March 25, 2011

Love 2 DIY on the Weekend: And Enter Giveaways!

Wanna have some fun? Wanna have the chance to win 5 upcycled prizes??
 I decided to let you guys have the chance to win what I make this week! At the end of the tutorial you can comment to enter.

Today I'm going to teach you how to make fabric flowers that can be used 100's of ways. It only takes about 10 minutes to make one (less if you have no children distracting you) and they are a fantastic way to use up all of those scraps you just can't throw out.

These are the materials I started with - a vintage pillowcase, a sleeve from a jersey knit shirt, and a pant leg from a pair of satiny polyester pants. Later, I decided to add a flower made from yarn because it's too difficult to roll and twist and glue a flower while taking pictures. Yarn just lays there.


Any scrap material will work!

These directions are for smallish flowers - adjust according to the size you would like.

Cut a 2 to 3 inch circle for the base of your flower out of a heavy duty muslin or other scrap material. It doesn't have to perfect, just a quick snip of the scissors.

Next, Cut a strip of fabric to make your flower approx 2 1/2" wide and 8 inches long.
Put a stripe of glue on an 8 " edge on the wrong side of the fabric.
Roll the fabric starting with the 8" edge that does not have glue until it is completely rolled. Press the tube so the glue adheres from the top to bottom of the tube.


Play with all sorts of materials

With a yarn flower, the yarn should be approx 12-14" in length, it wraps tighter and is narrower.

Cover your muslin circle with glue. Press one end of the tube of fabric or yarn to the center of the circle. Twist the tube and you lay it in a circular motion starting in the center.


With fabric be sure to twist the tube AND lay it in a circular motion

It takes a minute for even the tackiest glue to dry, so I pinned the tube of fabric to itself with a straight pin and let it dry overnight to make sure it was sturdy.


Not a sewer? A safety pin or clothespin would work too

For the center of the flower your choices are limitless. You can use buttons, beads, a circle of another fabric, or even vintage earrings as I did.

I filled the center with glue and pressed the earring rather firmly.

Lastly, I trimmed any muslin that could be seen from above.


Four unique flowers

I love the way these turned out - and you can see with the different materials how you could play around and make them uniquely yours.

Thanks so much for reading that tutorial even though you really only came for the giveaway! It's finally time for the fun stuff! Not only will one lucky winner get the 4 flowers I made for this tutorial, but the flowers will be inside the Ribbon Spool I made last week! 5 prizes and 6 chances to win! Please read the rules carefully and get to entering!


Yes! This could all be yours!

Each comment only counts as one entry, so if you are entering multiple times you must comment separately.

FIRST entry: In the comments below, tell me how you would use these flowers.

+1 Follow Love2Upcycle.blogspot.com - must be a new follow.
+1 Follow Love2Upcycle on facebook - must be a new follow.
+1 Post on YOUR facebook about this giveaway - please leave a link to the post.
+1 Follow @Teamupcyclers on twitter - must be a new follow.
+1 Tweet about this giveaway - please leave a link to the post.

Copy and paste this sample, or write your own, but be sure to include the link to this post!
@Teamupcyclers is having their 1st giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/6f7h537 Comment on the blog post to enter! #upcycled #giveaway #etsy

Good luck! The winner will be announced March 30th - Just in time for an Easter treat!
Sammi





57 comments:

  1. I might give them as gifts to my Etsy customers!

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  2. Hello! Nice blog and visiting from etsypreneur. Joined ur blog and ur page on fb. I am an ecofriendly artist as well and write about etsy artists regularly on my blog:
    www.thepinkoflife.blogspot.com
    Please visit me and lets connect!
    Sowmya

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  3. Hi, Sammi! Well, personally, I read this for the FANTASTIC TUTORIAL! I have never made a fabric flower exactly this way, it is really clever and beautiful. Thanks so much! Super cool giveaway, everyone needs this beautiful box-o-fleurs! I would turn them into bracelets.

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  4. I would use them for brooches
    tumblemumbo at gmail.com
    intl

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  5. These are sooooooo adorable!!! I would so want to turn these into cute little pins to wear. Thanks so much for the great tutorial Sammi. From Mary with Garden Whimsies by Mary.

