Monday, August 23

Burnt Edge Flower Tutorial

Here's the goal...a beautiful multi-petal flower made of fabric!
Gather your materials
- Polyester fabric (satin or chiffon, something silky, but make sure its 100% polyester)
- Scissors
- Tea Candle
- Lighter
- Needle & thread
- Glue gun & hot glue
- Alligator clips (or dress pin, if you would like to make the flower into a broach)
- Small piece of grossgrain ribbon


1. Cut your fabric into multiple circles. My largest was about 5" in diameter. I cut 7 circles, each getting a little smaller. Feel free to do more or less. I like working in odd numbers, don't ask me why! These don't have to be perfect circles at all!
Here are my circles laid on top of each other.
2. Hold your circle over the flame of the tea candle, about an inch above it. The heat from the candle will melt the polyester. To curve hold it flat over the candle and let the heat melt multiple points in the circle. Play around with this until you find a techniques that works for you!
Here's what your circle will look like after melted. Careful not to burn yourself!!
3. Do this to all the circles, stacking them on top of one another, saving the smallest one to set aside, we'll use it later.
4. Put a few stitches through the center of the six circles you've stacked together.
5. Prep your alligator clip by gluing the grossgrain ribbon around the top of the clip.
6. Glue the ribbon part of the clip to the back of your flower.
7. Glue the smallest circle to the center of the front of the flower to hide the stitches. You could also add a gem or something else in the center of the flower. Embelish as you'd like!
That's it! Wear & ENJOY!!
I loved this simple way to create something so gorgeous and delicate...plus, I get to be a bit of a pyro! :)

UPDATE: I've been making mine with petals. Just simply cut into the circles to make the petals, then burn the petals and they curl up and look more like a real flower...very chic!

2 comments:

Jess said...

Hey, thanks for teaching how to make these! I have been admiring them for awhile, but my creativity runs toward imitation not invention. I'll have to stop at JoAnn's this week and pick up some polyester.

Amelia Marie said...

I'm your newest follower! :) Thanks for posting this, a friend of mine has wanted an easy tutorial on these, I can't wait to pass your name along to her!
Amy
http://amy-showalter.blogspot.com/