Fabric Wedding Bouquets: Diy Guide For Your Special Day

A fabric wedding bouquet is a great option for brides-to-be who want to save money, create a keepsake, or add a personal touch to their big day. You can make your bouquet from almost any fabric, including chiffon, organza, lace, satin, tulle, and jeans, and decorate it with brooches, earrings, and other jewellery. To make your bouquet, you'll need a styrofoam ball, fabric, a glue gun, and decorations. You can follow online tutorials to create fabric flowers, which you then pin or glue onto the styrofoam ball. You can also add a handle made from a dowel rod and decorate it with ribbon, lace, and beads.

Choosing your fabric

Choosing the right fabric is an important step in making your own fabric wedding bouquet. The type of fabric you choose will determine the overall look and feel of your bouquet. Here are some factors to consider when selecting your fabric:

Type of Fabric

The type of fabric you choose will depend on the style and theme of your wedding. Chiffon, organza, and light fabrics are great options for creating a soft and romantic look. If you want a more textured or layered effect, consider using muslin or satin, as these fabrics can be curled at the edges with a candle or lighter to create a petal shape. For a more rustic or folk-inspired wedding, felt could be a good option. Jeans or denim could be used for a hippie-themed wedding, and black and red velour would be perfect for a gothic-themed celebration.

Colour

When choosing the colour of your fabric, consider your wedding colour palette and the style of your dress. You can choose complementary colours to create a subtle and balanced effect or go for contrasting colours to add drama and impact. Using fabric in the same colour as your wedding gown will ensure a perfectly matching bouquet. Alternatively, you could use sentimental colours such as your favourite colour or that of your partner's.

Amount

You will only need small amounts of fabric to create your bouquet, so this is a great opportunity to use any leftover fabric you may have. Visit local fabric stores and check the remnants section, where you can often find discounted fabric. If you want to incorporate special details, consider using vintage trims from your family or adding elements from your parent's or grandparent's weddings.

Embellishments

To make your bouquet even more unique and meaningful, consider adding embellishments such as antique brooches, earrings, or other jewellery. You can also use "bling" such as diamonds or pearls to add sparkle and shine. These embellishments can be pinned, sewn, or glued onto your fabric flowers.

Styrofoam ball/bouquet holder

To make a fabric wedding bouquet using a Styrofoam ball or bouquet holder, you will need:

• A Styrofoam ball, approximately 6-8 inches wide
• A wooden dowel, cut to size to form the handle of the bouquet
• Fabric, preferably a sturdy white fabric to cover the Styrofoam ball, and other fabrics in your chosen colours and textures
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors or a rotary cutter
• Circle templates, such as round lids in different sizes
• Pins, preferably pearl pins, and other decorative pins
• Embellishments such as brooches, earrings, buttons, and beads
• Lace and/or ribbon

First, cut a small section off the Styrofoam ball to create a dome shape. Then, wrap the ball in fabric and secure it with pins or hot glue. If using hot glue, be careful as it can melt the Styrofoam. You can also add a wooden dowel to the bottom of the Styrofoam ball at this stage to make it easier to hold while working on it.

Next, create the handle by inserting a wooden dowel into the Styrofoam ball. You can angle the dowel slightly so that the bouquet sits closer to your body when held. Secure the dowel with hot glue and wrap it in fabric, sealing the seams with more hot glue. Decorate the handle with lace, ribbon, and/or beads as desired.

Now, it's time to make the fabric flowers. Cut out different-sized circles from your chosen fabrics, using the circle templates. To create petal shapes, cut into the circles and/or burn the fabric edges with a candle or lighter. Layer the circles from largest to smallest to form flowers, and secure them with pins, sewing, or hot glue. Embellish the centres of the flowers with earrings, brooches, beads, or other decorative elements.

Once you have made enough flowers, start pinning or gluing them onto the Styrofoam ball. Space them evenly and fill any small gaps with additional flowers or fabric. You can also add decorative pins to the flowers for extra detail.

Finally, add any finishing touches, such as buttons or brooches to personalise the bouquet for each bridesmaid.

Cutting and shaping the fabric

To make your own fabric wedding bouquet, you'll need to cut and shape the fabric into petals and leaves. Here's a step-by-step guide:

First, gather your materials. You'll need a variety of fabrics in your chosen colours and textures, such as chiffon, organza, satin, muslin, tulle, lace, and silkier fabrics. You'll also need some circle templates in different sizes, a rotary cutter or scissors, and a candle or lighter.

