Forever Flowers - a Stitched Felt Flower Bouquet

Fresh cut flower bouquets are beautiful but don’t last very long.
I wanted a bouquet that would be around for the long term, and one that was unique. Felt flowers give you forever beauty. My blooms are a little weird and alien because… well, that makes them more fun!

These flowers and stems will take a little time to make, and require a few different skills, but the end product is unique and quite the conversation piece.

I have broken the materials and instructions into three sections so you can make all the foliage or just your favourite pieces. I have called the pink and purple large leaf shapes “Flame Leaves”, the hanging pink hearts on a stem are “Bleeding Heart Flowers”, and finally multi-tone foliage stems.

This is the materials to make seven individual leaves

• 2 A4 sheets of leaf green felt
• Light pink and purple felt sheets in three tones. I used scraps, or one A4 sheet of each colour
• Beige or light brown felt for the stems. You will only need one A4 sheet or a scrap about 25cm * 10cm
• Embroidery threads in lots of colours:
  • Matching green to the outer leaf. I used DMC Very Dark Parrot Green 904
  • Lots of colours to mix and match to make all the inner leaf outlines and veins on the leaf different colours. I used several oranges, bright yellows, purples, pinks, and blues from left over projects. I would guess about eight to 10 different colours
  • Beige thread to match the stem. I used DMC Medium Mocha Beige 3863
• Embroidery needle
• Embroidery scissors
• Old scissors to cut felt
• Pins
• Chalk or dressmakers pencil
• 2B pencil
• Florist wire seven lengths of 24 gauge
• 30cm width of fusible webbing
• Iron and ironing board
• Ruler
• Pliers or wire cutters
• Rotary cutter and board (optional but nice for accuracy)

Each Flame Leaf is double sided consisting of two outer leaves joined using blanket stitch and two inner leaves, with a central covered wire stem.

Download the pattern sheet and cut out the inner and outer leaf shapes from the sheet.

Using chalk pencil, transfer the outer leaf shape once onto the green felt. Neatly cut out around the chalk marks using the old scissors (felt will blunt good scissors!)

To get nicely matching outer leaf shapes, pin the leaf you have just cut out back to the felt sheet and neatly cut around your first leaf shape. You now have two matching outer leaf shapes. Repeat this six more times for a total of seven leaves and then set your outer leaves aside.

Using the inner leaf pattern, transfer the shape in pencil twice onto a small section of the fusible webbing (on the paper side). Roughly cut around the fusible webbing shapes (not on your pencil lines).

Using the iron and ironing board, press the two webbing shapes shiny side down onto one colour of pink or purple felt using a dry iron.

Once cool, neatly cut each felt shape out on your pencil lines.

Using the template on the pattern sheet as a guide, position the pink inner leaves, webbing side down, onto each of the green outer leaves. Use your iron to set the inner leaf in position.

Repeat this for each of the seven leaves.

Using two strands of a contrasting embroidery thread colour, blanket stitch around each inner leaf shape. Bright contrasts look the best, like yellow.

Using the chalk pencil and the template on the pattern sheet, draw in two central veins and six radiating veins onto each side of the leaf. This is quite easy to achieve by eye.

Each leaf is made of central veins which are two lines and then six radiating lines out to the leaf edge. I worked all the lines in two strands of thread and used stem stitch. Back stitch would also be fine.

I used one colour for the middle two vein lines and then each of the radiating veins is in a different colour. I used lots of bold colours. The only rule I had was to mirror the design on the second leaf so that they make a pair of sides for the final “Flame Leaf”. If you study the photos you can get an idea of the colour layout: perhaps a middle set of veins in purple, then an orange, a blue, two shades of pink, a yellow, and a final paler orange. There is no wrong colours. I was using scraps of embroidery thread.

Once each set of leaves has the veins stitched in, you are ready to form the stems.

From the beige or light brown felt, cut an EVEN strip 8mm wide by 25cm. This is easier with a rotary cutter or draw a line with chalk and neatly cut along it. Why so picky? Because this thin strip will be stitched over the wire and there is not a lot of margin for error.

Fold the felt strip in half length-ways and slightly curve the end. Using two strands of embroidery thread, blanket stitch the very end of the strip and start down the side for about 2cm. This forms a little tube you can insert the wire into. Insert the florist wire (don’t worry about the wire length at this point). Continue to blanket stitch the wire into the tube. At about 5cm from the end of the felt strip, use the wire cutters to trim the wire to just a little less than the felt. Work the blanket stitch right to the end of the strip and around the corner, and tie a knot to secure. Repeat this for each of seven stems.

