New Venture: Making Covered Buttons for Craft Shows

So, I've been absent for quite a while!  Well, I took the plunge and purchased a covered button making machine and am scheduled to be at my first craft show of the year this coming weekend (July 15) at The Temple in Louisville KY!

I've embroidered several holiday-themed covers for pinback covered buttons, flat back covered buttons and interchangeable covered buttons for retractable badge reels.  Any nurses out there who would like sets of these?  The badge reels are also great for those who must have security clearance cards. 

More info will be following to let you know how to get sets of the interchangeable holiday-themed retractable badge reels.  I plan to set up an Etsy shop where many of my products will be available.  Stay tuned!

 These will be added to fabric flowers that can be worn as a brooch or can be used as embellishment for headbands or flip flops, or purse/bags, or on a zipper pull on jackets and purses/bags.  I added crystal beads on the one on the left and pearls on the other one.

 This is a picture of the retractable badge reel I have available, along with three of the interchangeable holiday designs I have.  There will be more to follow.

I have pink support breast cancer button covers stitched out and I've also stitched out some yellow ribbon button covers to show support for our military troops.  I'll post a picture of them soon.

Flower Power Class was Great!

The Flower Power class was held on Friday, March 16, at Austin's Sewing Center with nine students.  This was a fun class.  What a great, fun time we had.

Some had already learned how to make the Kanzashi flower, so I got them started on the next project, while the rest of the class learned Kanzashi.  I surprised myself when I realized I was teaching two completely different techniques to two parts of the class at the same time!  Wow!  I did it!  (To quote my grandson.)

To see the photos of the Kanzashi flowers, and some of the other fabric flowers, go to the previous post about this class.

 These two felt flowers are not in the previous post, so I added them here.  These are copied from a felt flower on a stem that I've had for years.  I don't remember where it came from, nor how long I've had it.  I decided to add embellishments of some fun fur yarn on both flowers, and an addition of some organza squares behind the yarn on the pink flower.

These are very easy to make and with the addition of green leaves and a sewn-on pinback, they make a lovely brooch - don't you think?

The ribbon rosette looks so pretty as a clump of three rosettes, as does a single rosette attached to the center of a ribbon bow.

This is a cluster of yo-yo flowers to show how versatile they can be.

The students were having a great time visiting with each other, catching up on happenings since their last get-together.

I have a second class called Flower Power II scheduled for June at Austin's Sewing Center.  I'll teach how to make a Sweetheart Rose with a template from Clover, and I'll review the pleated ribbon flower project that I offered as a bonus, but didn't have time to go over fully.  Both are shown below.  There will also be several new flower designs taught at this class.

 After the first of April, check www.Austinssewingcenter.com website for the exact date and more details for this class.

Flower Power Fabric Flower Class at Austin's Sewing Center

 If you live in the Louisville, Kentucky area, please come to my class and learn how to make fabric flowers on March 16.  We'll have a wonderfully fun time learning about six different kinds of fabric flowers in this class.  Go to www.austinssewingcenter.com for registration information.

 These are Kanzashi flowers - a Japanese folding technique, which I found on the Internet somewhere.  I had seen some fabric flowers on ready-made garments and started searching for ideas.  When I ran across this technique, I was so curious.  They are easy to make and great fun to put together.  I have sewn buttons into the centers of these flowers and a pin back on the backside so they may be moved from garment to garment.

 The ribbon rosette flowers can be made with satin, silk satin or grosgrain ribbon.  They are a quick, easy way to make some very attractive fabric/ribbon flowers!  And, fun!

 Here are some yo-yo flowers made from cotton fabrics combined with rick-rack flowers.  The yo-yo flowers were made using a yo-yo maker.  They can be used as an embellishment or as a brooch with a pin back sewn onto the back.  The pink is a three-layer flower made with a yo-yo base, a gathered ribbon on top of that, and a small rick-rack flower as the last layer.  The pink flower is sewn onto a stretchy headband.

These fabric roses were made using a template.  The template is a little challenging, but really easy to use after getting the hang of it!

As a bonus, I'll teach how to make a pleated ribbon rose flower brooch by machine, so bring your sewing machine and supplies for this extra project!  I'm looking forward to seeing you there!