I recently began selling a kit to make this golden Pouting Princess flower.  While my Pouting Princess tutorial teaches you how to make the flower, there is nothing in it about attaching the lace trim.  Truth be told, this is the same way to attach Russsian Netting and most any trim! 

Materials you will need include:
-Flower (I am using a 3.5" Pouting Princess fabric flower)
- Lace Trim or Russian Netting (My length is 12")
-Hot glue gun & all-purpose hot glue
-Needle and Thread (optional if you are crazy like me)
-A Circle of felt or fleece for a neat finished appearance
-A brooch pin, hair clip or both

Step 1: Thread your needle and knot the end then sew a few stitches in one of your short end.  Wrap thread around the end of your lace.  Put the needle back through the lace and tie a knot.  Do not cut your thread. 

*Note: I do not personally use a needle and thread.  I am known to be crazy with hot glue and just hot glue the trim to the base of the flower.  If you are not experienced at doing this I recommend using a needle and thread to get a consistent look.

Step 3: Stitch the remaining small end closed and pull your thread until you like your edge.  Wrap your thread around the small end, put your needle through the end of your lace and tie off your thread. (Just like Step 1.)

Cut the remaining thread.

Step 5: Hot glue your felt/ fleece circle over the lace back (for a neat appearance).  Hot glue the hair clip and/or brooch bar to the back side of your flower. 

I like to hot glue a small rectangle of matching felt/ fleece to cover the inside of the brooch bar as it offers a bit of stability and gives a neater appearance.

Which one do you like better?  I hope you love trimming your flowers with lace/ Russian Netting! 

NEW Bliss Flower Pattern!  The art of millinery fabric flowers has long been regarded as an artisan craft until now!  With the "Bliss" flower pattern you will learn how to make beautiful millinery flowers with household supplies!

Bliss can be small or LARGE.  I even show you how to make a large bliss flower in to an elegant single flower bouquet:

Guess what?  No flame is involved.  You get beautifully shaped petals without a lighter, candle, match, torch....or whatever!  I'll show you how.

Don't you think your life needs a little enjoyment?  Perhaps a little Bliss?

My love/ fall back/ favorite seems to always be fabric flowers, BUT today I am straying from my norm. 

It all started when May Arts announced they would be holding a competition.  Competition, huh?  The materials... silk ribbon.  Mmmmm hmmmm....  I normally am so busy that I pass on such things but I just couldn't resist trying out that gorgeous. silk. ribbon.   

By it's very nature, silk lacks a bit of stability so I began by soaking it in fabric stiffener and hanging it to dry:

When it was dry, I took my 3 thinner strands and knotted them together then braided a 12" length.

After I knotted the end of my braid, I grabbed my hair straightening iron and on the lowest setting (silk burns easily) flattened the braid so it looked more finished:

I used the concept from the headband tutorial on this post to add an adjustable or stretchy band.

Ok! Let's make the curled bow!  NOTE: It is important to have treated and dried your ribbon with  fabric stiffener as your bow ends won't hold a curl if you don't.  

Cut 3 lengths of 1.5" wide ribbon: 9", 9" & 6".  Angle cut one of your 9" lengths as shown (reverse angles).

You may want to mark the center of each ribbon length, but being a free spirit I eyeballed it.  ;)

Fold one end of your 6" ribbon up and just past the center, then do the same with your other end.  Sew the center to form your bow:

Repeat this process with the 9" regular ribbon.  Without folding in the ends, sew your angle cut ribbon in the center.  This is what all 3 ribbons should look like:

Take your hair straightening iron on a low setting and curl your angle cut 9" ribbon ends.  I curled my ends opposite ways.  To curl ribbon (or hair for that matter) with a straightening iron simply put the ribbon between the iron plates, twist your iron in a curl and gently pull the ribbon through the plates:

When all 3 layers are finished, stack and sew them together.  I liked this skawompish :) way of layering them:

I finally glued my bow to my headband and threaded a fancy button on a ribbon and wrapped/ hot glued it around the center of my bow and headband.  

Here's another look at the finished headband:

WAHOOEY!  My adorable model put on her sweet side today.  Either that or I was more patient (ehem) after reading this post.  

