How to Make an Eco-Friendly Corsage

This project is from Erika Kern (click here for her Etsy Shop)

Her work has been featured in the Chicago Sun-Times, The New York Daily News, Adorn, and Cutting Edge and in many blogs including Craft:,Boing Boing, and Design*Sponge.

I found this inpirational project from Erika, courtesy of CraftStylish.

So here it is: How to make an Eco-Friendly Corsage!
This project is a great way to make last year's spring styles pop and still be eco-friendly. The fabrics are organic, the gems are reused, and if you ride your bike to the fabric store, your carbon footprint will be as small as your flower is fab! That is to say very small and very fab.

Here's what you'll need:

• 2-1/3-yard lengths of organic jersey in contrasting colors (I used organic cotton and bamboo)
• Thread and a needle
  
• Pliers 
• Broken costume jewelery
• Sew-on pinback

Erika says, "Most fabric stores have a small section of organic fabrics; just ask at the cutting desk if you can't find it right away. Here's a selection of organic cotton and bamboo jersey found at my local shop."

Before you start cutting, make a pattern. Use papers heading for the recycle bin to make your pattern. Make one large trio of petals and one smaller one—mine measure about 5-1/2 inches and 3 inches. Erika drew her pattern freehand to keep the shape as organic as the fabric.

Cut out your pattern.

Pin your pattern to the fabric. Since the jersey is thin, you can cut four layers at a time with no problem.

The petals all cut out. Erika cut four of each color in the larger size and four of the taupe color in the smaller size.

Starting with the small petals, overlap two petals.

Fold the overlapped pieces in half, and put two stitches at the center of the fold.

Fold the petals over in the other direction and stitch again.

The beginning of the flower. Add the two remaining smaller petal pieces to the finished center using the same crisscross stitches.

Begin adding the larger petals. Continue adding petals in the same fashion until all the petals are on your flower. Tie off your stitches with a few slipknots and trim any extra thread.

The finished flower without the added jewelry. Erika says, "Once your flower is finished, it's time to add the glam. I'm the person in my circle who always ends up with everyone's castaways, and I have tons of costume sparkle in various states of disrepair. The brooch I chose had a broken clasp, so the first thing I did was remove it with my pliers. If you don't have any baubles floating about, worry not! The thrifts are full of all sorts of broken or abused costume jewelery; this is the perfect project to save these lovelies. Earrings, brooches, and beads are all perfect for this project."

Sew the broken jewelry onto the center of your flower. Once your jewelry is firmly secured to the center of your flower, sew on the pinback. Erika used a lot of stitches to firmly attach the pinback. After the pinback is attached, your flower is ready to shine!

Fabulous flowers in Earth-friendly fabrics are fashionable AND conscientious.
All courtesy of Erika Kern!