Sew Fabric Peonies and Cabbage Roses

I’m having so much fun helping my little sis prepare for her wedding next month. I adore weddings and I adore my sister, so making crafts with and for her is simply the ultimate level of DIY for me these days! Currently, we’re working on making gorgeous fabric flowers to use in her wedding bouquets, boutonnieres, and wedding decor. My mom, my sister and I have come up with our favourite way to make either perfect fabric peonies or lovely fabric cabbage roses, and I want to share the how-to with you today.

Supplies:

• scraps of polyester fabric (that will melt when held near a flame) – we liked using organza, satin, acetate lining, chiffon (this was a little floppy, though) and polyester lace (test all fabrics first to see if their edges curl in the way you want)
• a needle and thread
• a candle
• this pattern for the petals (it’s a downloadable PDF): Fabric Peonies and Cabbage Roses Pattern by The DIY Mommy

Directions:

Cut 6 petals of each of the four different sizes using the pattern. We found that using two different types of fabrics produced the most interesting-looking flowers, and mixing an opaque with a sheer fabric was a pretty effect.

Carefully sear and curl the edges of each petal by holding them over a lit candle and rotating them one at a time. Don’t hold the petals too close at first. You will have to adjust how close to the flame you’ll need to hold each petal depending on the fabric you’re using. In general, the thicker the fabric, the closer you’ll need to hold it to the flame to sear and curl the edges of the petal.

This can take forever, so it’s an excellent evening-unwinding project.

Thread your needle, and then curl one of the smallest petals along its wider side like this:

Sew it along the bottom to secure it. You don’t need too many stitches.

Continue curling petals around your first petal, overlapping them slightly and securing them by stitching them along the bottom.

The bottom of your flower will look something like this:

If you’re making a peony, you can gather the petals slightly as you go. Make the center of the peony lower, and raise the petals as you go.

If you’re making a cabbage rose, don’t gather the petals. Make the center of your rose higher and the rest of the petals lower.

It’s amazing what these little details will do to change the look of your flower:

(Left: Peony, Right: Cabbage Rose with more petals used)

Keep adding petals to your flower, going from the smallest size to the largest size. Finish with a secure knot in your thread.

You’re done! Aren’t these beautiful? Experiment with different fabric types and combos. For my sister’s bouquets, we’re going to use a few different colours and textures to make them extra special.

To recap:

I think these fabric peonies and roses would also make a gorgeous addition to any home decor. You could fasten stems to them and arrange them in a pretty tin or jar on your coffee table.

And what about using them as a hair accessory? How adorable would a little lacey one look sewn to a baby headband and used in some sweet summer photos?

Have fun making your flowers!

Linked to: The Weekend re-Treat Link Party, From Dream to Reality

 *UPDATE: Now you can find the video tutorial for these here!*

See how we made my sister’s wedding bouquet: