Tutorial: Felt Flower Barrettes

The felt flower barrettes were by far the favorite item of the folks who stopped by my DIY Fair table. Several people sat down and made barrettes on the spot. Others grabbed the directions and supplies to make their own at home. Here's a tutorial in case you'd like to make some too.

YOU NEED:

• a pen, sharp scissors, a needle, red and pink felt, and embroidery floss
• barrettes--the silver clip kind that are sort of long triangles like these
• pattern (I hand drew mine. You can try printing it from the picture. It is about 1 1/2 inches wide--just wide enough for the barrette to fit securely between two flower petals with about 1/8th inch extra on each end. The center circle is about the size of a dime.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut out pattern pieces.

2. With a pen, trace the flower pattern on to the red felt and cut two.

3. Trace the circle on to the pink felt and cut one.

4. Carefully split the embroidery floss in half. It is much easier to sew with 3 strands than with 6.

5. Sew the pink center to the front of one red flower shape. Decorate the front with any additional “fancy” stitching desired.

6. Sandwich the barrette between the front flower and the back flower. Cut a small slit through the back flower for the barrette clasp to go through.

7. Stitch around the edges through both pieces of felt. Be careful to tuck all knots and thread ends between the two pieces of felt.

8. Give it away.

***Relational Giving Idea:

Give a barrette to your favorite little girl with an offer to get dressed up and go dancing with her (in your living room to her favorite songs).

These barrettes are not my original idea. My friend, Stephanie, graciously shared the idea with me. She has made all sorts of cool barrettes--trees, monkeys, guitars, etc.--for her favorite little girl.


P.S. Heather Jane, this is definitely a project you could do with your girls!