How to Make Flowers Using Steelwire & Stockings
Flowers have been created from many different mediums. Clay, tissue paper, fabric and nylon stockings are some of the materials that have been used to craft decorative flowers. Used as embellishments on other items, or to stand alone, handmade flowers are inspired by the beauty of nature. Making flowers from wire and pantyhose is a fun craft that even children can enjoy. Because nylon stockings are available in a wide range of colors, it is easy to make flowers in almost any shade desired.
Things You'll Need
- Wire, 18 to 22 gauge
- Pantyhose
- Scissors
- Wire clipper
- Needle
- Thread
- Straight pins
- Felt (the same color as pantyhose used for flowers)
- Table
- Glue
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut two 10-inch pieces and one 12-inch piece of wire with the scissors or wire clippers.
-
2
Twist each 10-inch piece of wire into a loop or an "o." Twist the ends together to hold the shape.
-
-
3
Twist each 10-inch piece of wire loop into a figure eight by holding the top of the loop in one hand and holding the bottom of the loop in the other hand, and twisting the loop in the center. These are the frames for the flower petals.
-
4
Place the two twisted centers of the two figure 8's together and twist 4-inches of the 12-inch piece of wire around the two centers, holding them together. The 12-inch piece of wire is the flower stem. You now have a wire frame of four round flower petals and a stem.
-
5
Cut four circles of pantyhose, at least 8-inches in diameter each. Thread the needle with thread and tie a knot in the end.
-
6
Place one of the wire flower petal frames on top of one of the circles of pantyhose on a table top, and pull the pantyhose on the underside of the frame smooth, gathering and bunching up the pantyhose in your hand on the side of the wire frame that is facing you. Hold it with one hand, while sticking the needle through the bunch of pantyhose and repeating, in and out through the hose fabric until you've secured the bunch of pantyhose fabric. Do not sew through the front of the flower petal pantyhose fabric. The front of the flower is the flat side that is on top of the table. The bunched up pantyhose fabric being sewn is on the back of the flower.
-
7
Trim the excess pantyhose as close as you can to the sewing of the bunch of stocking fabric behind the flower petal. The smaller the bunch of fabric and the smoother, the better.
-
8
Repeat for each wire flower petal frame. Shape the flower petal frames to a rounded shape when finished covering with pantyhose.
-
9
Cut felt circles to the size of the finished flower petal and glue or sew to cover the gathered-and-sewn back of each petal.
-
10
Cut a 2-inch diameter or smaller circle of felt and glue into the center of the flower. Green felt leaves can be cut and glued to the stem.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The felt covering step can be eliminated if you have the craft skills necessary to bring the circles of pantyhose in a gathered bunch to the center of the flower instead of the at the back of the petal. This way, all four petals are secured in the very center of the flower and you can cover the center with two black circles. This takes a bit more holding, stretching, and maneuvering into position while you sew.
