You’ve made a beautiful gown using a dress form, a jacket from a sewing pattern, or a handbag from a pattern that you’ve made yourself. The finished product came out great, but there’s something missing… You want to add a little something extra to the garment; something to make it pop. Fabric ribbons are an option, or you could use some embroidery thread and floss to create an intricate embellishment; but neither option is really speaking to you. You’re looking for a decorative element that’s dainty and elegant. How about a fabric rosette?
Fabric rosettes are beautiful and timeless; they add instant charm to any garment. Sure, you could purchase pre-made rosettes, but why buy them when you can create your own? Making fabric rosettes is a lot easier than it sounds. In this sewing help guide, we’ll teach you how to make them in just a few steps with some basic sewing essentials.
Things You’ll Need
- A strip of sewing fabric
- A hand sewing needle
- Fabric glue
- Thread
- Sharp shears
- Craft felt and buttons (optional)
Making a Fabric Rosette
Set your supplies out on a flat surface, like a sewing desk, and use the following steps to create your own fabric rosettes:
- Fold the material in half, lengthwise
- Using a pair of shears, round off the edges of the material
- Cut a piece of durable thread; it should be longer than the fabric
- Sew a running stitch around the edges of the folded material
- Take end of the fabric roll it tightly toward the opposite end of the material.
- Place a stab-stitch through the back of the flower at random points as you are rolling to secure the rosette. *Note: You might need to use a thimble to push the needle through the fabric, as it will become more dense as you continue to roll it.
After completing these steps, you should have a dainty fabric rosette. If you’d like to add more interest to it, you can cut some leafs out of the felt and attach them to the back of the rosette with fabric glue; or, you could glue a button in the center of the rosette. If you are going to attach these additional embellishments to the rosette, make sure that you allow the glue to dry thoroughly before you attach them to the garment that you’re planning on adding them to. If you’d like to make the rosette removable, cut a circular piece of felt the same size as the back of the embellishment and use fabric glue to secure it in place. Once the glue dries, affix a brooch pin to the felt on the back of the rosette and you’ll have an adorable brooch that you can attach to any garment; a jacket, a shirt, a handbag, a clutch, or even a fabric headband.
With a few basic supplies and a bit of patience, you can add fabric rosettes to your sewing repertoire.