Silk Flowers (26542 Views)

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  Step 1 of 13

  Gather your materials.

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  Step 2 of 13

  Match the grainlines of the two fabrics, and pin a layer of organza atop a layer of chiffon. Layout your circle templates, not closer than ¼” apart, and trace with tailor’s chalk. Make as many or few as you like, in various sizes.

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  Step 3 of 13

  When sewing, the circles easily want to become ovals when stitching the bias; to avoid this, give your circles some more pins, particularly on the bias.

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  Step 4 of 13

  Be sure you are using the appropriate thread and needle. Adjust your machine tension for light fabric, and decrease your stitch length to about 1 ½. Now, sew along the circle lines you traced.
  

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  Step 5 of 13

  Cut out the circles, snipping very close to the outside of the stitch line, about 1/16”.

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  Step 6 of 13

  Now you have to turn the flower right side out: it is currently wrong side out. On whichever side you want to be the under-side of the flower, make a little slit in the center. Ideally, your slit should be about ½” long and run parallel to the circles’ bias. We made the majority of our flowers with the chiffon on top, but did a few with the organza on top, too.

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  Step 7 of 13

  Turn flower right side out…

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  Step 8 of 13

  And then press the circumference flat.

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  Step 9 of 13

  With the under flower fabric facing up, fold the circle in half. The fold line should run parallel to the slit and, thus, the bias. (Your slit, by the way, should now be inside your flower taco.)

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  Step 10 of 13

  Thread your hand-sewing needle, knot the end, and give large basting stitches across the circle’s fold.

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  Step 11 of 13

  Pull the thread to gather the flower. I like to sew the beginning and the end of the basting line together, but you may like yours looser. Whichever you prefer, tie off your thread.

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  Step 12 of 13

  Now, take the outer loose edge of the back half of the flower and fold it in towards the gathered center. You can use a bit of steam from the iron to create the shape you want, and/or a few hand-tacks. We used a combination of both. If using hand tacks, be sure to catch just the under-fabric so the tacks don’t show from the top.

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  Step 13 of 13

  Now, arrange the flowers on whatever special thing you want to transform with these pretty confections, and attach with hand-tacks. Again, catch just the under-layer of flower fabric so the tacks are invisible from the outside of the garment.