Flower Clusters DIY

Have you seen all those beautiful flower clusters people wear in there hair?  I for one love them but not there expense.  Beautiful flowers with frills and feathers.  There are lots of tutorials out there for fabric flowers.  Most of them are pretty much the same so I won't get into that.  But to cluster them together with other things is an art.  After much trial and error I think I have learned a few things I can share so lets get started.

1. Buy satin that 100% polyester. The satin edges will burn to a nicer finish.
2. Burn the edges of your flowers before you sew them together. This gives them a more naturals fuller look.
3. Hand stitch your petals together.  No matter what any one says Hand stitching is better than hot glue.
4. Be brave and play with color combinations. You never know what will catch your eye and look great.

Start with cutting your flower petals. You will need 10 to 12 petals for each flower. Depending on how full you want them. Burn the edges of each petal. This will stop fraying and make them look more like a petal.

 Start to place your petals together. Spread them out like you are holding cards in a game.

If you need to add a stitch to the center.

Continue to add petals until you have a flower shape.  Add a few stitches to the center to secure.

 While you are securing your flower you add some beads to the center of your flower.

After adding your beads decide what you want your finished cluster. Add tulle, ribbon, lace or feathers. Cluster your flowers close together. I like to add my lace or tulle as my base of the flower cluster.  Set your flowers together and play with how you place them. sometimes I cluster my flowers are walk away for a minute to see if I still like it when I come back. Once your ready glue them with hot glue into place.   Add a clip or headband.  

These examples are made with feathers, tulle, and satin. The leaves are made with satin.  Cut in the shape of leaves and the edges are burned.

This one has a base of gathered lace with the flowers on top.  The centers of the flowers are folded satin. with pearls stitched into them. I used this one in with my little miss' Christmas skirt

Sometimes after I have clustered my flowers I like to add vintage buttons or a few extra beads.  Theses examples are a headband and corsage sash I made for a wedding. I used rolled and ruffled flowers. 

Whatever you choose play with color combos and different textures.  You never know what will make your flower clusters perfect.

1 {Skirt} 10 {Ways}–Apron Skirt

If you have been following the series. You know I have made a basic skirt and a basic skirt with a contrasting band. Today we are going to add  a sweet little apron.  Adding something like an apron give this skirt a little personality.  A perfect little skirt to start school.

Start by doing steps  1-4. Measure & cut, sew side seam, Fold hem, iron and stitch.
You next step is to make your apron.  Measure your apron and cut 2 pieces.  Mine for a size 4 was approximately 12x 12. 
Lay one piece right side up.



Lay your ribbons or trip ontop and pin into place. Stitch your ribbons down.




Lay second apron piece down on top of front of apron.  Right sides together.Stitch around 3 sides.



Turn right sides out, top stitch around your 3 sides and embellish.



To finish your  skirt, find center.  Pin the center of the apron to the center of your skirt.  You can either pin this into place or do a basting stitch  to connect the skirt to the apron.



To finish your skirt, fold the top 1/4 inch and press.  Fold over 1 more inch to make a casing.  Stitch around casing leaving a 1 inch hole to add elastic.  Thread elastic through casing. sew elastic ends together  then close casing.  Your skirt is all done.

Add a fun pair of leggings or tight and your little Miss is ready for school.  If you have any questions about this tutorial please don’t hesitate to email me. 

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Button Pony Elastics

So you remember those figure 8 ponytail elastics.  You know the ones with the huge knobby balls on a figure  8 elastic??  I have been looking for them for my little miss. They are really hard to find. I couldn't even find a vintage picture of them.  But them my mind started thinking about how I could make them myself.  With a trip to Joanns, I found the round elastic, by the yard.  They also sell the button covers.  I had some in my stash.  Next was trying to figure out how to make them a figure 8.  After searching and pondering I hit the hardware store and found a few options that could work.  Here is what I came up with.

{Pin}tastic Friday- Must have Maxi Dress

I found this pin a few weeks ago and finally got the time to make one for my Little Miss.  Simple Simon & Co. Made this adorable Maxi dress from a T-shirt and Knit fabric. 

(Source)

So I thought I would give it a try.  My Little Miss has been begging me for a Zebra Dress. So with a little zebra print and a cute hot pink shirt I went to town to make one of these with a twist. Here is my take on the Must have Summer Maxi.

 I added a flower to the front and a little clip in the back to take it in.  I made this with a size 5 t shirt and it was a little big.  So I added a little length to let her grow. She loved wearing it to church and wants to wear it all the time.  I make have to make a few more to get us through the summer.
The best part about this dress.  It took me 30 minutes to make.  {Bonus} Perfect for summer! Now go make a few for your little miss!

Home Made for the Holiday Day 6 For the Ladies

I was at a craft show and a local vendor was selling jeans and jewelry.  All was manufactured.  When you bought a pair of jeans you got to choose a piece of jewelry.  I found a necklace I loved and she ended up getting it with her purchase.  I decided to recreate it with a little twist.  Here is what I cam up with. 

Home Made for the Holidays for the Girl

Home Made for the girl... I saw a dress liked this on pinterest and just couldn't pay the price. So with my mad sewing skills I came up with this. 

Supplies:

Fabric 2 different prints

1 inch elastic for waist band

matching thread

ribbon about 3 yards

embellishements

about  1/2 yard scrap fabric or just white fabric

I made my skirt to be a size 4-5

You will need to cut 3 pieces.

Waistband (24x45)

Skirt body (15x45)

Skirt top (12x45)

I decided I wish I would have made the top 15x45 as well to get more gather when finished.

Take your waist band and sew the short ends together.  Making a a band.

Make a 1 1/4 inch hem. Leave a 1 inch opening for threading elastic through later.

Take the skirt body and sew the short ends. To make a a tube. Hem the bottom with a 1/4 inch rolled hem. Set your skirt body and waist band.

Cut 2 inch strips.  For a 15 length skirt I cut 5.

  I ran the raw edges through my serger just to clean the edges.

Hem 1 short edge. This will lay with the hemmed edge of the top skirt.

Take the top skirt and hem the bottom edge.Your fabric should be one length.

Measure the fabric into sections For 45 inches I measured mine 8 1/2 inches. Lay one of your strips down and pin.

Stitch down each edge of the strips. Then down the center. Dividing the strips into 2 sections.

Fold fabric with right sides together.

Stitch down along the edge. Leaving about 3/4 inches from edge to seam.

Press open seam. Stitch down, Making a pocket wide enough for your ribbon.

Looking something like this when you are finished.

Turn  skirt body right side out.

 Now is when you thread your ribbon into the pockets you just made.

Stitch around the top to secure the ribbons in place. 

Pin both fabrics together.  Using a basting stitch around the the top of the skirt. About 1 inch from the top. Pull the top thread and gather the skirt until the skirt fits the waistband.

Once the skirt is gathered and fits the waist band. Pin the two together.

Sew the waistband to the skirt.

Thread the elastic into the waistband. Stitch the elastic together and close the waistband.

All finished.  Just pull your ribbons and gather the top skirt.

Perfect for  little girls who love to jump and twirl.

Thanks for joining me for Home Made Holidays.  Don't forget to come back tomorrow for a fun Kid craft.