Beaded Felt Corsage

I have a wedding to attend soon and I wanted something to 'jazz up' my outfit. I had been looking at corsages but the ones I found were either large feathered affairs or looked like a someone had popped the head off a silk flower and stuck a pin in it. I decided that I should make one myself, so I made this little baby during a 4 hour movie marathon. I didn't have a pattern, I just sat and started piecing it together from all my bits and bobs (I never knew I owned so many beads!)

I have had so many nice comments from friends and random people since I started wearing it, I have decided to make more and share the instructions on how I made it.

Beaded Felt Corsage - You will need:

Felt

Contrasting fabric

Embroidery thread

Beads

Brooch back pin

Start with a drawing a petal shape on some chipboard to use as your template. Cut out as many petals you like from your chosen felt. I cut 6, but then cut a further 6 to double the thickness.

Stitch the 2 together using co-ordinating embroidery thread. I used 3 strands.

Cut out a smaller petal from chipboard, I used the larger petal as a template and then scaled it down. Cut 6 petals from your contrasting fabric, i decided to use some 'pleather'.

I backed them onto some black felt and stitched the 2 together using contrasting thread.
Sew the petals on to a double thickness circle of felt. I then added the brooch pin to the back, I also added a little strip of felt to cover the brooch bar back.

Sew the petals on to a double thickness circle of felt. I then added the brooch pin to the back, I also added a little strip of felt to cover the brooch bar back.

I then added some loops of velvet ribbon and sewed them onto the circle of felt.

Sew the smaller petals on to the other petals in any placement that suits!

Embellish the center, i used a mixture of beads, glass in the centre for weight and then smaller seed beads to fill in the gaps.

And...Finish. Sit back and admire your handiwork, pin it on your coat, bag or cushion the choice is yours. I recently made a smaller one on a hair clip for my niece, the possibilities are endless. I was really pleased with how these came out, I am not one for sewing and get frustrated with patterns so this was very easy to follow. Have you made one? Please email me to share!