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  6. How cute! I would sew one on my shirt and possible share 1 or 2 with a friend. :)

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  7. I am a new follower and a member of the upcycler team on etsy!

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  8. I would use these to decorate a cute headband! I love making hair accessories from scrap fabric.

    My upcycled accessories on Etsy

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  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  10. I would put these on some of my boring hats to spice them up.

    flataif(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. I'm a follower!

    flataif(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. I would put them on one of my purses!

    kaylynn_0419(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. I am a new follower of you blog!

    love2upcycle.blogspot.com

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  15. I am a new Follower on FB!

    kaylynn_0419(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. I might make a headband of use them as brooches! So cute!


    alexandra_digiorgio at comcast dot net

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  17. I'm a new follower!


    alexandra_digiorgio at comcast dot net

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  18. I "like" on Facebook under Alexandra DiGiorgio! I'm a new follower!


    alexandra_digiorgio at comcast dot net

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  19. I would frame these as wall art. These are so pretty!

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  20. I tweeted
    @thirtyone13etsy
    robin pichelmayer
    Love 2 Upcycle: Love to DIY on the Weekend: And Enter Giveaways! love2upcycle.blogspot.com/2011/03/love-t… via @Teamupcyclers. come check out this tutorial.
    5 minutes ago via Tweet Button Unfavorite Reply Delete

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  21. make into ponytail holders

    Liza767[at]roadrunner[dot]com

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  22. Liza Vladyka face book follows you
    Liza767[at]roadrunner[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I would put pins on the back on them and wear them with summer dresses. :) Very cute!
    sexyhots29@yahoo.com

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  24. became a GFC follower
    sexyhots29@yahoo.com

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  25. I liked Upcyclers on facebook
    sexyhots29@yahoo.com

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  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  27. I followed on twitter @zombiesugarpie
    sexyhots29@yahoo.com

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  28. http://twitter.com/zombiesugarpie/status/51751147198889984

    sexyhots29@yahoo.com

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  29. I wear scarves all the time and would pin a flower on as an accent and to hold the scarf on place. Or as hair brooches!
    Jhbalvin at gmail dot com

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  30. Cute flowers! I would use them to embellish cards, add them to gifts, or even make a pin out of it to wear! :)

    krileong@gmail.com

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  31. I would use these as accents on my upcycled cigar box purses! New FB Follow and repost on FB! Thanks!

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  32. Oops, silly me, I already follow on FB! Duh.

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  33. I love them, but I will probably be giving them as a thank you present to one of my besties who is a master at crafting

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  34. tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/rmfollow/status/52259598052245504

    rmaslow a@t yahoo d.ot com

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  35. I'd glue them into headbands, frames, and other items!
    myheehaw@hotmail[dot]com

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  36. I would put one on my purse, one in my hair and who knows what else!

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

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  37. I follow this blog via Google Friend Connect {Lesli}

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  38. I like you on Facebook.

    {facebook.com/a.little.umbrella}

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  39. I shared this on Facebook.

    http://www.facebook.com/a.little.umbrella/posts/194765220562369

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  40. I follow you on Twitter.

    My Twitter ID is @alittleumbrella

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  41. Tweeted

    http://twitter.com/#!/alittleumbrella/status/52642354909298688

    My Twitter ID is @alittleumbrella

    littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  42. I would put pins on them or alligator clips and wear them :) Love the idea!

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  43. I follow Love2Upcycle on Facebook

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  44. I posted about the giveaway on Facebook
    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000726541152

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  45. I follow Teamupcyclers on Twitter @atirasmom

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  46. I tweeted about the giveaway @atirasmom
    http://twitter.com/#!/AtirasMom/status/52756955739062272

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  47. i would add them to a dress on a doll that i make

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  48. i would make them into headbands so I could easily wear them
    jesage@asu.edu

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  49. follow you on facebook
    Jessica Sage
    jesage@asu.edu

    ReplyDelete
  50. follow you on twitter
    JessicaSage22
    jesage@asu.edu

    ReplyDelete
  51. gfc follower
    jessica sage
    jesage@asu.edu

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  52. New follower!

    Sorry for the last minute entry, I just found this and I couldn't resist! And if I don't win, I can always try the tutorial :)

    beanie.street@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete