It's Flower Power Week...Let's make Felted Flowers!!!

I would like to introduce someone who inspires me greatly ~ my sister Rebbecca!!! This vibrant flower she created is a wonderful representation of the bright, beautiful soul she is. As my big sis she has graced my life with so much encouragement, inspiration and wisdom. She is an amazing mother to nine  children and her patience, creativity and joy she exudes are a true gift to be around!  I have many a handmade gift from this crafty gal ~ seems she always has a project on the go. Here is her latest...

Enjoy! 

Rebbecca with her youngest ~ sweet Nadia ~ modeling her flower 

~Rebbecca's Felted Flower Tutorial ~

I love "upcycling" or repurposing things. I must take after my Grandma Betty. She saved and re-used everything....and I mean everything! I think she saved every bread tie that passed through her house in 50 years! Seriously. Having gone through the Great Depression in the 30's, she saw the importance of being frugal...to the nth degree. I don't carry things that far, maybe, but I definitely think we all need to do our part to reduce the amount of garbage we are piling up in landfills.

Which brings me to felting. How many of you have inadvertently sent a 100% wool sweater through the regular wash, only to find that it has shrunk to fit the size of your 6 year old? (ok, ok...yes...I've done just that). My daughter was thrilled to find out that mommy's sweater was now hers...but how many thick wool sweaters can one girl own. :) I discovered there are many ways to make use of that now-too-small felted sweater, rather than tossing it, and one of my favourites is...felted flowers.

They are simple and oh so gorgeous.

Here's a list of what you will need...

100% wool sweater that has been "pre-felted" (washed in a washing machine in hot water and laid flat to dry)

buttons (vintage ones found at thrift stores are great!)

needle

thread

pins

scissors (preferably sharp)

templates for the petals found on this page

Here's the full video tutorial found at  www.diydish.com , but basically you pin the templates to the felt, and cut around them.  Next, you thread them one by one onto your needle and thread, securing them together with a button on top of all the layers.

Here's my daughter, Sophia, with the finished product. Too cute, eh?

You can use these flowers to embellish just about anything. Here's one on the front of one of my felted purses...

Or look at how sweet this one is,  perched on the front of Luna's wool beret!

Here are my girls sporting all of the things we made from one felted sweater!  Anna (on the left) is wearing a skirt made from the body of the sweater,  and arm warmers made from the sleeves, and a hairband made from the cowl neck. Sophia (on the right) is wearing a dress with the bodice made from the main body of the sweater and, of course the funky flower we made today from yet again the same sweater. Oh so thrifty....oh so FUN!!

Big thank you to you Bec for sharing one of your many funky, fabulous creations!

We look forward to having you back and and keeping the inspiration wheel turning!

In flowing flower sister power

~Shanti~