Emma
Going the non-traditional route in planning your wedding? Interested in making your own crafty bridal accessories?
Not every bride is interested in roses and calla lilies when it comes to bridal bouquets. Except buying a bouquet from Secret Florists, if you’ve got an itch for creative touches, a knack for all things homemade, and a bit of shabby-chic taste, this wedding craft idea is for you. Learn how to make unique fabric flower bouquets (with fabric remnants), that are guaranteed to make an impression. Here’s how:
Required craft materials:
– Fabric scraps of various textures, patterns, and colors
– Fabric glue
– Needle
– Thread
– Satin ribbons
– Masking tape
– Stems from silk flowers
– Rhinestones or sequins
– Good fabric scissors
– Short, thick dowel rod or recycled cardboard tube
How to make the bouquet’s fabric flowers:
1. Before you collect fabric scraps, decide on color combinations. For your bridal bouquet to ‘fit’ with the rest of your wedding, make sure the colors tie in with your bridesmaid gowns, your jewelry, decorations or other accessories. It’s best to stay within the parameters of two main hues when choosing fabrics.
2. Begin cutting dozens of circles from your fabrics, all of the varied sizes. The largest circles should be about the size of a large orange. The smallest should be about the size of a dime.
3. Arrange and layer circles on top of each other, starting with the largest fabric circle on the bottom and building toward the smallest on top. Add as many layers as possible so that a bit of each fabric pattern or color is shown.
4. Begin separating layers and adding drops of glue between each circle, then restack.
5. Thread a needle, then – starting under the bottom circle – stitch a small ‘X’ through the center of the fabric flower to hold the circles in place.
6. Add the final touch to each flower by placing a drop of glue, then a rhinestone or sequin in the center.
7. Flower stems can be made any number of crafty ways, but this is the easiest. Take a few silk flowers (daisies work best), and cut off the petals. This will leave the (mostly) flat plastic area on top. Cover the top with glue, then attach your fabric flower. Prop up and let dry.
8. Repeat, making as many fabric flowers as desired (making at least five will create a ‘full-looking’ bouquet).
How to put together the wedding bouquet:
1. You need an object as the base of your wedding bouquet, to act as support for the flower stems. Choose either a short, thick dowel rod or a cardboard tube from a used paper towel or toilet paper roll.
2. Take one dried flower stem and hold against the side of the support, taping around to hold it in place. Make sure the flower faces outward.
3. Continue attaching and taping your fabric flowers around the support, until you have four around the sides (facing outward), and one in the middle (facing upward). Attach any other flowers you’ve made to fill in other spaces.
4. Wrap the bouquet handle with satin ribbon, until the taped ‘stem’ is covered from top to bottom. Tuck in the ribbon end, or use tape, glue or a pin.
5. If desired, tie another ribbon around the handle of the bouquet in a color that complements the chosen wedding colors.
Your one-of-a-kind bridal bouquet is complete! Have fun walking down the aisle with this shabby-chic accessory and feel pride in knowing that you made it yourself.
The best part of this wedding craft is how easily customizable it can be. Fabric flowers can be made in any color or pattern, to suit any wedding theme.
Besides the bridal bouquet, try making unique bridesmaids and flower girl bouquets in matching colors. These can also be used for men’s boutonnieres, or as corsages for your mother and future mother-in-law. And why not use them as a hair accessory? The possibilities are endless! (And don’t forget, these flowers never wilt – so keep them as a lifelong keepsake).