Thanks for a fun challenge May Arts!!   We'll see how well I fair... or fall.  :) 

Oh my, how I love my new "Dazzle" fabric flower design!  

I had so much fun photographing and writing this "Dazzle" Fabric Flower Pattern... except for some frustrating computer issues that is.  (Guess what?  I am super proud of myself because I even sewed the outfit with the red sash... without a pattern.  I do love to design! :)

My "Dazzle" Fabric Flower Pattern is 23 pages of step by step pictures, detailed instructions and product pictures.  You will learn how to make the "Dazzle" fabric flower in no time!  Plus you can always contact me with questions.  I love to brainstorm!  Ok, just one more dazzling image:

Want to see more fabric flower tutorials?  Please visit my Fancy Schmancy store.

On Sunday, a fantastic lady brought the cutest pin cushion cupcake that her lovely daughter Leah had made.  She had the idea that the women in our church would love to have a mother/ daughter activity where we make a bunch of them!  The only problem is that our budget is rather limited so we would need to use different supplies than Leah had.  

I thought my readers might like to make these as well, so here is my Fancy Schmancy version of Leah's charming cupcake pin cushion using different supplies.  Thanks for the inspiration Leah!

So, check this cupcake pin cushion out!!

Too cute, right?  Here's what you'll need to make your cupcake pin cushion:

1.    2- 3.5" X 20" strips of Felt, Fleece, Minky or other thick fabric in coordinating colors (Some fabrics are thicker than others so you may prefer different lengths, but I found 20" to work well with most anything.)
2.    Needle and Thread
3.    1.5" wide Trim or ribbon (give or take 10 inches: enough to wrap around your cupcake)
4.    A circle of your fabric that is about an inch wider than your cupcake.  I just freehand this and it does not need to be perfect.
5.    Hot glue gun and all-purpose glue sticks
6.    Lighter, matches, wood burning tool, etc. to heat seal the ends of your ribbon
7.    Extra fabric, fleece, cotton balls, stuffing, etc to stuff in your cupcake
8.    Any trimmings, or bling.  Don't forget a cherry on top!!


Start by folding your fabric strips in half length wise and lay one on top of the other:

Begin rolling your fabric in a not too tight and not too loose circle:

Continue to roll through the end of your fabric strips:

Hold your cupcake in one hand and then insert your fingers in the under side of your cupcake and push the layers up until you like the shape:

Sew stitches all the way through the layers of your cupcake.  This will ensure that it does not come apart.  Do this several times from different angles, making sure that all layers have thread through them:

Next, you will want to stuff scraps of fabric, cotton, filler, etc. under your cupcake to make certain that it has some stability.  I used some scrap fleece that I had:

Just fold/ roll your scrap fabric (etc) and stuff it underneath your cupcake:

Next, set your cupcake in the center of your circle of fabric.  Start hot gluing the edge of your circle in small segments:

Press the glued edge to your cupcake:

Continue to glue the edge of your circle to your cupcake until....

Next, take your 1.5" ribbon or trim and measure around your cupcake, making it overlap slightly and cut.  Take your matches, lighter, wood burner, etc and heat seal both cut ends:

Hot glue your trim/ ribbon along the bottom edge of your cupcake, then glue the top edge down.  

 Add some trims, sprinkles (sewing pins), bling, a cherry on top and VOILA!  A charming cupcake that any sewing fan will think super sweet!

They were so much fun that I made a few more:

And one more view of the original:

I hope you enjoyed my cupcake pin cushion tutorial!  I hope to see your Fancy Schmancy cupcakes!!

BTW, to see tutorials for fabric flowers, a fabric flower bouquet and a crown tutorials please visit my shop.

Do you like it?  Feel free to....

Have you ever drooled over a gorgeous trim that you wanted to make in to a beautiful headband, BUT the trim isn't stretchy?  What are you going to do?  No worries.  I will show you how to make a headband out of non-stretchy trims.  My classic, no-sew technique will have those headbands made in a snap!   :)  

For those of you who are more visual learners, you can learn how to make this headband with a video tutorial:

I hope to see your headbands soon!!  This headband video tutorial can also be viewed on my YouTube channel!

UPDATE: Here are some basic measurements for the headbands using Fold Over Elastic (FOE).  There is a half inch allowance on both the FOE and the non stretch trim for overlapping: