Making fabric flowers - tutorial addendum: how to make rounded petals.

[Red Alibi]

if anyone still wants some more explaining there is also this great little tute i found here:
http://www.ohbara.com/kanzashidirections.gif

[Spangle]

I just recently figured out how to make the rounded petals too, thanks to the instructions here. The flowers I've made have turned out fine, but I do find that I need lots (i.e. usually 10) of petals to get them all to sit uniformly together. I'd love to be able to make rounded petal flowers with just 5 or 6 petals though - do you think it might have something to do with the weight of fabric used? I don't have any actual kimono material, or know what it's like, even! I've normally used chiffon type fabric or else poly/cotton stuff.

Here's my latest attempts:



My hint about getting the petals all together is to stab each petal through with a pin once you've finished folding them. They'll sit nicely and wait until you've done them all. Then you can arrange them how you like, deciding which petals look best beside eachother etc, get the petals evenly trimmed etc, before you begin threading them together.

I'll try and make one after school today and take some pics so you can see how I do it.

Cheers!
Miriam

[Spangle]

Alright, here's a photo step-by-step of the flowers I made yesterday. Hope they don't take too long to load!
1. Two piles of cut squares. They measure 6x6cm, and the finished flower diameter is about the same:

2. Floral petals, held together with pins:

3. Pink petals, also held together with pins: 

4. Petals for each of the 3 flowers put together in sets, with consideration to colour:

5. 1 lot of petals, trimmed to size (petal length is 3cm):

6. 1/2 the petals threaded together, stitch point is at 2cm from the tip of the petal:

7. All threaded, starting to bring the ends together:

8. The front:

9. The back:

10. Finished, with self-covered button centre.



Cheers,
Miriam

[cyndiq]

Spangle, thanks for showing us the pics. I really like the way your flowers turn out. I am going to try again, i didnt have much success with my first try months ago. but I would love to give some of these for xmas. cheers cyndiq

[_chittybangbang]

Mine didnt turn out so well haha.. I'm not great at tutorials, and understanding them. This was my first try:

[_chittybangbang]

Just tried it again, my problem is my "stringing" ..it never turns out right when i string the petals

[Spangle]

OK, here's something else I've discovered, about stringing.

I tie a knot in the end of my thread, right? BUT when you put the petals on *DO NOT* pull the petals tight up against the end of the knotted thread. Just string them together into a bunch a little distance away from the end of the thread, then, (you can even snip off the knot) I snip off the needle end (I always use doubled thread) and tighten everything up just like you're tying a bow. This way, it seems that each petal is subjected to the same tension, rather than having 1 petal that always has extra pulling on it on account of being by the knot.

Confused? ;-) Har! sorry!

Oh, and I did buy some vintage kimono fabric from www.kimoyes.com (in Australia) and it's lovely to work with!

Cheers,
Miriam

[cyndiq]

hey spangle i love your pics. can u do step by step the actual folding. sorry for being  a pain. but yours are beautiful. best i have seen.
cyndiq

[_chittybangbang]

The stuff in your etsy store looks great!..Thanks for the tip 

[seeingstars]

WOW Spangle i love your etsy store. The flowers are gorgeous!!