Another Polyester Flower Tutorial

Polyester Poppy Tutorial
Not that the Internet needs one more fabric flower tutorial but really is one more going to hurt?

No picture this week for the cocktail, not sure why, but it just didn't happen. We did 7 and 7 which was okay, but not my favorite. Now I have a big ole bottle of Seagram's 7 and I am not sure what I am going to do with it.

 - 2 oz. Whiskey, straight grain
 - 5 oz. 7-up
 - 1 wedge Lemon

Mix and serve in a highball glass. Garnish with the lemon.

For the flowers you will need:
1. Cheap fabric that is made of polyester so it will melt - a quarter of a yard will make a lot of flowers
2. Heat source - candle or embossing gun
3. Needle and thread
4. Scissors
5. Template if you feel that is necessary
6. Buttons
7. Hot glue gun
8. Bobby pin or clip you want to affix your finished flower to
9. Cold water to dip your burned fingers in 


Step 1: (I always here New Kid's On The Block "Step By Step" when I type that out)
Cut out about 5 or 6 circles in whatever size you like. We did 3 inch diameter circles.

 

Step 2:

Clip small slits into the circle until they almost reach the middle.

Step 3:

Hold circle over your heat source and watch it melt. I found that this step went really fast and it was hard to hold melting plastic. Please be careful. In one tutorial I read the gal recommended holding it with a hemostat, and if I had one handy I would have used it.

This is where having the cold water on hand is nice.

Slightly melted but not burned - it is a fine line.

Step 4:
After you have all your petals melted, place them on top of each other and sew together. We found that if you scrunch the middle up while stitching you get a fuller flower. Don't worry about your stitches being neat because you are going to soon do Step 5.

Step 5:
Attach a button to the middle of your flower either by sewing it on or with your trusty glue gun.

Step 6:
I used a large bobby pin that I found at Joann Fabrics and sewed my flowers to the end. In hindsight I should also have used some hot glue to add some strength. You may also like the idea of attaching a couple flowers to a piece of felt and then gluing the felt to a hair clip or pin.

Here is my friend Audrey's finished product. Not only does she have a beautiful polyester poppy she also has great hair.