ANEMONE FELT CORSAGES
Use these colourful easy-tomake flowers to add individual touches to an outfit or tote bag – they are also ideal for gifts.
YOU WILL NEED
pre-cut circular templates with diameters of 1cm, 2.5cm, 4cm and 5cm red, pale blue, pale pink, lilac, pale green, dark green and black sheets of felt tailor’s chalk sharp small embroidery or fabric scissors small black pom-poms pinking shears needle and coordinating coloured threads brooch pins
To make a big flower, draw around the largest (5cm) circle template twice onto your chosen felt colour with tailor’s chalk and cut out. Take one circle and gently fold it in half. At each end of the semi-circle, cut the corner at an acute angle and unfold the circle. Fold the same circle in half again, in the opposite direction as before and, at each end of the semi-circle, cut the corner at an acute angle again. Unfold the circle to reveal four petals – carefully round off the edges of each one with the scissors. Repeat this method for the second circle. To make the centre of the flower, cut a 6cm x 1cm strip of felt in a colour that will complement the petals. Using small sharp scissors, cut a fringe along one long edge, cutting only halfway through the felt. Sew together the two ends of the strip with the fringe on the outer edge, flattening it into a circle shape. Draw around the smallest (1cm) circle template onto the black felt and cut out. Cut simple 5cm x 2.5cm leaf shapes using pinking shears from pale green felt. To assemble the flower, lay the felt petal shapes on top of one another at an angle so that the lower petals show underneath the top ones. Place the fringed edge circle in the middle of the petals and sew in place using a needle and thread. Then lay the black felt circle in the centre, with a black pom-pom on top, and sew in place, through the centre of the flower, using black thread. Arrange the leaves in place at the back of the flower and sew in place using the last of the black thread still attached to the needle. To finish, sew a brooch pin securely to the back.