Super Quick and Easy DIY Hair Flowers Tutorial (No glue!!)

Ever buy or make hair flower accessories only to have them fall to pieces; the clips not stay in your hair; or worse yet the clips pull you hair out when removed? Well, that's what I've been battling with until the other day. I had a brainstorm and came up with the easiest and most secure hair flowers I've ever used to date. And, the best pluses are that they are cheap (being made from stuff around the house) and since no hot gluing is involved your kids can help you make them.



Here's what you'll need:

- Plain old buttons (At least one flat button and another shank or not)
- 3" long bendable hair pins (I used Sta-Rite brand from Sally's Beauty Supply)
- Artificial flowers (the kind that you can take apart)



I used cheap dollar store flowers for mine. What you'll be doing is taking the flower off the stem. Taking it apart by removing the plastic stud that holds the petals and other parts together. I took apart three different colored flowers (black, red and salmon-ish orange) and mixed up the petals. You can keep the parts in order or mix and match as I did. You can toss the studs. We won't be using them anymore.

Now we are ready to assemble our hair flower.



First, slip the shank or flat button onto the hairpin. Then, start sliding on all the flower parts from the top down. Add a flat button at the bottom and bend the prongs of the hairpin out to hold the button in place.



Lastly, curve the prongs with your fingers so that they resemble a fish silhouette. This will keep the flower parts on the pin while still allowing you to use the pins in your hair.

TIP: Depending on the placement of your hair flower, you may also want to bend the prongs to one side so that the flower faces out while the pin is flush against your scalp.



The pic above shows the center of the flower where I used a shank button. If your flowers are full enough, you won't really see this button while wearing it.

To secure the hair flower in your hair squeeze the prong tips together before poking into the your hairdo near the scalp in a side-to-side small zig-zagging motion. I was able to wear all six of mine the entire day from sun up to sun down without one falling out.

MORE TIPS:
• The great thing about this particular type of hair pin is that if you are going to be dancing roughly or bending over you can bend the prongs even more once they are in your hair to secure them even better.

• With the bendable pins, you can even have fun taking your hair flowers apart again and again and rearranging your flowers endlessly!

• You could also add a couple drops of scented oils to the center of your flowers to make them smell good. Or, soak a wooden button in the oil.



Hope you have found this tutorial useful. Have fun creating hair flowers!

Scrap, the Cat

My daughter sewed her first doll today! She's very proud of it. His name is "Scrap", which suits him well.

It all started during the cleaning out and reorganizing of my craft room. Just yesterday I started gathering all those little bits of fabric that are too small for most projects into a bin. Then, I let the daughter loose in it to make her own doll clothes. She made a cat with some of the left over fabric and her toy sewing machine that she got for Christmas. I had to help out a lot only because the machine is more difficult to work on than a "real" machine, but she designed it, guided the machine and stuffed it all with a little help from mom.

She's all excited to make more dolls and clothes. I guess we have created not just a cat doll, but a new seamstress craftster, as well! YAY!!!

New Family Member

Well, sorta. :) This sewing machine will most likely be in our family for a very long time to come.




This past weekend we went to a neighborhood garage sale and found a replacement for our broken Singer sewing machine. I love the retro personality. It's going to be a great heavy duty workhorse that's in wonderful condition. We've only had to rewire the foot pedal due to deterioration, replace the bobbin winder tire thingy with the one from our old Singer, and oil some parts to get them to work properly. Even better, I found a compatible box of presser feet at one of the local thrift stores for $2. Yay, I'm ready to start sewing again!



I'd been looking for a all metal sewing machine for a very long time. Recently, our Fashion Mate257 from the 70's has had to be put down. It was damaged and no longer functions.

I'm so happy that we came across this one that only set us back $32 so far. I'm even more impressed at the condition and finding out the motor is more powerful than the one on our old Singer. I wish I knew more about the history of this machine. I know it was made in Japan probably sometime in the 60's. The only things the previous owner could tell me about it is that she bought it in high school for a home ec. class. Never used it much after that (as I can tell). And, she is in her fifties now. I'm in the process of researching it on sewing forums and will update if I find out anything interesting.



If you are in the market for a new sewing machine for crafting, I really recommend buying a vintage one. If you do proper research and have patience, you can find a great machine that will out last newer ones and be a joy to sew on for the rest of your life.