Felt Poinsettia Brooch Tutorial

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Feeling festive?  How about making a pretty poinsettia for your lapel?  

A blog reader asked for a tutorial for these and I thought maybe some others would enjoy making them too.  They're a really simple design that anyone can do so grab some felt and get a'making.

What you'll need:

felt - (I use felted coat and sweater material)

in a flower color and a leaf color

a pretty button

thread

needle

scissors

pinback

Using a simple flower template like the one above, cut out your three flower shapes and your leaf shape from your felt.  (you should be able to print the template above and adjust the size as needed if you don't feel comfortable drawing your own.  Print this in landscape orientation.)

Using the tip of your scissors, snip a small "x" in the center of the smallest flower piece.  Cut small circles in the center of the remaining two flower pieces.  You'll want to make the hole smaller than the size of the button you're using for the center.

Add some decorative stitching to the flower petals if you wish.  If you're making these with kids or just want a simple brooch, leave the stitching off and continue to the next step.

Sew a pinback to the back side of your leaf shape.  By sewing it slightly above center the brooch will hang nicely when on.

Turn the leaf rightside up and stack your flower shapes on top of it.  Alternate the position of the petals as you stack so they look nice and full.  Start by taking a stitch down through the center of the stack and through the leaf, and then back up through the stack before sewing your button on.  Sew the button on securely, catching the inside edges of the holes you cut in the flower shapes as you go.  This holds the piece securely together and the holes help the button sink into the flower center, giving it some shape.

Make a knot and tie off your thread, snip the tail and proudly wear your new brooch.

They'd make nice little gifts and you can make them as ornate or as simple as you'd like.  Change up the stitching, do different colors, make them your own through little touches that are uniquely "you".  By using felted garment wool and vintage or reclaimed buttons, you'll be making them more eco-friendly too.

If you make some, I'd love to hear how they turn out.  Drop me a note in the comments if you do.

Have fun!