JCrew Style Flower Tutorial!

A friend recently asked me to figure out how to make these flowers and then teach her how to do it.  So here you go!!  This is based on a JCrew floral headband.  You can make hairclips, corsage, headbands, pin it on your purse, etc...

This will make 1 flower.

1.  Cut 2 strips of fabric 1.5" wide and 11.5" long (you could make it longer!!).

2.  Run a gathering stitch down one edge of the strip.  You can use a sewing machine or do it by hand!

3.  Stitch the ends together.  Stitch by hand.

4.  Pull the gathering threads until the center closes up.  Secure the gathers by either handstitching or I grabbed all the gathering thread ends and tied them in a knot.

5.  Now you need to hide the handstitched ends.  Arrange the gathers so the ends are tucked in a fold.  Gently press to keep the ends hidden.

6.  For the Center:  Cut out 3 small squares of fabric and tear up a cotton ball.  I did not use all of the cotton ball, you need 3 small pieces.

7.  Wrap up a piece of cotton in the fabric and secure it by hand sewing.  It will look like a Halloween Sucker Ghost.

8.  When you have all 3 done, you will need to hook them together.  You can handsew them or tie them together by wrapping the remaining thread ends around and knotting it.

9.  Next you will take your flower center and carefully stuff the ends through the center of each circle.

10.  Pull a few threads from the edges to fray them.

11.  You will need a piece of fabric or felt for the back.  I simply sewed 2 pieces together to make these fabric backs. 

12.  Finally, you are ready to glue it to whatever you like. Brooch pin, hair clip, headband, etc... I used hot glue!  I also added a few dabs of glue in between the 2 circle layers to help secure the center (these you want very small and right at the center).

This could be used to make a lasting corsage for Mother's Day!