You know when you go to a blog and you instantly feel comfortable? Like you belong there? That's how I feel about Living the Swell Life, a blog by a right adorable girl named Jessica. And we feel so lucky to be sharing one of her brand new tutorials here. It's just the kind of thing the Little Birdies like to make. So enjoy, then head over to Living the Swell Life for more.

Ruffled Rose Headband Tutorial


This felt ruffled rose is perfect for finishing off so many different crafts , including sweet Valentine's Day projects! In this tutorial, I'll show you how to turn it into a darling little headband. Once you know the basics, you'll be able to mix it up and translate this concept to tons of other projects, like corsages, pillows, and garlands. Enjoy!

Step 1 |

Flower supplies:

Felt (I love wool felt, but any sort of felt will do. I choose two different colors to help create more depth.)
Fabric scissors
Felt tip pen or fabric marker
Needle Thread (I choose a slightly lighter color so it would be more visible in photos.)
Chipboard for flower pattern
Buttons, if desired

To make a headband:
Elastic headband
Hot glue gun

To create the flower pattern, you can either download and print the image, or go ahead and free-hand your own. C'mon you can do it! My flower is approximately 2.5" in diameter

Step 2 |

Trace pattern onto felt, repeat x5


Step 3 |

Cut flowers. Note: I prefer to skip step 2 and to simply hold my pattern on the felt as I cut around. Felt is somewhat stiff and easy to work with, so this works well. You'll also avoid pen marks on your edges.


Steps 4 & 5 |

Lay one flower down as a base. Fold remaining 4 flowers in half and pile on top of one another so that you have four quarters sticking out.



Step 6 |

Double up the thread on your needle and you're ready to sew! Begin at the center and make several stitches until you've caught all 4 quarters.


Step 7 |

To help ruffle your rose, peel back some of the inner layers and make additional stitches at center to help sculpt the petals into different, more upright directions. Note: If this seems too abstract or confusing--don't fret, you can skip this step also!


Step 8 |

You've got a finished rose! The plain look is very sophisticated, however if you wish to add a button...


Step 9 |

Continue using the same strand of thread to sew a fancy button of your choice to the center.


Step 10 |

To turn your pretty petals into a headband, cut an additional circle of felt slightly smaller than the back of the flower. Flip the flower upside down, add a giant squirt of hot glue, and make a sandwich with the headband and felt circle . It's that simple! I chose to embellish my finished headband with 2 green felt leaves, cut free-hand with a pinking shears.



Now that you've mastered this simple flower, go ahead and experiment with extra layers of felt, different sizes, or use a variety of fabrics.



Thanks, Jessica!