Tuesday, January 14, 2014

My most popular post

is this tutorial.  So here it is again . . .
I have been honored with a request to post a tutorial of my ruched flower pins and am happy to do so.

I happen to like using batik for these pins, but any good quality cotton fabric would work just fine.

1 ~
Cut a strip 33 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide, turn in and press 1/4 inch on both long sides
2~ 
Mark one inch increments down one long edge

flip over and mark one inch increments again only stagger them this time
3 ~ 
Connect your markings with small basting stitches. It helps to
"ruche" (pull up) every 6 or 7 inches as you go along.
4 ~
Now for the tricky part! You want layers of petals which require lots of stitches on the backside. I don't mean to abandon you now, but you will have to work the ruched strip and sew as you go to make it look just right
5 ~
When you get it to the point where it looks like an actual flower, you can plop a big button in the center 
or, as pictured below, place a button over a yo~yo 

I'm not going to insult your intelligence by teaching how to make a yo~yo.  The one I made for this pin measured 2 1/4 inches across the circle I cut out for the yo.

6 ~
All that's left is to affix a pinback (as you can see . . .  the backside is not pretty, but nobody will see it, right?!)

Never been known for my teaching skills so, if I left something out or didn't explain the process well, please message me.

1 comment:

Kate said...

Thanks for posting this again.