May Basket and Fabric Flowers Tutorial

Did you make May Baskets as a kid?  I have such fond memories of making little baskets, filling them with candies and a couple flowers, then early on the morning of May 1, we would sneak around to the neighbors' and hang the baskets from the door, ring the bell or knock and run!  I tried to carry this tradition over with my own kids, but I don't think it stuck.

Up until about 20 minutes ago, I really believed today was May Day.  It's good that we still have one more day; that means there's still time to make a May Basket and some fabric zinnias to go in it!  Click through for the tutorial:)

First, you will need:

• assorted fabric
• scissors (both for paper and fabric)
• needle and thread
• fusible interfacing (something nice and stiff)
• fabric marker
• florist wire and wire cutters
• florist tape
• glue gun and glue
• cardboard or cardstock to make circles
• paper and a plate (or a paper plate!) to draw a pattern

We'll start with the zinnias.  First, draw three different size circles on a piece of cardboard.  You can trace lids or whatnot to draw the pattern.  I made my circles about 1, 2 1/2 and 3 inches across.  For each flower, you will need three large, two medium and one small circle.

Cut out the circles; just because, I used the pinking shears to cut out some of the circles.  Now, draw a small circle in the middle on the back.  To save time, you can stack about three or four circles, and just draw on the top one.

Next, snip petals into the fabric, just up to the inner circle.  You can cut through the stacks you just made.

Now, stack your separate flowers.  For each flower, stack three large, two medium, and one small circle.

Thread your needle with a nice strong thread, doubled.  From the back, using long basting stitches, sew around the inner circle you drew.

Pull up the thread and make a couple tacking stitches to hold it.

Fluff up your petals and admire them.

Now, cut the florist wire into five or six inch lengths.  Poke an end through the back middle of the flower just a bit.  Add a good size glop of hot glue.  I forgot to take a picture of that part, but you can figure it out:)

After the glue hardens, take the florist tape and wrap it around the glue glob...

and then work your way down the stem as so.

Your can bundle them all together into a nice bouquet if you wish.

Fold the end up and secure it.

Now for the basket.  To make your cone pattern, take a regular size dinner plate and trace around it onto a piece of paper.  Or just use that paper plate.

Cut out the circle, fold it in half and then in fourths.  Unfold and draw a little tab like I did.  This tab will reach over into the other fourth section.  Cut this shape out (one fourth plus the tab).

Iron the fusible webbing onto the fabric.

Trace your pattern and cut it out.

Fold over the tab to the inside and iron it.

Now, you could sew this if you wanted.  I thought, "the glue is hot, why not?"  Put a line of glue along that folded tab.

Without burning yourself (or gluing your cell phone, coffee cup, and fingers like I did) wrap around the glued edge and press it to the other edge, forming a cone shape.

Now, cut or tear a strip of fabric long enough to tie this to a doorknob, fold it in half and tack that bit down to the fabric cone, on the seam side.  I think stitches are better here for strength.

Put your flowers in the basket with some colorful tissue paper and hang it from a doorknob, maybe your neighbor's!

What I learned:  I'm going to make some more, but next time, I will make each flower a different color for more contrast.  I used three different fabrics, but used all three in each flower.  I would like the flowers to each appear more distinct.  I would like to use a heavier webbing next time to give the cone more structure.  It helps to add a heavy marble or a stone to the bottom of the cone to make it hang right, because the flowers are a little top heavy.  Also, I added a drop of glue to the inside back of the cone, where the tie is attached, and then pressed one flower into the glue to hold it there.  This also helps the basket to hang nice.

Have fun and happy May Day tomorrow!

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