Make it Do Gift: Felt Poinsettia

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Yesterday, my girls and I were working on a few Christmas gifts for their friends.  One thing led to another and I found myself making yet another flower pin.  This time a Poinsettia.  I loved this project and ended up making two for my girls, and plan on making more.  They are perfect as a broach or as a hair clip.

Here’s what you will need:

  • Small amount of red wool felt (I used scraps from another project.)
  • Very small amount of green wool felt (also scraps)
  • button
  • pin or hair clip
  • freezer paper
  • template  here is my simple template, but I also found this wonderful template from Kaboose.  It has a few more petals than my simple flowers, but that might look even better, here’s the link: Kaboose Poinsettia Template

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1.  Start by tracing your pattern onto the paper side of a piece of freezer paper.

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2.  Cut out your template, and place it on your wool, waxy/shiny side down.

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3.  Using an iron set to wool, iron on the template.  It will gently stick to your fabric.

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4.  Using good scissors, cut out around the template.

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5.  Peel the template away from the wool.  It doesn’t leave a mark.  Isn’t that cool?

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6.  Repeat with the smaller flower.  I just set the button down to see how it would look.

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7.  Cut a 1 1/4 inch circle out of red or green felt.  Cut two small slits in the circle, just wide enough to slip a hair clip through.  This is for the back of the flower, on which to attach the clip or pin.

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8.  Using just the bottom flower, stitch the circle around the back of the flower.  I used white thread to show the stitching better in the photo… Yah, that was it.  It wasn’t because my machine was already threaded with white and I was lazy.  That wasn’t the reason at all.  I was just thinking of you.

9.  Somehow I missed taking a picture of cutting out the green center of the flower.  I cut my green with a fluted edge, which was a little tricky and requires good scissors.  You can also cut it in a circle, but in that case, I would choose a button with a fluted edge.  I was dying to try pinking scissors, but I don’t own any.  So I just cut the fluted edge out carefully.  Sometimes you just need to make it do.  The finished green center was a 7/8 inch circle fluted.

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10.  Layer just the smaller top flower, with green center and button on top.  And stitch together going through all three layers.

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11.  Glue the bottom and top flowers together using hot glue.

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There’s a front and back view, with a hair clip attached.  I like that this flower is flexible, I can easily pull out the hair clip and I can slip in a broach pin to wear on a sweater, hat or scarf.

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Here it is pinned on a sweater…

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Thanks to an idea a reader told me about on Craftzine, I also thought this would make a perfect topper for a gift.  That way the wrapping is actually like giving another gift.  (Using cheap yarn is much, much cheaper than ribbon!)

26 Comments

  1. That looks fairly easy to do, and so festive. My daughter will love to do this one. Oh, BTW, I am up to 38 Bed Warmers for Christmas gifts. Thanks for the idea.
    The guy at IFA just rolled his eyes when I asked for a 50 lb. bag of corn feed! Someone mentioned that you can buy cherry pits at IFA…they never heard of anyone selling cherry pits!
    I have a friend who is on a Gluten Free diet and I fear that corn or rice will make her deathly sick. Gluten products in general make her sick. Any suggestions for a substitute?

    • Hi Terry. I am also gluten free (celiac) and corn and rice do not have any of the “bad gluten” and should not affect your friend (unless she is also allergic those grains).

      Alternatively – you can use buckwheat (contrary to the what the name says, this is not a wheat – and gluten free), flaxseed, or millet. I have bedwarmers (we call them “heaty pillows” in my house) made from rice, flaxseed and millet and they work wonderfully.

  2. I am seriously so amazed at you. I can’t believe how every day you have a new post on some craft or baked good you’ve made and I wonder how you have the time and ideas to do all of this. You are amazing. Thanks for all of the great inspiration! This poinsetta flower is so cute and would be a great gift for your girls to give to their friends. I’ll have to think who I can give it to because it’s just so dang cute, I can’t pass it up!

  3. Oh My Gosh! This has to be the best way to cut felt shapes and the design is absolutely precious.

    I will be very busy with all these great ideas.

    Thank you

  4. So cute! I can’t wait to make these as present toppers. I love wrapping presents in simple, plain paper and topping them with any cute topper, such as a flower or a huge bow.

  5. I love love love this!! My sister in law made flower felt clips with her friends awhile back and I want to organize a girl’s craft day and make these too. These are soo cute and adorable!! I was going to go out and buy a Sizzix machine to make the cutting easier, but I realize that I can just use this cutting template.. it may take a bit more time but will save me $100 from having to buy the machine. Where do you buy those alligator clips?! I’ve been looking all over for them!!

  6. I love this idea and want to make some for this Christmas! I can’t find the little metal hair clips anywhere, though. Where did you get them?

    • I was able to get them Sally Beauty Supply for about $5 if I remember right. I would check a beauty supply store in your area. I wish you luck. cheers, Calli

  7. Hi! I love the idea. In fact, with your permission, I will be making this as my Christmas giveaways for the littles girls as hair clips/hairbands and for the mums as brooches and of course the gift toppers. Thanks a lot for the idea. :)

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