{shabby burlap flowers}

I discovered these darling shabby burlap flowers on accident. Don't you love when that happens? I had some red burlap, and thought it would be fun to make flowers and attach them to an old frame I had.

When I finished rolling up the first flower, the top side looked beautiful and smooth--just like I had imagined. But then...I turned it over, and all this fabulous shabbiness showed through on the other side! I tried it again and again, and sure enough, it worked every time. LOVE.


You can add these flowers to anything--the possibilities are endless. They're a little different than your typical rosette or flower, which makes me love them even more.

HOW cute would they be in regular burlap? Or chocolate brown burlap? Added to the bottom of a frame, or even made into a round wreath? You could hot glue them all over a styrofoam wreath, and it would be darling. Hmmmm...I think that might need to be my next project!

Shabby Burlap Flowers


ITEMS YOU NEED:

• burlap
• Liquid Stitch

For frame project (as pictured):

• 8x10 frame
• 11x14 canvas
• spray paint
• hot glue
• monogram/vinyl, paint, etc.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut burlap into 1 1/2-2 inch strips. The burlap I purchased was 48 inches in width, and I cut it in half, so my strips were 1/5 x 24. For bigger flowers, just cut a longer strip of burlap.

2. Fold one strip in half, length-wise. Burlap is nice, because it will hold its shape better than fabric, so you don't have to iron it down.

P.S. Sorry about the pictures--I took them at night, so no natural light!




3. Starting at one end, begin to roll the folded strip around itself, pulling tightly as you go. Every circle or two that you make, add a little Liquid Stitch. I like it better than hot glue for projects like this--it dries clear within 24 hours, and won't burn you as you go. Burlap has so many holes in it, that being burned with hot glue is almost impossible to avoid.



4. When you're to the end, just liquid stitch it down into place, against the side of the flower where it ended. Let dry completely.


5. You'll have one smooth side...


and one shabby side!



Now you're ready to add them to your project.

6. I hot glued the flowers to my 8x10 frame, then hot glued the frame onto the 11x14 canvas that I had spray painted black. I used my Silhouette to cut our monogram in white vinyl, and added it to the middle--I think it's the perfect touch. If you don't have Silhouette, you could certainly paint on your monogram, or mod podge it on with paper, which would be darling. You could even use a fun patterned paper!