Free Craft Project

Fabric Roses Party Favors

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The finished piece stands about 8-1/2" tall. Although all the supplies needed to make this craft were purchased from Wal-Mart, most of the specialty items can also be purchased from any craft store.


Materials and Supplies

• any rose-like color of tightly woven stiff fabric (that doesn't fray when cut)
  
• dark green felt
  
• Tulip Xtreme Paint (or equivalent 3D fashion paint) to accent the color fabric you choose
  
• 5" styrofoam block
  
• self-sealing floral tape
  
• painted stem wire (18" - 20 guage)
  
• heavy thread
  
• 5/8" wide ribbon (30" for each favor)
  
• tissue paper
  
• salt dough weights* (optional - see salt dough instructions below)
  
• glue gun
  
• hacksaw (or large knife)
  
• wire cutters (or utility scissors)
  

      

Instructions

Prepare 4 hours ahead of time...

Flower Petals

Using the templates, cut all the petals from your fabric (you'll need 10 petals for each flower.

Place the petals right side up on a flat non-stick surface (a cutting board or cookie sheet covered with non-porous paper such as waxed or parchment works well).

Shake the 3D fashion paint well and then place a thin bead of paint all along the outside edge of each petal.

It's not important to get the paint right up against the edge. You just want the bead to be close without having it run off the fabric.

Using a toothpick, you can now gently spread the paint so it meets the edge of the fabric.

You don't need to be overally particular here. The paint is only used as an accent around the edge of the petals as well as make them a bit more firm. (The Tulip Xtreme paint that was used here dries clear so you wouldn't really notice the imperfections.)

After spreading the paint, it should look like this...

Allow petals to dry for at least 4 hours.


Prepare an hour or two ahead of time...

*Salt Dough Weights
(yield: at least 6 weights)

1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup table salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional but recommended)

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Mix water and lemon juice separately. Gradually add liquid to flour, mixing to a soft dough. It needs to be firm - not too dry or too moist. If it's too moist, simply add a bit more flour.

When thoroughly mixed, place on a flat flowered surface and knead until you create a smooth texture. Roll dough to about 1/4" thickness. Using a knife, cut 2-1/2" squares and separate them.

Bake them in an oven at low temperature (no more than 200 F, 100 C) for approximately 1-2 hours. TIP: Halfway through the baking process, it's a good idea to turn the squares over.

NOTE: The salt dough weights are used to keep the styrofoam blocks from tipping over after the flowers are placed in them. If you don't make salt dough weights, you'll need something else that's heavy enough to stabilize the styrofoam blocks. For example, you could hollow out the very bottom of the styrofoam block and glue a flat rock into the hole.


Prepare during down time...

First, using the templates, cut out all the leaves from the green felt (you'll need 4 leaves for each flower.)

Next, cut the styrofoam block into 8 equal smaller blocks. Each one will measure approximately 2-1/2 inches square.

If you have a hacksaw, use that to cut the blocks. If not, a large knife (or one with a serrated edge such as a bread knife) will also work.

Don't worry if they're not exactly even. Any flaws will be covered up by the tissue paper.


Assembling The Flowers

When the paint on the petals is completely dry, you can begin assembling the flowers.

Start by cutting an 18" stem wire in half. At one end, bend over approximately 1" of wire.

Just below the end of the folded wire, start wrapping a 20" length of floral tape.

Wrap over both pieces of wire and upwards to the folded end and then back down to about 3/4" from the fold.

Cut an 18" long piece of heavy thread. Place the base (the square part) of one of the petals against the wrapped portion of the folded wire (with the right side of the petal facing toward the wire).

Make several tight wraps with the thread, securing the petal to the wire. Position a second petal overlapping the first and then secure with several tight wraps of thread. Repeat the process until you've secured all ten petals to the wire.





Take the floral tape and begin wrapping upwards, carefully and snugly wrapping the base of the petals and up past the string.




Add a leaf and then wrap a couple of times with floral tape. Add a second leaf and again wrap a couple of times with floral tape.

Once the leaves are secure, start wrapping downward until you get below the end of the folded wire (you might have to wrap that area several times so there's a smooth transition between the thick wrap around the base of the petals and the single bare stem wire.


Once you reach just the stem wire itself, hold the tape firmly against the wire with your thumb and index finger. With the other hand, gently spin the flower while at the same time working downward, firmly twisting the floral tape onto the wire.


Approximately an inch and half below the petals, place another leaf and secure it with one or two wraps of foral tape. Twist the floral tape downward another inch and then wrap another leaf in place.

Continue twisting floral tape down the wire for another two inches. Tear off the end and twist it firmly in place against the wire.



Finishing

Using a hot glue gun, glue one of the salt dough weights to the bottom of a 2-1/2" styrofoam cube.

Insert the stem wire of three finished flowers down into the center area of the styrofoam. If any of the flowers sit too high, trim off the bottom of the stem wire or wires until you have a nice looking height arrangement.

Once you're happy with the arrangement, place the base (with flowers inserted) on a sheet of 13-1/2" x 13-1/2" tissue paper. Bring the tissue paper up and around the styrofoam block (just tight enough to bunch the tissue paper loosely around the flower stems) and secure with a length of heavy thread.

Cut a 30" legnth of ribbon. Tie it around the neck of the tissue paper and form a bow. Trim both ends of the ribbon at a slight angle to finish them off.