My 3D Flower Tutorial

I think this is one of the best emails I have received in a very long time.    A while back Susan G. wrote and asked me for permission to use my 3D flower tutorial on a quilt she was entering into a show.     Today she writes:

I was absolutely thrilled to receive a ribbon on my first exhibited quilt.  There were 2 NQA certified judges and 1 AQS certified judge at the August, Maine Quilts show so I am very pleased. Thank you so much for your inspiration. 
I have 3 friends who are now playing with your flowers.  They are just soo much fun.  I also watched dozens of people take pictures of the 3D flowers on my quilt.  That really got a lot of attention.

Here are the flowers she made.

And here is her quilt with her wonderful ribbon.  Congrats Susan!

For those that may have missed it, here is the tutorial again.

A 3-D Flower Embellishment Tutorial

The method I am going to show is one of several ways I incorporate craft foam into my quilts using my original 3D technique. I call this my “Raw Edge” method. This wall hanging is based on using these flowers, and once you master this simple yet effective technique, you can create as much as your imagination allows.

Supplies

• 2-3 large sheets of craft foam, matching or contrasting with your fabric (Craft foam is found in craft stores like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby, often in the children’s section).
• 6 fat quarters of coordinating fabric to make flowers and vase (or 12 coordinating scraps each that are at least 5″ x 5″ for the flowers and 1 scrap that is 7 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ for the vase)
• 1 fat quarter for background fabric
• 1 fat quarter for backing
• Fusible web such as Wonder Under (the paper back is easier to work with for this method)
• Rickrack for stems
• Batting 18″ x 20″
• Paper and pencil
• Tennis ball or some small round object
• Buttons, vintage earrings, yarn and/or rickrack for embellishing (optional)
• Flower Template (optional) click to download
• Vase Template (optional) click to download

Flower templates

You can make your own flower templates following the directions below or use the template patterns provided.

Draw or trace a circle approximately 4″ in diameter. Draw a wavy line coming about 1/4″ in and out of the circle. This will be your first flower template.

Create a few other templates or just use this one. Even a plain circle makes a great flower once it goes through the process. Here are the flower templates used for this wall hanging.

Create the flowers

For each flower: Cut a 5″ x 5″ square from each of 2 coordinating fabrics, cut a 5″ x 5″ square out of craft foam, and cut two 5″ x 5″ squares from fusible web. Apply the web to the wrong side of each fabric square.

Make a sandwich with one fabric square wrong side up, the craft foam square, and then the other fabric square right side up. The fusible side of both pieces of fabric should be touching the craft foam. Iron both sides for 10 seconds with no steam.

Decide which side is going to be the front and back of your flower. Turn your 5″ square sandwich so that the back is facing up and trace your template with a pencil.

Set your machine for a small tight zigzag stitch (machine appliqué) and stitch right on the traced line. Once done, either free motion quilt or straight stitch in the middle of the flower to secure the fabric. Cut out the flower 1/8” outside the zigzag stitching.

Place your flower on the ironing board front side up and, with no steam, iron over the flower for 10-15 seconds. Remove iron and press flower over tennis ball spreading your fingers around creating little pockets or “petals” in your flower.

Hold until the flower cools, or about 40 seconds. (If you want to redo it, just repress with the iron and try again).

You can leave the flower as is with the raw edge showing, or couch some funky yarn or rickrack around the outside to really make it pop. Leave the center plain or add a piece of vintage jewelry or a button you’ve covered with fabric.

Tips

• Try creating a block using a 9-patch and cut a flower from that
• Create flowers of different shapes
• Use more or less stitching in the center and see how it creates different textures for the flower
• Shape the flower over varying objects such as a golf ball, a spool of thread, or the bottom of a glass for a unique 3D look
• Use threads that match or threads that contrast when quilting the flowers

To Make the Wall Hanging

Cut the background fabric to 16” x 18.” You can decide to cut the bottom of the background on an angle and add another piece of fabric as I did. Create a vase using the template provided—or draw your own—out of the scraps of your fabric and adhere fusible web to the back of the vase. Pin the vase on to the background fabric. Place your flowers and rickrack stems on the background fabric, tucking the stems just into the top of the vase until you find a pleasing arrangement. Mark each flower with a small pin and remove. Stitch the rickrack stems down.

Place the vase over the stems and fuse it to the background.

Cut the backing fabric 18″ x 20.” Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing. Quilt, then trim the batting and backing even with the quilt top and bind.

Attach flowers onto your wall hanging with hand stitching.