Work with a set of leaves and one stem at a time. Lay one leaf shape wrong side down on a surface and position the stem to be about 4cm – 5cm into the leaf at the central vein area.

Using the green thread catch the stem down to the leaf using whip stitch. Just be sure not to go all the way to the front of the leaf. You only want to catch down to the back of the leaf. Work the whip stitch all the way around and knot to secure.

Lay the second leave shape over the first lining up the edges. This will form a leaf sandwich with the stem as the filling. Pin the leaf to secure.

Using two strands of matching green thread blanket stitch the entire edge of the leaf.

Repeat for each of the leaf pairs.

You have now created your “Flame Leaves”!

These bold leaf shapes would be wonderful in other uses. I have a couple of photos of ideas – used on a wreath, perhaps adjusting the colours for the season; or a pattern on a table runner.

This material list would make two stems of "Bleeding Hearts" flowers.

• Two A4 sheets bright pink felt
• One sheet dark red felt
• Embroidery thread in pink and red to match felt shades. I used DMC 814 Dark Garnet and Light Carnation 893.
• Eight pearl small white seed beads (just large enough to fit over 18 gauge wire)
• Eight light pink large seed beads
• Eight wooden oval beads or any purple or red oval bead. I sourced mine from an old bead curtain
• 18 gauge florist wire, about four lengths
• 24 gauge florist wire, two lengths
• Tiny amount of polyester fill to fill the heart shapes
• Paint if you need to colour your wooden beads. I undercoated in white Gesso and then used violet acrylic paint
• Gloss varnish if you have to paint your wooden beads
• Two old spare chenille sticks to use as bead holders if you have to paint your beads
• Paint brush
• PVA glue
• Duck tape
• Embroidery needle
• Embroidery scissors
• Old scissors to cut felt
• Pins
• Chalk or dressmakers pencil
• Ruler
• Pliers or wire cutters
• Rotary cutter and board (optional but nice for accuracy)
• Stuffing tool or old paint brush (optional)

Each “Bleeding Heart” flower stem is made from four hanging individual blooms, three with a heart shape, and one with a circle. These blooms are formed using wire that has three beads glued to the end and then covered with red felt to form a stem, and then the pink heart is sewn over the top. After each individual bloom is formed, they are wired and taped together and then covered with a layer of red felt. It feels like a lot of work, but they look really lovely.

From the 18 gauge florist wire cut eight lengths of 18cm. Dab a little glue at one end and slide on a large oval bead in a pink/purple tone, a smaller pink seed bead and a tiny pearl seed bead that only just fits. Lay the lengths out to dry.

If you cannot get an oval bead in the right colour you can do what I did. I painted wooden beads sourced from an old bead curtain. I painted each firstly with a coat of White Gesso and then a second coat when dry of violet acrylic paint. Finally I painted gloss varnish over the top.

To speed up the painting of each bead, I inserted them onto a chenille stick a little apart. This is sturdy enough to allow you to hold and paint all sides at once. I bent the ends of the chenille stick around a handy wire office stand to dry.

While the wires are drying, download and print the template and cut out the templates of the three heart sizes plus the circle.

Using a chalk pencil and the bright pink felt, transfer each shape to the felt twice. Neatly cut out each shape from the felt.

To get nicely matching shapes, pin the pieces you have just cut out back to the felt sheet and neatly cut around each shape. You now have two sets of matching heart and circle shapes. Set these shapes aside.

Wait until the glue on the stems is dry.

From the dark red felt, cut an EVEN strip 6mm wide by 11cm. This is easier with a rotary cutter or draw a line with chalk and neatly cut along it. Because this thin strip will be stitched over the wire, there is not a lot of margin for error.

Fold the felt strip in half length-ways. Insert the florist wire (don’t worry about the wire length at this point) just above the beads. Using two strands of embroidery thread, blanket stitch the very end of the strip and start down the side. Continue to blanket stitch the wire into the tube. Keep going until you run out of felt and tie a knot to secure. Don’t trim the wire yet. You will need them to overlap to form the main stem. Repeat this for each of eight stems.

Each of the eight stems will have one of the heart or circle felt shapes attached by blanket stitch just above the beads. Each heart has the point of the heart facing the beads.

