Tutorial: how to make fabric peonies

Have you read my last post?

It's about the bag I made for my friend Francesca, embellished by three fabric peonies. They are similar to my peonies brooches, but smaller.

Today I want to show you how I made them. A sort of tutorial :)

I think this is a funny project to use some fabric scraps and to sew by hands (a relaxing activity, in my opinion, perfect to be done outdoor in summer).

Step 1:

Cut a stripe of fabric approx. 45 cm in lenght and 3 cm in height (you can change dimensions if you want to make bigger flowers). Please, pick up a fabric that doens't fray a lot.

Step 2: Fold the fabric.

Step 3:

Cut the upper edge giving it the shape of 4 or 5 petals. You don't need to be precise, because in nature petals haven't always the same dimension and the same shape.

Step 4:

Open the fabric stripe and, with needle and thread, sew by hand a row of stitches in the lower edge. While sewing, start to pull a bit to gather the fabric.

Step 5:

Going on in gathering the fabric, roll up the petals, fixing them with a stitch or two now and then.

Step 6:

When you reach the stripe's end fix the flower's bottom with other stitches to secure it. And, voilà, you have a lovely peony in your hand :)

I hope you will appreciate my tutorial.

These flowers can be used not only to decorate bags and to make brooches, like I did, but also to embellish hair pins, pony tails elastics or headbands, or (why not?) to create a vase of faux flowers.

Endless possibilities! Write me your ideas in the comments, please!

And don't forget to take a look in my 'for you' tag for other tutorials and free crafty things to be inspired by.