Fabric Flowers

How many of us have a "Stash" of fabric that we just don't know what to do with?  It's too large to throw away and too small to really make anything with?  I am guilt of this in a big way.  OK, two big bags full of guilt.  I have a boy bag and a girl bag.  Today we are going to use the girl bag and make fabric flowers.

Supplies:
Fabric- 6, 1.5" x 14.5" of colorful fabric for flowers
Fabric- 6, 1.5" x 5" of green print and solids
Scissors or Rotary Cutters to cut the fabric
Wrapped Floral Wire- 12 pieces 18"
Wire Cutters to nip the floral wire
Tube Turner Kit- It's ok if you don't have a kit.  A straw and small rod will do.
Needle-Nose Pliers or fingers

Have fun while choosing your fabrics.  Mix many different textures and patterns.  I found scraps that matched the quilt we made for Katie. 

1.  Match flower fabric to stem fabric.  Make pretty combinations.  Sew stems to flowers using 1/4" seam.

2.  Fold the sewn strips in half with right sides together and stitch each strip lengthwise with a 3/8" seam starting with flower fabric.  Stitch until 1/4" from bottom edge, then make a right angle turn and continue until the end.  Backstitch to secure.

3.  Cut raw edges and turn right side out with tube turner. 

 How to use a tube turner: 

• Slide the tube all the way inside the sewn fabric.
• With the rod push fabric into the tube until it protrudes out the opposite end of the tube.
• Grasp the protruded end of the fabric and pull the fabric through the tube leaving the rod inside.
• Use the rod to square up the corners of the material.  Remove the rod.

4.  Insert floral wires into each tube of fabric.

5.  With pliers turn under raw edges.

6.  We are going to make two differend flowers:

      Bud- Loosely ball up the bud like you are rolling yarn, but not tight.

  
 Posey- Roll into a snug spiral.  It will look like a jelly roll on a steam.

You can use your fingers or needle-nose pliers.  Once you get to the stem/green bend and push into the flower so it looks like the flower is growing out of the stem.  If you don't like how your flower has grown- Don't worry, you can un-roll and try again. 

7.  Repeat with each tube.  When finished with each tube tie off with a piece of fabric or ribbon.

Who do you know that needs a little kindness?  Make them a bouquet of flowers...

I am going to leave you today with the wise words of Mark Twain-

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. 

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