How to Fold Fabric to Make Flower Pins

Personalize your look by making your own accessories. One way to decorate a blouse, jacket or handbag is by creating a cloth flower brooch or pin. This is a relatively simple process that involves folding fabric and using buttons and beads to customize the pin. Also, this Japanese-inspired blossom, called a Kanzashi flower, requires very little sewing skill, making this a project for less-experienced crafters.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Scissors
• Iron
• Needle
• Thread
• Felt
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue sticks
• Craft glue
• Crystal bead or button
• Large safety pin

Instructions

Getting Started

1. Cut ten 3-inch squares from the fabric. These will be the larger petals.

2. Cut ten 2-inch square from the fabric. These will be the smaller petals and can be differently colored or textured fabric.

3. Place a 3-inch fabric square on an ironing board or a flat towel.

Folding

1. Fold the 3-inch fabric square in half diagonally and press it with the iron. The right side of the fabric should be facing outward.

2. Fold the 3-inch square in half diagonally again. Press it with your fingers, making sure to hold the folds in place. You will now have a small triangle with two layered flaps.

3. Take the top flap and fold it down until the tip is about a 1/4-inch from the bottom point of the triangle. Hold it down with your fingers. Repeat this step for the bottom flap and press the folds together with your fingers.

4. Hold the flat bottom of the triangle away from you with the point of the triangle toward you. Fold down the top flap so that the point touches the center of the flat bottom of the triangle. Repeat this step for the bottom flap and press with your fingers. Make sure the folds are even.

5. Cut off the pointed end of the petal. Stick a pin through the bottom of the petal to hold the folds in place.

6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 of this section for the nine remaining 3-inch fabric squares and the ten 2-inch squares.

Threading

1. Thread the needle, but do not knot the end of the thread. The thread should be a similar color to the fabrics so it remains unnoticed.

2. Push the needle about a 1/4-inch from the bottom of one of the 3-inch petals, making sure to go through all of the folds. Pull the thread through the petal, leaving about 6 inches of space between the end of the thread and the petal. Repeat this step for the remaining nine 3-inch petals until all of them are strung on the thread. Ensure they are all facing the same way.

3. Remove the needle and tie the ends of the thread into a surgeon's knot. Do this by crossing one end of the thread over and under the other piece of thread. Then cross the end back over and under again. This is the same type of knot as the first step when tying your shoes, with an added twist.

4. Tighten the knot. This will create the flower shape. Anchor the flower by tying another knot and cut off any excess thread.

5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 of this section for the set of ten 2-inch petals.

Finishing

1. Press the larger flower into your cupped hand, with the bottom facing downward. The bottom of the flower is the side where the thread knot is visible. This will make the face of the flower flat.

2. Cut a 2-inch circle of felt and hot glue it onto the bottom of the larger flower.

3. Glue the smaller flower to the face of the larger flower with the craft glue. Make sure the smaller flower is centered on the larger flower.

4. Glue the button or crystal bead into the center of the smaller flower using the craft glue. Let dry.

5. Attach the safety pin to the bottom of the flower by pushing through the felt. Blank brooch pins can also be purchased from craft stores and hot glued on.

Tips & Warnings

• If the needle gets stuck while threading the petals, use needle-nose pliers to pull it through.Add wispy feathers to the bottom right-hand corner of the flower for a vintage look.

References

• Woman's Day Video Tutorial