What makes this flower so grand? It’s simple to make and crafted from sustainable products: eco-fi felt made of recycled plastic bottle and sweet vintage buttons. In no time at all, you’ll have a new felt posy for your wardrobe by following this simple tutorial. In fact, you’ll just have to be patient enough to allow the glue dry between steps.

Round up the supplies:
3 pieces of 9” x 12” Kunin eco-fi felt (also known as EcoSpun) in colors that suit your fancy (available at http://www.feltorama.com) :: Vintage buttons :: 1.5” pin back :: Scissors :: Fine-tipped marker for transferring petal patterns to felt :: Needle and thread for sewing buttons :: Thick craft glue (Beacon’s Felt Glue or Aleene’s Tacky Glue are good choices) :: Sewing pins

First: Print the petal template below and cut out the small petal and large petal. Print at actual size unless you’d like to change the dimensions to make a smaller or larger flower. It’s handy to print on heavy cardstock if you’d like to reuse the pattern to make an entire bouquet of recycled felt flowers!

Next: Fold each piece of felt in half and pin together around the perimeter. This will allow you to save time by cutting two petals at once. With a fine-tipped marker, trace 3 small petals on the first piece of doubled and pinned felt. Trace 3 large petals on the second piece of doubled and pinned felt. Trace 3 more large petals on the third piece of doubled and pinned felt.

Cut out each traced petal and you will end up with 6 small petals and 12 large petals. When cutting the petals, take care to cut just inside of the traced area to avoid any transfer markings on your petal pieces.

Then: Form each set of 6 petals into an overlapping circle. Next, carefully glue each petal to the adjacent petals. You will end up with 3 flower layers: one created from small petals, and two created from large petals. Each layer may tend to ‘cup’ upward slightly as you glue them. This will add more dimension to your finished flower. Allow each of the flower layers to dry according to manufacturer instructions.

Next: Once the 3 flower layers have dried, stack a layer of large petals on top of the second layer of large petals. Arrange the layers slightly askew so that the back layer of petals peek out between the top layer of petals. Glue these two layers together.

Stack the layer of small petals on top of the other layers. Again, arrange this layer slightly askew. Glue this top layer to the middle layer. Allow the 3 flower layers to dry according to manufacturer instructions. With a needle and thread, sew the vintage buttons to the center of the flower. Stack 2 or 3 vintage buttons together for extra charm!

Now: Turn the flower over. Cut a circle of felt to cover the center back of the flower. Glue the circle to the back of the flower and allow to dry according manufacturer instructions.

Cut a small square of felt to fit over the pin back. Glue this piece of felt over the pin back to the back of the flower. This will attach the pin back securely to the flower. Allow to dry according manufacturer instructions.

You’re done! Pin your new creation to a jacket, handbag or a fabric headband and show it off!

About the designer: April launched Felt-o-rama in 2008 after having difficulty finding online sources for wool felt in vibrant colors. Her passion for textiles began at a early age, thanks to her mom, and an antique treadle sewing machine, a lifelong crafting addiction was born.