A fabric Flower Tutorial....

Happy St Patrick's day! Normally this picture would have a Guinness in it, but there were none to be found in town today. Nor was there Corned beef, since the same people who bought the Guinness bought all the corned beef. We will be having grilled chicken, cabbage and potatoes. I also am making some bacon wrapped jalapenos because they are fabulous. So with all the horrible things happning in the world shall we change focus a bit and make something totally happy and frivilous? As soon as I find a quilt donation group for Japan let me assure you I will let you all know too so we can try to help them out. Everything about what is happening in Japan breakes my heart. So....I needed to change course a bit and do something really shallow. Are you ready?

Looks fun, huh? Well it is and it is quite simple too. I have been making flowers for my bags off and on for the past severall years and this is my favorite design at the moment. You can loop them onto your bag strap (any bag...a grocery bag, a gym bag, some stupid fancy $ 4 thousand dollar one), or you can use it as a key chain, something to dangle from your rear view mirror...I am making another to hang from my new totally DUMB phone. It does take pictures and I can listen to songs on it, but other than that...no Internet! Woohoo!

Supplies

- 2 pieces of 4x9 inch quilting cotton fabric

-1 strip of a more heavy weight fabric ( I use uniform fabric because I have stacks of it laying around wanting to be used) about 4 x 20 inches

- some wool felt

- a pretty button (or a uniform button)

- contrasting cotton thread

- a 10 inch piece of nylon cord. I use 550 cord without the gut in the center.

- sewing machine feet : a quarter inch foot and a darning foot ( I do all my quilitng with my darning foot)

- and scissors (and pinking shears if you have them)

Cut out the back of your 6 petals. I just free hand cut out one petak and use it as a pattern piece for the next 5. MAKE SURE the bottom of the petal is AT LEAST 1.25 inches. You will be annoyed when you have to flip them inside out if you don't have room to manuver the flip. Ya Know? Trust me.

After you have cut out your backs pin them to the front bits, pretty side to pretty side.

Stitch around the backs with a quarter inch seam allowance. Make sure to back stitch the beginning and ending stitches.

Cut out your petals with pinking shears being very careful not to cut into your stitching.

Flip your petals inside out and press them. You can use a knitting needle to turn them if you need help.

This is when you switch out your sewing machine feet. Use the darning foot, or free-motion foot to stitch the arcs. If you don't have a darning foot, you can use your regular foot and just top stitch.

So, go ahead and get your wool felt (the fake stuff makes me cringe, but if you don't mind how it feels it won't break my heart if you use it.) and your button ready. Cut 2 circles (one for the front and another for the back) I went ahead and cut out another smaller circle to accent the button better.

 

Take the gut out of your 550 cord. (or regular nylon cord, I love 550 cord (or parachute cord) . It is one of my favorite Army things. You can discard the gut or your can save it for something else.

arrange your petals in a pleasing manner on top of the bottom piece of felt ( you will also need to add your piece of cord under the petals, but on top of the felt.) top stitch all this down using your free motion foot.

See, this is what the back looks like at this stage. Pretty simple.

Now sew on the front bit of felt, the contrasting bit of fabric (if you are using one) and the button. You are all finished!

put it on a bag or where ever you want it to be.

Happy Day!

Tia