[We took one of our favorite patterns and made it lovelier by adding more embroidery. I love the end results!]

If Fairy Dust is sprinkled on a flower as the last dew of morning evaporates, something magical happens… a Flower Fairy is born! If you are lucky enough to have Flower Fairies in your garden, then you already know that all of your plants seem to grow a little lovelier and their blooms seem to last a little longer… as if by magic!
 
Now, you can bring that magic indoors by crafting your own Flower Fairies. Long known to be great friends with the gnomes and woodland creatures, your Flower Fairies will easily join in the merry making with the rest of your wee folk.
 
Our Mother Flower Fairy measures 2 ½” (6.5cm) and the Baby Bud is 1 ¾” (4.5) tall.

To make your own you will need:

 

Materials:
1 adult and 1 child wooden peg
100% wool felt in a light and medium color (pictured: peach and orange) and green
100% cotton 6 ply cotton embroidery floss to coordinate with each felt and a dark floss in the same color family as the light and medium color felts (pictured: rust).
beeswax finish (optional)
sandpaper (optional)
disappearing marker
pattern

Note: All materials used should be non toxic and child safe.
 

IMPORTANT SAFETY WARNING: The Baby Buds are small and considered a choke hazard. Although generally it is recommended that small parts should not be given to children under 3 years of age, we highly recommended you do not give small parts to any child that still puts toys in their mouth, no matter how old they are!

 

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO PREVENT MISUSE OF MATERIALS.
 

IMPORTANT: There can be significant variations in the sizes of the wooden pegs even from the same manufacture and even in the same shipment! Before cutting the body wraps out of felt, cut the pieces out of paper, and “try them on” your wooden pegs. Make adjustments to the paper pattern before cutting out your felt.


 
Directions:

Make copy of Pattern and cut out the felt as follows:

Light color – flower petals, small cap, small body wrap
Medium color – brimmed hat, large body wrap
Green – large and small leaves

Check out Tips for Cutting Out Felt.


 
FLOWER FAIRY:
Check the pegs to make sure the bottoms are even and stands securely. Occasionally, a little nub may remain on the bottom of a peg. If it does, simple sand off with a small piece of sandpaper or nail file.

Recently, I’ve started finishing the exposed parts of the wooden pegs with a beeswax polish. I love the rich look it gives the wood. I do not finish the area that will be glued. I do the head, shoulder and base. I use a small, hard bristle paint brush to get in the neck. This is an optional step. BTW… you will notice half my pictures have finished wood and the other half do not.


 

Wrapping the peg:
Glue body wrap to wooden peg. The seam will be the back of the fairy.

Flower Petal:

 

Our Stitching Glossary can be found HERE.
 

Embroider along the edge of the flower petals using a blanket stitch and 2 strands of dark orange floss (a).

Sew the two short sides of the petal together using a whip stitch and 2 strands of light orange floss (b). Sew a running stitch along the upper edge of the petal piece using 2 strands of light orange floss (b). Start and stop at the back seam. Gently gather the stitches until the petals fit snuggly around the fairy’s neck. Tie off the thread and from the inside tack the petal to the body tube near the neck. This will prevent the petals from turning.

Leaves:
Just like the flower petals, embroider along the edge of the large leaves using a blanket stitch and 2 strands of green floss (c). Sew the two short sides of the leaves together using a whip stitch and 2 strands of green floss (c). Sew a running stitch along the upper edge of the leaves using 2 strands of green floss (c).

Gently gather the stitches until the leaves fit snuggly around the fairy’s neck. Tie off the thread and from the inside tack the leaves to the petals near the neck. This will prevent the leaves from turning.

Brimmed Hat:
Transfer embroidery markings to hat.

Embroider hat as follows:
Outer edge: blanket stitching using 2 strands of light orange floss (b)
Vine: stem stitch using 3 strands of green floss (c)
Leaves: detached chain using 3 strands of green floss (c)
Flowers: French knots using 3 strands of dark orange floss (d)

Sew a running stitch alongside of the vine using 2 strands of medium orange floss (a).

Gently gather the stitches. Try the hat on and adjust gathers so the hat fits. Tie off the thread.

Run a thin line of crafting glue on the inside of the hat along the gathering line.

Place the hat so it tilts backwards with the low end centered on the Fairy’s back. Carefully squeeze the hat to make sure it is securely positioned.

BUD:
 
Wrapping the peg:
Glue body wrap to wooden peg. The seam will be the back of the bud.

Leaves:
To make leaves, follow directions for the Fairy leaves to blanket stitch edge, whip stitching together, sewing a running stitch along the top, gathering, and tacking the leaves to the body wrap.

Cap:
Transfer embroidery markings to cap.

Embroider cap as follows:
Leaves: detached chain using 3 strands of green floss (c)
Flower: French knot using 3 strands of dark orange floss (d)

Sew a running stitch along the edge of the cap using 2 strands of light orange floss (2). Gently gather the stitches. Try the cap on and adjust gathers so the cap fits. Tie off the thread.

Run a thin line of crafting glue on the inside of the cap along the gathering line. Place the cap so it tilts backwards with the low end centered on the Bud’s back. Carefully squeeze the cap to make sure it is securely positioned.

Your Mother and Child Flower Fairies are now ready to bring a little magic into a child’s life!

 

 

 

Photos 11-29-11, 4-2-12,4-2-12