Fabric Flower Bouquet (the long of it).

It looks like some of you want to know how the fabric flowers came about?

For more pics, check here and here.

 we made fabric flowers for my hair, bouquets, boutonnieres, and tables.

It all started with this little guy...

I used my v.first fabric flower to ask devon to be my m-of-honor.

Click here for a fun way to ask someone to be in your wedding party.
And for better photos of the same thing, click here.

When Jamie and I first started thinking about hosting a wedding, we quickly realized it was imperative for us to identify areas to eliminate expenditure. While certain departments were difficult to play with (do we really need chairs? could guests stand the whole time?), flowers were easy to let go. "It'll be easy, Jamie! I'll just make them all!" He just looked at me and shook his head.

You see, for a few years, I had been fondling fabric flowers on shirts and headbands at Anthropologie, JCrew, Bloomies, etc. Do you do that? Walk around and touch things to figure out how you can make it yourself at home?

While bits of neutral material took shape in my fingers, I realized this would be actually be a feasible thing for me to create in multiples. Finally, a purpose for all those spare buttons that come with clothing!  I pleasantly sat through many Law & Order reruns, tucking and sewing petals as they came about organically. 

I even took the project with me to Chicago last year:

devon sneakily posted these pictures in september to let ya'll know what we were up to.

 

 

remember this post?

I picked up bits and pieces of fabric wherever I could, using those labeled recycled or eco-made as often as possible. Devon helped me pick out some upholstery samples from a going-out-of-business yard sale and Holly picked some unbleached cotton for me closer to the deadline. I already had wire,  thread, needles, my favorite adhesive, and loads of buttons. Loads of already existing web tutorials helped form each of the flowers (see links at end of this post).

started with fabric scraps

  

added recycled felt to finished flowers to make sturdier.

started out sewing the flowers onto felt circles, ended up just using E6000. 

MUCH FASTER.

added buttons and gems and rhinestones and beads for sparkle.

definitely used E6000 for this step.

 

 i used this amazingly thick floral wire that comes covered in raffia.

it was nice and thick, but really easy to manipulate and work with.

sewed it on at first, but then i started cutting two holes in the felt, threading wire through, and twisting it shut. again, MUCH FASTER.

this one's fluffy and voluminous. 

good for creating big bouquets!

once i made about 5 flowers on wire, i started forming the bouquet.

this helped me identify what kind of flowers it still needed (more fluffy, more sparkle?).

note: Hudson is totally snoozing in the background.

i realized they needed a bit more oomph and remembered our mercury glass christmas ornaments.

while they look antique, they were on clearance at pottery barn about 5 years ago.

we store them in egg cartons (perfect-size).

i had picked up $0.99 porcelain cranes at Kamei Restaurant Supply in SF, but 

hadn't decided how to incorporate the Japanese element into our wedding.

in my mind, they were perfect for a subtle shout-out so i threw them onto some wire.

note: i used thinner wire here and regretted that decision immediately. THICKER WIRE = better.

see? anything can be twisted onto this thick wire.

tada! all done!

ok, fine. there were a couple more steps + tips that i never photographed:

• once the wire stems were gathered together and i fluffed the whole top into where i liked it, i wrapped floral tape (sticky) around and around. it secured the stems, but also made for a sticky base that the ribbon liked adhering to.
• then i wrapped yummy yellow ribbon around the base and secured with glue + a long pin. 
• GET E6000. It's an amazing adhesive that is so terrific to work with. No Hot Glue Gun. Too stringy and for me, too many opportunities for injury.
• GET PEOPLE TO HELP. I had a sewing entourage. Couldn't have done it without them.

Holly sat for 6 hours straight, sewing and slaving. 

She wouldn't even look up to smile for the camera.

when i said loads of people helped, i meant it.

patrick helped pick out buttons and ribbon; begrudgingly, but he did it.

For some tutorials on how to make the individual flowers (I used a variety of different shapes and fabrics to make for a more kitschy look), check out the following:

• Poppy&Leo - don't limit yourself to size
  
• KatieDid - most adorable little girls
  
• MarthaStewart - duh.
  
• SewMamaSew  - she uses much more delicate material. it's pretty.
• Google/youtube "fabric flower tutorial". New links come up almost daily.
• And feel free to contact me with questions or tips!

Hope that helps a little!

top four photos taken by devon.