How To: Flower Hair Clips

Ok, so while I was teaching some of the gals to make these, I forget to take pictures (OOPS) of some of the steps, so I will try to explain the best I can!
Get your glue guns ready!

First, I created a pattern (just by hand, nothing fancy) so that I could use it to trace over and over again! The S you see on that pattern stands for small - as in the small clips go inside these leaves! When tracing, make sure to flip over the pattern (one time the S will face up, the next face it down).

Here is where I forgot to take a few pictures, but when you cut out the leaves, make sure to cut on the inside of your trace marks, otherwise when gluing together, they will be seen (and that looks yucky).

Below are the types of clips that you are going to need to put in between the two pieces of felt leaves. They had two sizes, so I made patterns of a leaf for both! Guess I like variety?!

Again, picture is missing, but you will unclip the clip (sounds weird, I know) and poke the bottom of the clip through one of the pieces of felt. Once it is through you can clip it back again. You will want to hot glue the other unused piece of felt on top of it, I try to get as close to the edge as possible (make sure to match them up before you start poking and gluing)! It is ok if glue comes out the sides of the felt, in fact, I kinda like it! I know for sure my ends of the leaves are nice and glued! You just cut off any excess glue and unevenness that your leaf pieces might have, as the glue makes it move just a little. I am a perfectionist, so I like them to be exact. Set that aside and let it dry.

Next, cut out fabric into circles at desirable size. The fabric needs to be something of a silk, polyester, satin, chiffon, etc (it has to be shiny - I knew when I felt it), so that the edges will burn. I wouldn't recommend cotton unless you would like a trip from the fire department! You can add as many layers to your flower as you want and don't worry that the circles aren't cut perfectly, they don't have to be. In fact, I would recommend eye balling it, it gives them better character!

Hold one circle at a time over a candle (I found that to be the most efficient way) and watch the edges curl. Use cation, do not get to close or it will light your material on fire!!! You just find a spot where the heat bends the fabric. It gets a little hot on your fingers, so just be careful. I haven't figured out how to hold it over the flame without using my fingers and still have control. I think that I saw on someone's blog where they used a close pin - I might have to try it (if you do, let me know how it works)!

Hot glue each later on top of each other one by one. You just need a dab of hot glue per layer, it doesn't take much to hold it. Hot glue is my new best friend!

Once you have the flower layered, you can add a middle. I chose to use little beads (but you can use whatever - buttons, rhinestones, etc.). You make a hot glue blob in the middle of the flower as big as you want the middle part to be and sprinkle the beads on top. Shake off excess beads into a bowl, that way none go to waste and you can use them again! That and you don't have a giant mess to clean up!

Finally, you want to go back to your flower leaves and glue on the petals and the leaves. More hot glue! Place the flower where you think it looks best (some like lots of leaves showing, some do not, you are the best judge)! I always make sure that the edge right at the front is hot glued down, as I want the flower part to show for Lola, not the green leaf part!

Here is my favorite flower of the day! I didn't add leaves to this one, thought it looked pretty enough to stand alone!

And there you have it ~ The Roseland Family's First Crafty Tutorial!
Hope it was helpful and I hope that I have inspired some of you to make your own!