How to Make Large Sunflower Wall Decorations

Sunflowers in Clovis, N.M.

You can add a brilliant touch to any room with large sunflower wall decorations. These feisty flowers not only make a great addition to the kitchen, but they can also brighten up a bedroom, breakfast nook, home office or living room. These glorious flowers also look great en masse, with a variety of sizes and fabrics showcased from the wall.

Things You'll Need

• Cardboard
• Black fabric
• Yellow fabric
• Scissors or pen knife
• Pencil
• Hook and nail
• Craft glue
• Wire (optional)

Instructions

1. Gather your supplies. Get a thick piece of cardboard from a large corrugated box or other object. Make sure it's large enough to cut out petals and a round center for the flower. Also, gather up yellow and black fabric, enough to cover the center and petals. The fabric can be any material, but it should be thick enough to make sure no cardboard peeks through.

2. Sketch and cut your flower. Sketch a large circle on the cardboard. Also sketch at least 10 long, skinny triangles that come to a tapered point and support a fat base that will be attached to the back of the flower's center. Cut out your shapes with scissors or a pen knife.

3. Cover the shapes in fabric. Lay each shape on the piece of fabric that will cover it, and cut around the shape, leaving about a 1/2-inch border. Slather a craft glue on the front of the shape and along the borders on the back. Place the shape glue-side down on the fabric, folding the 1/2 inch around the back. Allow time for it to dry thoroughly.

4. Attach the petals and hookthem to the center. Apply glue to the base of the petals and back of the flower's centers. Arrange each petal in place around the back border. Glue a picture hook to the back in the center of the back near the top border. Place a heavy object on top of the hook and petals to secure them in place until the glue dries.

5. Hang and admire. Once the glue is thoroughly dry, hang your sunflower by hooking it on a nail or hook you've secured to the wall. Attach wire from the hook to the wall if you need some slack.

Tips & Warnings

• Craft and fabric stores are good places to get your glue and fabric. You can get your cardboard right from the recycling bin or opt for foam core, which is also sold at craft stores. You may want to cut little slits around the circular piece of fabric used for the flower's center so it lays flatter when glued. You don't have to stick with solid black and yellow fabric. Pick a black silk brocade bordered with yellow plaid or velvet swirled fabric for an extra dose of creativity.

• Make sure sunflowers fit the style and theme of the room you want to put them in. Don't add large sunflower wall decorations to your teenage son's heavy metal bedroom unless you first draw skulls in the center of the flowers.