Late last year I sent my daughter on a reconnaissance mission to find out which storybook character her teacher loved when she was a little girl. The intel came back: it was Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
So I set to work making an end-of-year thank you gift for the teacher. It was one of my signature-customized cloth doll designs, loosely inspired by Belle, with a rockabilly twist. Quite coincidentally at this particular time, the world was hyped up for the next installment of this beloved fairy tale classic.
Now, when I make dolls I like to accessories them, not wanting to send them out into the world empty-handed. In the case of Rockabilly Belle, she came with a handmade book titled “Embrace Your Inner Beast” and a single stem rose. Today’s tutorial is all about that felt and crafted flower. So let’s begin.
Felt Craft: How to Make a Stitched Felt Flower
You will need:
- Wire – 9cm
- Thread – 1x green, 1x red
- Felt squares – 1x green, 1x red, 1x pink
- Sewing needle
- Fabric scissors
- Fabric marker
- Pliers
How to:
1/ Print template at 100% and out the pattern pieces.
2/ Using a fabric marker, draw an outline of pattern pieces onto felt [1 green stem, 5x green leaves, 4x red petals, 4x pink petals].
3/ Using pliers bend one end of the 9cm wire piece, creating a small loop [as pictured].
4/ Wrap a pink petal piece around the wire loop. Using red thread stitch closed the bottom point of the folded petal into the loop.
5/ Wrap a red petal piece around the first pink petal, mirroring it. Stitch the red petal piece closed at the bottom point, into the wire loop [just like we did in step 4]. The flower is beginning to take shape and now looks like a 2-color way loves heart.
6/ Wrap a red petal piece half around the pink petal and half around the red petal piece. Stitch the red petal into the other petal pieces near the base.
7/ Wrap a pink petal piece half around the red petal and half around the pink petal piece. Stitch the pink petal into the other petal pieces near the base.
8/ Repeat steps 6 and 7 until all petal pieces are sewn into the flower base.
9/ Knot off the red thread in the flower and thread.
10/ Using pliers bend the bottom end of the wire stem.
