ok, so i couldn’t come up with a cool name for these flowers. anyone else got something better than my pathetic “zig zag gathered fabric flowers?”
anyways, onto today’s tutorial. i’m going to show you the basics and you can take it from there. you can do so many different things with this. even my mom was telling me ideas for it {she’s not the real crafty type…} but seriously, headbands, skirts, home decor, pillows, shirt accents, etc.
first, cut strips of fabric and iron each side over as shown.
for the bib necklace size flowers, i cut 4″ wide strips. for the cork board wall hanging i cut 12″ wide strips.
next, you’ll draw a zig zag on your fabric using a fabric marker.
for the necklace, i made the base of each triangle 1.5″ apart. for the cork board flowers the bases are 6″ apart.
then you’ll take a needle and thread and sew long stitches along your zig zags.
pull the thread to create the gathers or petals.
for the bib necklace flowers, i cut small circles of fabric and wrapped the strip of gathered petals into a circle, starting at the center. i hot glued in place, but you could sew in place if you wanted.
for the 2 side flowers, that’s just one layer of petals. the middle flower is two layers. to attach the flowers to the necklace, i just hot glued in place and put felt over the back.
for the cork board flowers, i did not use fabric circles on the back, i just hot glued the strips directly onto the cork board.
this is a really simple technique that can be used in many different ways for many different things. i’m thinking a fun pillow is next on my list! :)
happy crafting!
Hi! I'm Linda, the craft addict behind Craftaholics Anonymous®, a craft blog. Crafting is cheaper than therapy, right? When I'm not DIYing something, I can be found taxiing around our 4 crazy kids or working out. Or shoe shopping... because you can never have too many shoes! Happy crafting! ♥
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This seems really easy!! They look awesome! Thanks for sharing!!!
That's easiest and most effect use of a bias strip!! Love it. Neec to rethink what i create with my scraps now… Hehe
Xo Steph
Mmmmm I like these… and you just gave me an idea for some really pretty bias tape I have laying around the craft room!
These are really great, thanks for sharing,
These are so pretty! Thanks for sharing!
OOooo, I LOVE that necklace, Linda! You are so creative! :]
I must not be all the way awake yet. Checking blogs is the first thing I do. =) I see how wide they are but how long are the strips or is that up to me? I would think youd have to have a certain length to close the circle.
Thanks for the tutorial. I'm going to try it on some dec pillows.
How DID you think of this??? I love it–thanks for the tutorial!
Love these flowers and the necklace is gorgeous. So kind of you to share it with us all!
I love this – it looks easy, but I never would have done it on my own! I want to make some to decorate a tank top! Thanks!
SO cute!! Thanks for the tutorial!
I love these they are so pretty I featured this check it out and grab a button if you'd like!
http://soverycreative.blogspot.com/2010/07/zig-zag-gathered-fabric-flower.html
Thanks for sharing your technique! I can't wait to make some!
brilliant idea!! never thought to make the stitches zig-zag! :)
You are so talented! Thanks for sharing! You are an inspiration!
I love this! Thanks! How about naming them "Ziggies" or Zaggies"?
Great tutorial!!! Thanks for sharing
Hugs
SueAnn
I used this same technique last year to create a textured flower for a baby sensory blanket . You can get a variety of results depending on how wide you make your zigzag compared to the total width of the fabric or if you zigzag closer from on edge than from the other. I posted pictures here :
http://ateliercaroline.blogspot.com/2010/07/baby-activity-blanket-past-projects.html
thank u thank u thank u so much for sharing this, i cant wait to try these for a few shadow boxes i have!
So darling! I have to give those a try!
Those are so cool! Thanks for sharing the tutorial!
Love it! I can't wait to try it out and see if I can actually pull it off. I am filing this at thecraftersfilebox.com. Thanks for sharing!
Very cute! I always love a new flower technique! Question: do you sew through both layers of fabric, or just the folded over side?
Linda, thanks so much for stopping by my blog and answering my question!
H!
Wanted to let you know I posted a link to this tutorial today on my blog, PaperFriendly.
Nancy Ward
Paperriendly
http://www.nancywardcrafts.com
Love the flower! I can't wait to try them!!
Love the flower! I can't wait to try them!!
I love this!!! I've made a whole bunch… Here's a pic!
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7961/zigzagflowers.jpg
Muy bonitas! Very cute!
Trataré de hacerlas muy pronto…
I'll try to make them soon…
Thank you so much I own a little store and always looking for ideas how to decorate my stuff.
Hi Linda! Love your flowers. They looked a bit like the flowers I’d made a few years ago for an appliqued quilt I’d also made. I googled the term “ruched or ruching” and found this link.
http://www.anitashackelford.com/what_is_ruching .html
So, you could called these Ruched Flowers, if you wanted to.
Love your blog and your tuts!
XoXoXo
Joy @ tomorrow’s memories
Thanks Joy! I did not know there was an actual term for that! Thanks for stopping by! I appreciate it.
happy crafting,
Linda
Thanks for the great idea and tutorial. A girl can never have too many ideas for flowers!
Linda, I believe the technique you are using on that flower tutorial is called ruched. It is really a beautiful technique and if you do it in a silk velvet or similar fabric as true silk velvet was Victorian and manufactured stopped manufacturing it during or after World War II due to the shortage of silk. It looks great with tea stained crinkled ribbon for pins, etc.
If I had not seen ruched roses at a shop and asked what the technique was and then came home and looked it up I would have called it zig zag gathers as well.
Thanks for your post.
Linda, That technique is called “ruched”. Zig zag is what I would have called it, too, if I had not seen some ruched flowers in a specialty shop.
Hola saludos desde Monterey N.L. México vi tu video no entiendo mucho Ingles me gusto mucho tu trabajo que expones, como pintas las telas no entendi que tipo de tela y cuales son los materiales que utilizas para pintarlas me gustaria que me enviaras a mi correo y las marcas y cantidades que utiizas. Gracias, saludos.
These are gorgeous.
What a bonsa. Idea they are gorgeous
Thank you, Kathleen!