Day 3 How to make realistic flowers out of fabric

So I have this thing with flowers.
Goes back 30 plus years, a long time to when I first trained as a florist.
Now I express my creativity with different mediums (instead of only fresh flowers) but still find myself drawn to the floral form.
Because of this I decided to teach myself French Flower making. It is a traditional millinery skill which involves heated brass tools to shape and stretch fabric.

Below are a few pics of construction to guide you in the process. The best advice I can give you is to look at lots of pictures of flowers, especially roses, to see the natural form and look of the blooms. This will really help you when you go to assemble yours!

Cut petal shapes out of your fabric

Cut lots

Paint with watered down pva glue (you'll get a feel for this, I use a thick mix as it 'feels' better to me than a runny mix)

Allow a few hours to dry completely

Shape each and every petal with heated french flower making brass tools

Keep shaping till they are all done!

Now the fun bit - assembly of bloom! Take flower stamens (google stamens to find a local seller)

 Add a thin wire (I used a 28guage) at the halfway point, twist tightly and bend stamens in half to form a bundle.

Glue or stitch your first petal into place

Then keep adding (see how they overlap a bit?)

Keep going!

And going!!

This is what it looks like from the side.

Ta da! Finished! Now if you glued it, set her aside to dry, if she's stitched display her in a vase!

Like this!

 So I hope you have enjoyed this little peek into one of the many things I make and do!