How to Make a Wedding Brooch

Brooches can be colorful or have muted tones.

A brooch is a jewelry accessory with a pin in the back so that it can be affixed to clothing or other materials. Brides who enjoy a vintage look wear wedding brooches, which can be pinned onto bridal gowns, wired around hair combs or pinned into a floral bouquet. If you want to make a wedding brooch, decide on the tones you want to use, such as silver or gold and the colors of the rhinestones, so that the brooch coordinates with the wedding color scheme.

Things You'll Need

• Pin backing plate
• Assorted rhinestones and beads
• Tulle or lace
• Glue

Instructions

1. Select the pin backing plate. This is a plain metal plate, flat on one side and with the sharp pin and closure on the underside. This is what you will decorate to construct the functional brooch. Pin backing plates come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small ovals to large squares.

2. Pick through assorted rhinestones and beads to locate ones that are appropriate for a wedding brooch. Unless the bride has a color scheme in mind, such as gold and pink or green and brown, a wedding brooch is best designed with white beads and clear rhinestones, perhaps with some gold and silver thrown in.

3. Glue the rhinestones and beads onto the flat side of the pin backing plate. Apply the glue directly onto the bead or the rhinestone and press them onto the plate. Hold down firmly so that the two materials connect and stay attached. You can create a random design with the rhinestones and beads, or you might want to practice the design with the rhinestones and beads first before gluing them down.

4. Add more bridal materials to the brooch, such as white tulle or lace. You can make fabric flowers or bows to glue onto the brooch. Or you can add a trim to the brooch by gluing tulle or lace to the underside of the edges so that the fabric flares out like a flower.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider deconstructing old costume jewelry and using it in the wedding brooch so that the bride has something old and something new.

References

• Guardian News and Media Ltd.; How to Make Your Own Brooches; Perri Lewis; February 2009