Use a hot glue gun or tacky glue for this project
Cut the following circles:
1 circle that is 4-1/2” in diameter…the same fabric as the leaves
8 circles that are 5” in diameter for the leaves of the flower
7 circles that are 5” in diameter for the flower petals
1 circle that is 5-1/4” for the flower center
1 circle cut from cardboard (cereal box) that is 3” in diameter for base
Cut the patterns for the circles out of cardboard (cereal boxes work great) and then just trace around them on the wrong side of your fabric. Save patterns for using again. Write the sizes on your patterns.
Lay the 3” cardboard circle in the middle of the 4-1/2” leaf color fabric on the wrong side of the fabric, and do a running stitch with needle and thread, around the edge of the fabric, pull snuggly around the cardboard, knot the thread, and put a small amount of glue under the edge to glue it to the cardboard. This side of the base is where you will build your flower.
Take the 8 circles for the leaves and fold in half, and fold in half again. Now do a running stitch with needle and thread, along the outside rounded edge. Pull your thread taught and continue to add leaves in this way until you have all 8 of them attached on the thread. Pull the thread snug and tie it off, attaching the leaves into a circle. Distribute the fullness evenly around the leaves and then glue the ring of leaves down on top of the fabric covered cardboard circle in a nice even circle.
Now fold the fabric circles for the flower petals the same as you did for the leaves—in half and then in half again. Do the running stitch along the rounded edge and when all petals have been stitched and are pulled taught, tie a knot in your thread, making a circle of petals. Before you glue this down, make your center for the flower.
Take the 5-1/4” circle of the flower center fabric and do a running stitch around the edge. Pull the thread to gather up the edge to make a cup to stuff with your batting. Quilter78 used some steel wool in with the batting to sharpen the needles, I used just batting. Continue to stuff and shape with your hands to make a nice rounded shape. Stuff until it is firm and round and the less wrinkles the better.
When I put my flower together with the center, I sewed the two pieces together with some basting stitches just to hold them in place without having to rely on only the glue. When the petals and the flower center are basted together with the thread, put a line of glue under the inside edge of the flower petals and into the center area. Place the flower petal/stuffed center in the center of the leaves area and press down firmly holding in place until it seems to have set the glue—either the hot glue or the tacky glue.
All done
