TUTORIAL: The...something flower.

Here, you can go ahead and name it.  I don't know what to call this one.  The Big, Puffy Flower?  The Flower My Husband Thinks is Obnoxious?  The Large One?  Hey, whoever comes up with the most clever name by 6:00 p.m. August 20th wins a small assortment*!  Cool?

I have seen so many variations of this type of flower floating all over the place, so forgive me if you've seen this before and you're bored.  Go eat some cake or something and come back for the next tutorial soon.

This flower really isn't difficult AT ALL.  It's done in a jiffy and you'll want to make 8000 of them to give to everyone you know.  If you knew 8000 people, that is.  And yes I said jiffy.  Didn't I say something else weird last week? 

Grab those annoying leftover fabric strips you always end up with.  They won't be annoying after you learn this!  You also need some sewing scissors, some felt, a hot glue gun, a fabric marker and some circular objects to use as a tracer (or a compass if you're a Bomb Mom like that).

 

Now find something to trace with.  You'll want your circle to be about the size you want the finished flower.  I just grabbed my pen holder and that did the trick.  Trace circles onto your fabric strip.

You want seven of them.

Here's the part where I decide to go ahead and cut out my small felt circles that I'll use to attach The Crazy Large Obnoxious But Insanely Cute Flower to.  I usually cut out a couple of felt circles so that I can use another to attach the CLOBICflower to a clip or pin or headband.

Do you see why I need naming help?  I am no good at these things.  No good.

I am clever at drawing circles, though.  I rustled through my sewing shelves, pulled out this bottle of fabric glue and it ended up working out to be the perfect size.   

 

Okay, now grab one of your circles and fold it in half like so:

Then comes the REALLY TRICKY PART so pay very, very close attention.

You're going to fold it in half...again.

And then grab it like I did above so you're holding the little pointy end. Do that for all your pieces.  Then chop all your pointy ends off.  That part is kinda fun.  

 

Now grab one of your little felt circles, smother some hot glue on it (can you "smother" hot glue?) and attach your first four pieces down like this:

This is the part where you pretend not to notice my ugly hands.  Sorry, they're vital to this project or I would omit them for your sake.

Take your remaining three pieces and smoosh 'em together like this:

 

 Then "smother" some more hot glue on the ends of these three pieces (What a sophisticated and brilliant writer this woman is, you must be thinking) and if you're feeling extra cautious, in the little hole where you'll be putting them (see below), then hold them in place like this:

I let it dry for a little bit and then, voila:

 

Oh, I kid, sillies.  I'm not that style-challenged.  We're not done.

Now you need to spread out those middle three pieces like this:

 

Oooh...ahhh...pretty.

 Then you can sew it/pin it/velcro it/snap it on a dress like this:

 Or turn it into a ginormously adorable headband for your baby girl like I did.  Just don't expect your husband to come home that night and say, "Why, darling, what a beautiful bow you've crafted our daughter!  I just love it!"  Instead he'll snarl or snort or roll his eyes.

Check back soon for the tutorial on this fabric flower:

*I hereby reserve all rights to choose the cleverist name because, well, I can?  I can also make up words like cleverist.