How to Make Long Stemmed Fabric Flowers

Stitch petals to a wire stem to replicate long-stemmed flowers.

The only thing that could improve upon the beauty of flowers is if they could be everlasting. While there is no way to preserve a natural blossom eternally, you can create a bouquet of long-stemmed, fabric flowers that lasts indefinitely. This project is ideal for a bride who wants to keep her bouquet vibrant and intact as a reminder of her momentous day. It is also a valuable home decorating craft if you want to use the same bouquet as a constant decoration, but want to avoid replacing an organic bouquet weekly.

Things You'll Need

• Medium-gauge floral wire
• Wire cutters
• Fabric (cotton or silk)
• Petal template
• Dressmaker's chalk
• Scissors
• Fray-check fabric sealant
• Threaded needle
• Floral tape
• Hot glue
• Embellishment (rhinestone, button or silk stamens)

Instructions

1. Pull the loose end of a spool of medium-gauge floral wire to the length you want the stem to have. Fold the wire at your desired length. Pull an equal length on the spool to double the wire. Trim the wire with wire cutters and set the wire aside.

2. Spread the fabric face down on your work surface. Use a semi-rigid fabric, like cotton or a stiff silk, so that the petals hold their shape.

3. Lay a petal template on the fabric. Trace around it with dressmaker's chalk. Trace the template to create as many petals as you need for the flower. For example, to create a full-sized rose, you need 15 to 20 petals.

4. Cut the petals out of the fabric with sharp craft scissors. Dab fray-check fabric sealant onto the edges to seal the fabric and prevent fraying. Allow the sealant to dry for at least 10 minutes.

5. Arrange the two outermost petals of the flower. Overlap the interior tips of the petals. Insert a threaded needle up, through the overlapped fabric. Pull the thread through until the knot catches on the material. Stitch down through the same spot to complete a stitch.

6. Place another petal on the stack. Overlap the interior tips of the petals. Insert the needle up through all three petals. Stitch down through the same spot on the layered petals to complete a stitch.

7. Continue stitching petals to the flower until you complete the blossom. All of the petals do not have to overlap in the same center point. However, each petal must overlap another near the center of the stack, so the stitches are not apparent on the flower.

8. Leave the threaded needle hanging from the bottom of the bloom. Hold the folded end of the floral wire to the bottom of the flower.

9. Insert the needle through one side of the wire fold. Insert the needle up, through the center of the flower. Pull the thread through to secure the wire stem to the flower. Stitch down to complete a circular stitch, binding the petals and stem. Repeat the circular stitch four more times to secure the arrangement.

10. Trim the thread with scissors. Leave a three inch tail of thread hanging from the bottom of the secured flower.

11. Press the loose end of a roll of floral tape to the top of the stem, immediately under the petals. Wrap the tape around the wire and the three inches of loose thread. Apply tape around the stem in a spiral pattern until you reach the end of the stem. Trim the tape with scissors.

12. Apply a peppercorn-sized bead of hot glue to the top, center of the petal arrangement. Press rhinestone, button or silk stamens into the glue to finish the flower.

Tips & Warnings

• Draw a petal shape freehand, trace around a real petal or use petal craft clipart to create your petal template. A rubber stamp or fondant cutting tool may also prove to be a suitable template.

• Punch the petal shapes out of the fabric with a petal-shaped craft punch, to combine the tracing and cutting steps into one seamless action.