Felt or Fabric

A folded flower

I think that some of the themes for challenges at LIM seem to come through the stratosphere! This week Jen and I came up with the theme Felt or Fabric!

The ideas seem fab at the time but when it comes to making them, even though I thought of  them, what to do often eludes me!

Here I used a scrap of fabric which I discovered after a rummage in the loft. It must have been in a box since the 70's I should think. I can't see me using it for a garment, but it may come in as a contender for some patchwork.

I cut a strip using my rotary fabric cutter and mounted it on a strip of card with hand scored edges.

To make the flower...

• Cut 4 scalloped circles with a Nestie  
• Fold each one in half

• Place one folded circle on top of another folded circle... the second at right angles to the first

• Place a third folded circle on top of the second one..again at right angles to it 

• The final circle is placed on the top of the pile, again at right angles to the previous one, tucking in half of it behind the first circle... as you would when folding down the flaps on the top of a cardboard carton

The centre of the flower if secured with a few small stitches through all the layers in the corner of each piece. The addition of a button for the flower centre finishes it off.
It means that because of the folds in the fabric a little more depth is achieved.

Here ready made Stampin' Up felt shapes were used for flowers, but these would be SO easy to make with a few small dies and scraps of felt! The stems were stamped with the edge of a piece of thick card.

Here is a more complicated felt shape. Dies cut felt easily, but it is delicate when cut in fiddly shapes, so I add double side adhesive to the back of the felt before cutting, so that it's easy to peel and stick on your project.

The way I position the sentiment to fit in a given shape is explained on the "Less is More" blog.

Here is another in similar vein, again using die-cut felt for the butterflies.

With my recent cruise and then being in Bath looking after my grandchildren overnight last week I don't seem to have got into the swing of card making, something I must remedy very soon.