Using your circle templates, trace and cut out circles from your chosen fabrics. Don't worry about making perfect circles, as petals are naturally organic in shape. You can use a rotary cutter to speed up this process.

Next, you'll create the petal shapes by curling the edges of the fabric circles with a candle or lighter. Hold the fabric with tongs to protect your fingers and slowly move the edge of the fabric around the flame. Continue until you have as many petals as you need. This technique works best with satin or silk-like fabrics.

If you're using stiffer fabrics like tulle or lace, you can create a more romantic look by layering them between the petals without curling their edges. Cut the tulle and lace into smaller circles or desired shapes to create a textured effect.

Once you have your petals and additional fabric shapes, it's time to assemble the flowers. Layer the fabric pieces, starting with the largest petals at the bottom and working your way up to the smallest at the top. You can add brooches, earrings, or other embellishments for a unique touch.

Secure the layers together by sewing them or using pearl pins. You can also hot glue the pieces together, especially if you want to add extra bling or filler pieces, like diamonds or beads.

Finally, create the leaves by drawing a leaf shape on scrap paper and cutting it out. Trace this shape onto fusible interfacing, iron it onto your chosen green fabric, and cut it out. Sew the leaves, leaving a small opening, then turn them right side out and iron them flat.

Now you have all the elements you need to start assembling your fabric wedding bouquet!

Arranging the flowers

Now that you have your materials, it's time to arrange your fabric flowers.

First, you'll want to cover your bouquet holder with fabric. Cut a small section off the styrofoam ball so that it's more of a dome shape, then wrap it in fabric and secure it with pins or hot glue. You can also use a sturdy white fabric to cover the styrofoam ball, then add a coloured fabric to the handle.

Next, you'll want to make your fabric flowers. Cut out different-sized circles from your fabric, then use a candle or lighter to carefully burn the edges to create a petal effect. You can also cut the circles into petals and sew them together to form a flower. Stack the petals or fabric circles from largest to smallest to create a flower shape, then add a pin or brooch in the centre. You can also add earrings or other jewellery to the centre of your flower.

Once you have enough flowers, start arranging them on your bouquet holder. Play around with the placement until you find an arrangement you like, then use hot glue to secure the flowers in place. You can also pin the flowers in place if you want the option to move them around.

To finish, add some leaves and any other embellishments you like. You can use a green fabric to cut out leaf shapes, or use lace and trimmings to decorate your bouquet. Cover the stems with floral tubing or ribbon, then add any final touches to make your bouquet truly yours.

Adding decorations

Fabric and Ribbon

When choosing the fabric for your bouquet, consider using a variety of textures and colours to create a romantic and soft look. Tulle, lace, chiffon, organza, and light fabrics are great options for the flowers, while lace and stiffer fabrics can be used as filler between the flowers. You can also use ribbon to add interest and texture to your bouquet. Consider using a satin ribbon in your chosen colour and securing it with hot glue to create a "handle" for your bouquet.

Brooches and Jewellery

Adding some bling to your fabric wedding bouquet can make it extra special. Consider using earrings, brooches, and other jewellery, either new or vintage, to embellish the centre of your fabric flowers. You can also sprinkle in some small decorative charms or buttons.

Leaves and Greenery

Don't forget to add some leaves or greenery to your bouquet to give it a more natural look. You can create leaves using fabric and interfacing, or you can use real leaves if you prefer. Pin or glue the leaves in place, spacing them evenly around the bouquet.

Lace and Trimmings

Lace and trimmings can add a delicate and vintage touch to your fabric wedding bouquet. Wrap lace around the handle of your bouquet or use it to cover the stems. You can also tie a piece of lace around the whole bouquet and add a bow or knot to finish it off.

Pearls and Beads

Pearls are a classic addition to any wedding bouquet. Consider using pearl pins to secure your fabric flowers in place, or sew or glue clusters of pearls onto your flowers for a more glamorous look. You can also use pearl beads to cover the handle of your bouquet or add them as a decorative trim.

Remember, this is your special day, so feel free to experiment and add any personal touches that reflect your style and personality.

Frequently asked questions