Making the flowers

• How to make velvet headboard decorations
• Making the flowers
• Attaching the flowers to the headboard

Follow our step-by-step guide to making velvet flowers for your headboard.

1) For each decoration cut the following in velvet: three 12cm squares for the ‘mushroom' shaped petals; one 10cm circle for the centre; one 24cm circle for the outer circle. And the following from cotton or silk fabric: four 15cm by 8cm rectangles.

2) To make each ‘mushroom' shaped petal, fold a square of velvet in half wrong sides facing. With double thread and working through both layers of fabric, work running stitch along the three raw edges. Leave about 10cm to 15cm of hanging thread at your starting and finishing points.

3) Begin gathering up the fabric, easing the gathers around each of the two corners towards the centre until the fold forms a ‘bonnet' shape (see main illustration). Keep gathering until the two ends of the fold come together in the centre. Tie off to hold the gathers in place and trim off excess thread.

4) Turn the flower over so the knot is at the back, then turn the folded edge over to the front (see illustration below).

5) Repeat steps 2 to 4 to make two more flowers.

6) To make the small centre circle, with the fabric wrong side up, work running stitch all round the edge of the circle, leaving excess thread at your starting and finishing points. Holding the threads gently gather up the fabric, pulling it to the centre of the circle. Tie off and trim thread then flatten, positioning the ‘gathers' on the underside of each piece. Repeat to make the larger circle.

7) To make a leaf, take two rectangles of cotton or silk fabric and place one on top of the other, right sides facing and matching raw edges. Trim at one end into a leaf shape. Stitch all round taking a 2.5cm seam and leaving the short, straight edge open. Trim seam allowance, turn through and press. Repeat to make the second leaf.

Illustrations by Michael A. Hill

Chosen by Country Homes & Gardens