How to make fabric flowers

Any flower consists of individual elements that can be drawn on thick paper and then transferred to fabric. The fabric is pre-starchy. Then the tools get down to business (they are called a funny word - gurgles). The buns are heated and used as small irons, with which you can give our patterns any shape. When all the elements are ready, their assembly begins. We start with the stems and stamens. The technique of making stamens is very interesting. They are so different, some are even made from semolina, previously tinted. And for the stalks, we use wires of different diameters, which we wrap either with green thin paper or also with a thin cloth. PVA glue helps us in everything. Of course, the first flowers will leave you wishing for the best. But you will save them to see how your skill grows in the future. Decorate flowers your home, your favorite outfits. May they always give you a good mood and a smile.

Now fabric flowers are back in fashion. And when did you also show interest in them, like today? Flowers are always with us. But a particular interest, when fabric flowers adorned almost every dress, appeared in Russia sometime after the war, and then an even stronger surge - in the first half of the 70s of the last century. And even earlier? ...

The first artificial flowers were known as early as 3000 BC in Egypt. Women were already decorating themselves with artificial flowers. And further from history it is known that the art of making flowers and decorating with them both themselves and their homes was taken over by Greek women. In 350 BC, artificial flowers were brought to Greece from Egypt. And then, much later, in the Middle Ages, both Spain and Italy also started making flowers. Then they were made in monasteries to decorate temples, religious holidays. And at the same time they became interested in fabric flowers in France. In the 13th century in France, the custom of wearing rose wreaths arose among women. These wreaths are called "chapel". Doesn't it sound like the word "hat". Most likely it was, because the French word "chapeau" is our hat. It can be assumed that this is how they began to seriously deal with fabric flowers. Moreover, they became interested so seriously that they even organized manual production in Paris and Lyon. The rose was especially and most loved in France. She was so highly revered that not everyone was allowed to plant these beautiful flowers. The Greek poet Sappho called the rose the queen of flowers ...

And how can you not be interested in flowers when you can hardly find an indifferent person to their beauty. As for women, a woman and flowers are one and the same, especially for poets and lovers who gave and are giving "... millions - millions of scarlet roses ...". And it is not possible to preserve fresh flowers for a long time, not to mention decorating yourself with them.They tried to preserve the beauty of fresh flowers ...
... And only the scent of blooming roses -
Flying prisoner locked in glass -
Reminds me of cold and frost,
That summer was on earth.
Flowers have lost their former shine,
But they retained the soul of beauty.
W. Shakespeare

Flowers were made not only from fabric, but also from other materials. In the Czech Republic, they made "stone" roses. To do this, fresh flowers were dipped into springs rich in mineral salts and kept for some time. And when the flowers were covered with a bloom of mineral salts, they were taken out. We could admire them for a long time. But to decorate women, their clothes, hats, hairstyles, light, delicate, elegant flowers, lovely boutonnieres were needed.
Embroidery, knitting of flowers, flowers from beads, flowers from metal, leather, paper, porcelain, glass, wax, flowers from fabric, flowers, flowers ... They have always adorned and adorn our life.
Fabric flowers have become fashionable both as decorations for women's clothing and as an interior. Every woman wanted to decorate not only herself with flowers, but also her own, albeit modest, home.

In the 19th century, there was a real cult of hat decorations in Paris, and of course, the most widespread were decorations made of artificial flowers. Flowers and ribbons adorned the curls of pretty ladies, and tiaras were made of flowers.
Already at the end of the 19th century, flowers were made from fabric in almost every hat and sewing workshop. Then this art passed to us in Russia.
It seems that artificial flower jewelry is firmly in vogue. Yes, in all countries women want to decorate themselves, and flowers are the most affordable and beautiful decoration. But here these decorations disappeared for some time after the October Revolution, after all, they are a "relic of the past."

How and when did this art come back? It is to the officers' wives, ours, great-grandmothers, grandmothers who sewed, embroidered, knitted, adopting the art and traditions of our populous country, living in military garrisons, sometimes in the most difficult conditions, that we owe the fact that many arts and crafts returned to Russia.
And now, we can learn this noble and worthy art - to make flowers from fabric. You will say why, you can buy or order. Once I even had to hear such a phrase: “What ?! Do it yourself ?! Never!". It is in vain and a pity that some think so. Of course, to whom, what to do and how - depends on the time, circumstances and employment. One thing can be said that any creativity, skill has a beneficial effect on a person, and besides, this is a good activity with your children, especially girls. How much they can learn with you about flowers, in general about plants, you can teach them to cherish all the nature around us. These joint activities with children expand their imagination and horizons, promote mutual understanding and love for each other. Therefore, kids are not a hindrance to this business. And I would also like to add that any creative activity to some extent distracts from the negative state of the soul, soothes. Doctors advise many sick people to embroider, knit, weave lace, make something to the best of their ability. When long winter evenings lie ahead, create beautiful flowers for yourself. Maybe this will become the main occupation for many years to come, maybe it will be your hobby. In any case, creating beauty, you will often look at flowers in nature, because you want to make your flowers the same as real ones. Of course, a lot will not work out right away, but the main thing is desire and patience. If your first flowers turned out to be unsightly, do not be upset. You can hide any defects with colored silk threads or braids, beads or beads.

You are not alone in your interesting and noble cause. Many people are interested in fabric flowers. Many famous fashion designers use artificial flowers to decorate clothes, and our Valentin Yudashkin is one of them. In England there is a tradition - ladies come to the annual races in Derby, showing off their intricate hat, often adorned with flowers, in front of everyone.
Create flowers, decorate your life with flowers.