Felt Flower Brooch : : Tutorial

Just a little something I whipped up a few nights ago.

So cute don't you think? And let me tell you ... it's super easy to make and the fabric came from an old suit I bought at the second hand store. But not just any suit, it was a Pendleton wool suit in a black and white herringbone! Thankfully is wasn't my size, so I had no qualms about cutting up the skirt to get a nice chunk of fabric to play with.

 

Here's what I did:

• First I cut the outer skirt away from the linning, and cut around the pockets, saving every scrap.

• The wool was pretty stiff and I knew that by just washing it in super hot water would soften it up and even felt it a bit. 
• Next I cut the skirt into a few chunk.

• Next I heated up a pot of water on the stove and just before it started to boil, I added some liquid Rit dye.
• Then I added  a chunck of the wool skirt and let it simmer in the dye bath for about 10 minutes, checking on it every few minutes to make sure it didn't get too dark.
• When the color was just right, I took the wool out of the dye and rinsed it in really cold water, trying to encourage the felting process.

• And then hung the pieces out to my clothesline to dry.

• While the wool didn't felt up and get all chunky, it did become much softer and a bit fuzzy.

• So to make the brooch, I quick like drew a large flower, about 5 inches in diameter and then cut out the shape.

• Traced the flower shape on the dyed wool and then cut it out.
• Using a running/gathering stitch and a hand needle and thread, sewing in a circle at the center of the flower.

• Draw up the thread and secure with a knot in the back.

• Then cut out a circle from the black and white wool and pinch it together at the center and sew it to the wool flower. Repeat for the center little circle.

• With a large eye needle and perle cotton, add a running stitch to the outer edges of the flower and the larger circle.

• Sew a pin back to the back of the flower.

• Or, tack it onto a braided bracelet.

Easy Peasy!

 

Comments

[Charade]

So fun and cute! My daughter and daughter-in-law will love a couple of these - and I'll use them as the bow on their Christmas gift. Thanks for the inspiration and clear directions.

[Darcy Roy]

Hi Cynthia,
This is a great idea! I was just ready to take some of my wool skirts to donation. Now I will keep one to make some of these flowers. They are adorable!!
Thank you for sharing your fun ideas and for making the tutorials so easy to follow.
xo Darcy

[iHanna]

Cynthia, love your fun tutorials! You make so much fun stuff, thanks for sharing it!