Monday 25 January 2016

Felt Rolled Flowers



A felt rolled flower can be made by using an unfolded felt strip, folded felt strip or felt spiral. You can create different patterns for your felt strips and roll them up to form different types of flowers. I made a few rolled flowers yesterday. In order to give the flowers an eye-catching look, I added green leaves on them. Adding leaves to the flowers is not a must, but surely it is a plus. When you reach the final touches, you will fall in love with these brilliant colored, exotic flowers.

  There are four templates shown in the pdf file below. The first and the second pattern are used to make big petals and small petals flower respectively, while the spiral pattern can be used as a guide to make two types of flowers, you can cut out a plain spiral or a scalloped spiral with the same pattern. The last one is a leaf pattern, the size is purposely designed for bigger flowers which made with the spirals.




The step by step instructions below will show you how to make different types of rolled flowers by using different methods. You can use the templates above or draw your own designs freehand to make your own felt strips.


A. Unfolded Strip

I use the first template to show you how to make a rolled flower with an unfolded felt strip.

1. Cut out the felt strip by using the first template as a guide or freehand it.

2. Rolling up the strip start from the straight end.

3. Continue rolling until you get to the end of the strip.

4. Now, secure the base of the flower with a needle and thread. Insert your needle at the point where you finished rolling your strip and push the needle through all the layers of felt. Then, make the second stitch which is perpendicular to the first stitch. Tie a knot and cut thread.

5. Slightly peel back the layers (petals) and fluff the flower.

6. Cut out two small pieces of green leaves and sew or glue them on the base of your flower. Done!!


You can now try to make the next flower in the same way by using the second template as a guide. The outcome is shown in photo no.2.






B. Folded Strip

A felt folded strip can be used to make either a loopy or fringed flower. The longer the strip the bigger the flower, whereas the wider the strip the looser the style of the flower will be. Anyway, the size of the flower will not only affected by the length and width of the the strip but also the way how you make the slits/cuts on the edge of the strip.

Follow the instruction below to make a loopy flower.

1. Fold over a piece of felt lengthwise. I used a 20cm x 5cm felt piece for this flower.
Then, cut the felt strip on the folded edge in even intervals about 3/4 way down. The cuts that I made for this flower were at intervals about 0.5cm.

2. Start rolling up the strip at one end. Continue rolling until the felt strip is used up.

3.  Use the threaded needle to secure the base of the flower.

4. You have your beautiful loopy flower now!!
Let's try to make a fringed flower with the felt folded strip. Use the same method as you did for the loopy flower, the only difference is that you will cut your felt strip on the non-folded edge. The cuts that I made for this flower were at intervals about 0.1cm. Photo no.2 shown is a finished flower.




B. Felt Spiral

1. Cut out a piece of felt spiral of scallop design with the spiral template in above.

2. Trim the inside edge of the felt scalloped spiral into a smooth edge so you can roll it up easily and get a neat and flat base.

3. Start rolling up the scalloped spiral at the outside edge.

4. When you get to the end of the spiral, you will find that you have a small "flap" of felt. This will be the cover for the base of your flower.

5. Fold down the flap. Sew a few stitches through all the layers to secure the flap in place and stop the base from unraveling.

6. Cut out two pieces of felt leaves by using the leaf template as a guide and sew or glue them on the base of the flower. Done!!
You can now try to make another kind of flower with the plain spiral template. Use the same method as you did for the scalloped spiral except step2. Since the plain spiral owns a smooth edge so you don't need to trim the inside edge . The outcome is shown in photo no.2.


You can enjoy all your beautiful flowers now!!


Tuesday 12 January 2016

How to Make Simple Felt Flowers


Felt flowers are adorable. I have always liked to embellish some of my projects with felt flowers. The reason is that felt cloth is a very good material to make a variety of flowers easily. Have you ever wondered how to make a felt flower in a few minutes?

There are a few basic methods of making felt flowers. It can be made by gathering a felt strip, rolling up a felt spiral, stacking felt layers of different sizes or attaching each petal, either to each other or to a base. Today, I am going to show you the way how I make a simple felt flower by using the method of gathering. It is very easy to work with. What you need to do is gather the felt strip that cut into a desired shape and sew a bead on.

I have drawn three felt flower templates and saved it in the pdf file below.  The three templates can help you make three different types of flowers respectively. After you have printed out the paper patterns, cut them out and place them on your felt cloth. You can either trace the patterns on your felt cloth and cut out the felt pieces or pin the paper patterns to your felt cloth and cut out the felt pieces by using the paper patterns as a guide.


                                      



Materials:
1. felt cloth
2. embroidery thread
3. small bead


** note : I use the first flower template to show you how 
     to make a simple felt flower step by step.
felt flower templates





1. Print and cut out the paper pattern.  Then, cut out the felt strip follow the paper pattern.

2. Thread your needle and tie a knot at the end of your thread. Sew a line of running stitch along the straight edge as shown in the photo.


3. Pull the thread so that it gathers.

4. Insert the needle back through the starting point where you start your first stitch from front to back.


5. Pull the thread completely to form the flower shape and tie a knot. Don't cut the thread. Bring your need to the right side of the flower through the center of the flower.

6. Sew a button on the center with the same thread. Done!



You can now try to make other flowers with the same method by using the rest of the templates shown in my pdf file.





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