The Fabric Flowers on the Rose Top received numerous comments when I wore it out last night, so I thought I would try my first tutorial on how to make them.

Fabric Flowers Detail from Rose Top

All of the flowers except the coral roses are made the same way. The stiffness of the fabric and the locations of the “tacking down” stitches create the variations.

To make these, all that is needed is a circle of fabric.

There are a number of ways to cut a fabric circle.  My favorite was always to use a pan lid as a template, but for the flowers I did not want a pen or ink line.  Instructions for creating circles from squares (no pen or ink lines) are included at the end of this tutorial.

Fabric circle approx. 6" diameter

1.  Start with a fabric circle approximately twice the diameter of the desired size of the finished fabric flower.    This 6″ circle will create a 2.5″ to 3″ flower.

2.  Hand stitch with a running stitch approximately 1/4″ – 1/2″ from the edge of the circle – all the way around.  Fabric that frays extremely easily should be stitched 1/2″ from the edge.

Fabric circles showing Stitching Line

The stitches do not need to be neat or even.

Stitching Completed

Balloon Shape - just pull the thread

3.  Pull the thread to gather the circle into a balloon shape.

Balloon Shape Right Side Up

4.  Turn the balloon shape over.

Balloon Shape with Center Tack Stitch

5.  Place the Balloon Shape on the base fabric or item to be embellished and squish down slightly with your hand.  This will help “deflate” the balloon a bit and get the gathering stitches to lay flatter.

6.  Tack stitch the center of the flower to the base two or three times.

Tack Stitch to create petal

7. To create petals, bring your needle up midway between the flower center and the edge.  Then pass it through the very edge of the flower and back down through at the midway point.  Pull the thread taut and tack a few times on the back of the base.

Additional Petals

8.  Additional petals can be created by bringing your needle up in the flower center and passing it through the top layer of the balloon and then back down through the center.

Fabric Flower with Petals

Each tack stitch will create petals and give the flower dimension.

Beautiful!

Fabric flower with beaded center

9.  If desired, beads or small buttons can be stitched into the flower center.

Finished Fabric Flower with Fabric Leaf

Tomorrow: How to create the leaves!

Fabric Circles from Fabric Squares:

Basically, the squares is folded into a smaller square, then a triangle and then cut.  Precision is not needed, required or even desired!

Sheer Fabric - 6" square showing fold lines

1.  Start with a sort-of square of fabric.

First Fold

2.  Finger fold (do not iron) the square along the two fold lines.

Folded Square showing Diagonal Fold Line

This will create a smaller square that should be folded diagonally.

Folded Fabric showing Cutting Line

3.  Finger fold (do not iron) along the diagonal fold line creating a triangle.

Slightly curved cut

4.  Cut the fabric as shown, along a slightly curved line.

5.  Open the triangle and voila!  A circle! Or in this case, two circles!!  They may not perfect circles, but they are perfect for making fabric flowers!