and give it a wavy petal look — if you go with this option be sure to work in a very well-ventilated area, as the fumes can be toxic.
Make petals out of any fabric (including those with potentially ragged edges) by cutting circles out — you can do so quickly by folding the fabric and cutting in half a circle. If the fabric is not too thick, you can fold it several times and cut multiple circles at once.
Fold the fabric circle in half, and sew a long, straight stitch along the curved side of the half-circle. Pull the thread tight (with a knot at the end) to gather the fabric together to form a petal. Using the same thread, repeat with more folded circles until you have your desired number of petals.
Create the flower center with a circle of fabric (fabric with texture works well), beads or glue on any material.
To create dogwood flowers, as shown in these photos, use four white or pink petals and a brown felted wool center.
You can create another petal shape with fabric that either does not fray or has limited unraveling by cutting fabric circles into quarters. Again, stitch along the curved edge and gather together. This method naturally makes the petal curve into a natural shape.
Add as many petals as you want to create realistic or imagined blossoms. If you use fabric that doesn’t fray, you can make just about any shape petals — experiment and play with shapes to create your own unique blooms.
Attach fabric flowers to a wreath for springtime décor, attach them to wire for stems and display them in a vase, secure them on to a hair clip or use in other decoration or apparel ways.
Handmade artificial flowers can bring a long-lasting pop of color and spring into your home even when temperature fluctuates, and outdoor flowers fade.
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