Could anyone teach me to make fabric flowers?

[KatyMac]

maybe like these?

I have lycra & georgette - I even have crystals which could be centres

I am a bit cack-handed

if as you say, you are a "bit cack handed" then a very simple folded rose might be your best option??

on the fold - cut a very long slim oval - as deep as the height you want your flowers to be( + seam allowance) - & aprox 5 times that in length (with heavier cloth, such as lycra, 4X)

Make a running gather stitch along the cut edge, taking up both layers of cloth - leave a length of thread hanging to pull & gather

optional - stitch seed or bugle beads along the folded edge, again a running stitch is fine, but don't gather this 1

go back to cut edge,- pull thread to gather up & "roll" into a flower shape, secure at bottom end, & "fluff" out the petals - you should now have a rose with a beaded edge to the petals

hope that helps

This is looking more & more complicated

I may need to rethink

I have fuse wire & beads

I could do this??

Or maybe 'bead' a lycra hairband

I made some roses last night and they are easy even though I am similarly afflicted with cack-handedness:

www.trystancraft.com/costume/articles/fabricroses.html

duhbe.com/blog/?p=807

Good luck.

I could do them - Thanks

The ones in your first link aren't as hard as you think! I did a one day course on corsage making and have used them on hats, cushions, curtain tie backs and bags!

• start of by drawing a flower shape template. With deeper petals or just a basic round shape with little indentations for the petals.

-using your template cut out flower shapes in fabric. You can use all the same or a mixture. -Basically you are layering each shape to get a flower effect. Start of with one flat shape then add one flower folded in half stitching in the centre.

• add another folded half and so on. Then add a flower folded in quarters.
• keep layering up and stiching through the middle.

- it depends on the type of fabric,how many shapes you'll need. Felt is obviously thicker than a silky one. -you can experiment on the shape of the template you use as different ones give different results. I hope I've explained it ok!

I got this months Making mag and it had some lovley project ideas for fabric flowers.

not using your lycra and georgette - but... Using some wire edged ribbon, cut down one side to leave you with only one wire edge. Fray the cut side slightly (for a rather nice tatty look) and then push the ribbon down the wire until it is quite tightly ruched. Spiral it around so the wire edge makes a flat snail-shell shape for the bottom of the flower and stitch into place. Then all you need to do is fan out the 'petals' and if you want you can stick a crystal or two in the centre. Very pretty! I made some rather large ones and fanned it out so the outer petals were flat then stuck them on some flat shoes - looked very pretty and expensive!

sorry - forgot to say - use about 6inches length of ribbon to start with , then just adjust length in future depending on size etc