DIY Cloth Windmill
Windmills are an iconic shape, often associated with farming and clean energy, but they can also simply be a fun shape to use in decorations. Turn an old blanket into something new by adding a cloth windmill design, or simply construct a windmill shape out of cloth to sew onto a throw pillow. Windmills are composed of relatively simple shapes, which means they are very easy to construct. Simply cut a few shapes out of your cloth of choice, assemble them, and you have your very own cloth windmill.
Things You'll Need
- Thick drawing paper or card stock
- Fabric
- Pins
- Needle and thread (optional)
- Fabric glue (optional)
Instructions
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Select a shape or style of windmill. Traditional farming windmills often have wide, triangle-shaped wooden blades, while turbine-style windmills have sleek metal blades. To make your cloth windmill easily recognizable, stick with the traditional windmill shape featuring wider blades.
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2
Draw or print out a template to use for your cloth windmill. Perform an online search for windmill pictures or windmill templates to get an idea, then sketch out your windmill in the desired shape and size on a piece of thick drawing paper or card stock.
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3
Cut out the pieces of your windmill and set them aside. Your windmill should be composed of several basic shapes including the windmill base, the round center, and four or more blades.
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4
Select the fabric for your cloth windmill. If you plan to incorporate the windmill into your existing decor scheme by sewing it to a pillow or blanket, select colors that complement your color palette. Otherwise, you can always go with a traditional windmill look, using one color for the base and center, and white for the blades.
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Arrange the pieces of your template on top of the pieces of fabric and cut them out. You may choose to pin the template pieces in place to ensure accuracy when you cut.
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Arrange the pieces of your cloth windmill in the desired location. If you are sewing the pieces onto a pillow or blanket, pin them in place. If you do not know yet what you will use your windmill for, cut out a piece of white fabric several inches taller and wider than your completed windmill and arrange the windmill pieces on it.
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Secure the pieces of your cloth windmill in place by sewing around the edges with a sewing machine, hand-stitching them or simply attaching them with fabric glue.
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Tips & Warnings
When selecting the fabric for your cloth windmill, keep the intended purpose of the project in mind. If you are sewing the windmill onto a pillow or blanket, use a soft fabric that is not so thick that a needle cannot pass through it.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
