Kanzashi Flowers

I just realized I have only posted once in January, and it's been a couple weeks. I have been drowning in school and SMASH (Southern Maine Association of Shakespearian Homeschoolers). But I'm not complaining, I love the busyness :). And at least nobody really cares how much I post or I'd be sunk.

Any ways, here is a project I worked on in December, it's one of the many hand crafted gifts I gave away for Christmas because of my lack of funds. Not having money to buy pre-made anything really helps with creativity, and I had a lot of fun during the Christmas season!

It's called the Kanzashi Flower (I have no idea why), and it's super simple once you get the hang of it. I lost the link to where I learned how to do it, but a Google search can get you an excess of tutorials. With that said I'll contribute my tutorial :).

 1. Pick a fabric and button that you like. Cut the fabric into 10 squares, these are 3". 

Anything smaller than about 3" is hard to learn with. 

 2. Fold one of the squares in half diagonally, then in half again.

 3. Take the open end of the triangle and fold one flap over at shown, but don't make the fold perfect. 

Having the fold imperfect helps makes the petal what it is. 

Then do the same to the opposite side, but always fold to the outside. Pin.

 4. Repeat with all 10 squares, then cut off the bottom of them all, the part that isn't gathered.

 5. Thread a needle but don't knot it at the end. 

Push the needle through the corner of the petal, making sure to catch all of the folds, 

and leave a tail of thread. Do this with all of the petals, always facing the petals the same way 

so they are in a neat row 

 6. Cut off the needle, leaving a tail, and begin to pull the threads and scrunch the petals into a flower, then knot the two ends into a surgeons know, which is just looping the threads over each other 3 times. 

You can then pull the petals all the way together and tie off the thread, making it invisible.

 Do pretty much the same thing with the other side for a secure flower.

7. Now you have a blank flower to add whatever you want to. Buttons, ribbons, clips, pins....

The first one I made I added another layer of petals, as you can see at the bottom.