Pin each of the sets of pink felt heart shapes around an individual stem. Using two strands of matching embroidery thread, stitch around the edge of each shape. Stop around 1.5 cm to 2cm from the end of each shape and lightly stuff with a tiny bit of polyester fill. An old stiff paint brush or a stuffing tool can really help with this process.

Repeat for all eight stems.

Position a group of four heart and circle shapes or “droops” on a piece of paper with the order the circle, the smallest heart, the mid sized heart and then the largest heart.

Take one of the 24 gauge wires and lay it above the heart ‘droops’. Overlap each of the droops of wire a little onto the larger wire so they are attractively spaced. Refer to the photos for relative positions.

Using small pieces of duck tape (I love this stuff!) secure each of the ‘droops’ to the main stem body, ideally above the felt on each ‘droop’. Its okay to have the felt swallowed up a little if needed.

We now need to cover the main stem with a wider piece of red felt. I cut a piece 13mm wide by 30cm long. You may want to measure around the widest part of your joins between the ‘droops’ and the main stem to make sure 13mm is wide enough.

Use the same method as before to stitch on the wider piece of felt. Start up at the end of the stem where the circle ‘droop’ meets the bigger wire and blanket stitch your way along. Try to make sure each of the ‘droops’ is caught in so that the exposed wires are covered each time. Its better to loose a bit of felt covering into the main stem than have exposed wires. You can also trim any excess of the ‘droop’ wire above the tapes on each section if you like.

Keep working the blanket stitch until about 5cm from the end. Trim the wire using wire cutters to just inside the felt length. Work the blanket stitch right to the end of the strip and around the corner, and tie a knot to secure. Repeat this for the other “Bleeding Heart” flower.

I had my ‘droops’ all lined up facing sideways so they look like series of hanging lanterns.

This materials list will make three stems:

• A4 sheet of pale mint green felt
• 1 packet of pre-cut 2cm felt circles, or just cut a bunch of circles from various scraps of green felt. I sourced mine from a discount store
• Embroidery thread in a couple of shades of green to match felt shades. I used DMC Light Jade 563, Medium Parrot Green 906, and Very Dark Parrot Green 904
• 18 gauge florist wire, three lengths
• Embroidery needle
• Embroidery scissors
• Old scissors to cut felt
• Wire cutters or pliers
• Pins
• Chalk or dressmakers pencil
• Ruler
• Rotary cutter and board (optional but nice for accuracy)

The final ingredient in my bouquet is some filler type stems of foliage really simply formed from a covered stem and sets of pre-cut felt circles in various shades of green. These stems were really easy and fast to make and add a nice touch to the bouquet. My daughter was so pleased with how these looked, she requested a version turned into a flower crown. You can see the Instructable for this one here:

https://www.instructables.com/Simple-Sewn-Felt-Leaf-and-Bud-Hair-Garland-a-Light/

From the pale mint green felt, and using your rotary cutter and a ruler, cut three even strips of felt from the A4 sheet of mint green felt. My strips measured 9mm wide by 30cm long. This is easier with a rotary cutter or draw a line with chalk and neatly cut along it. Why so picky? Because this thin strip will be stitched over the wire and there is not a lot of margin for error.

Fold the felt strip in half length-ways and slightly curve the end. Using two strands of embroidery thread, blanket stitch the very end of the strip and start down the side for about 2cm. This forms a little tube you can insert the wire into. Insert the florist wire (don’t worry about the wire length at this point). Continue to blanket stitch the wire into the tube. At about 5cm from the end of the felt strip, use the wire cutters to trim the wire to just a little less than the felt. Work the blanket stitch right to the end of the strip and around the corner, and tie a knot to secure. Repeat this for each of three stems.

Each of the leaves is just a 2cm felt circle pinched onto one side of the stem and then caught down with a few stitches in matching green thread on the base of one edge. Then repeat with a second circle from the other side of the stem slightly down from the first. By catching the leaves down on one edge they will naturally sit slightly out from the stem.

I randomly spaced out the leaf sets with the different shades of green felt circles down the stems until it looked balanced. The packet of circles had plenty of circles to complete this project with lots of leftovers.

Collect your blooms together to form a bouquet. Perhaps tie with ribbon!

All of my blooms have a second life planned. I am going to use them as part of an upcoming diorama I am making called “Frog’s Book Nook”. Keep an eye out for it coming soon!