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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet

March 28, 2011 14 Comments

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

My husband and I got married at a really odd time of year. We didn’t hit wedding season, fall, Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day or spring. March 5 was meaningful for us, but our date kind of fell in to a wedding no man’s land. Vendors were great to work with for the most part because we were the only game in town.

Early on, even before we decided on a date, the beef (husband) and I chose our artichoke and asparagus theme. I’d seen some really incredible bouquets and centerpieces that had incorporated our veggies, but when I went to a bridal expo & talked with some florists, I realized that doing something with veggies was going to cost “extra.” And then when we picked an early March wedding date, we just decided to forget about using any real flowers or plants, which meant I needed to find an affordable alternative. After scouring Martha Stewart Weddings and countless wedding blogs for weeks, I discovered this handmade bouquet and fell in love. Here’s how I made it my own.

Supplies

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

scissors

assorted rickrack

assorted ribbons

liquid seam sealant

milliner’s sewing needle

quilting thread

floral wire

floral pins (mine have fake pearls on the tip)

floral tape

wire cutter

needle-nose pliers

tacky glue

waxed paper

pie tin

Directions

Make a bunch of ‘flowers’ with rickrack.

I followed these instructions at Martha Stewart Weddings, but I ran in to some huge snags following their tutorial alone. Here are my more  in-depth directions:

Cut your rickrack in to pieces with 16 complete points along one side and 15 complete points plus 2 half-points on the other. Use liquid seam sealant on each end of the rickrack to avoid raveling. Set the rickrack pieces on a piece of waxed paper to dry.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Thread a needle and knot the end. Begin sewing along the 15-point side of your rickrack, folding each point in half and sewing through both halves as evenly as possible. When you have sewn through all 15 points, pull your thread tightly. I broke my thread a few times before realizing that a strong thread, like quilting thread, is a good idea for this project.

The two half-points should be together now. Join them and sew the length of the edges together. MSWeddings recommends using liquid seam sealant along this edge in addition to hand sewing, but I prefer to use the seam sealant earlier in the process. The liquid seam sealant will stick to itself, so it’s easier to apply it and let it dry ahead of time.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Sew through the folds all the way around the back side of the flower to help form its shape. Once you’ve sewn the whole way around, pull your thread a little tight, but not too tight. If you pull it too tight, your flower will look like a cone rather than a daisy. To finish, tie off your thread.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

I experimented with a bunch of different types of rickrack. The bigger the rickrack, the harder it is to sew together tightly. Some of the rickrack I used was so big that the center was wider than the fake pearl tip of the floral pins, which made including it in my bouquet kind of impossible. The easiest rickrack to work with was the metallic stuff I found because it’s made out of a material that, when folded, keeps its shape. This makes the sewing part really easy.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Make a bunch of flowers with ribbon or fabric.

These are much easier to make than the rickrack flowers, so I’m going to refer you to the pictures provided with the original directions at MSWeddings. I only used a few of these because I feel in love with how the rickrack buds look. To start, cut your fabric in to pieces that are 1″ wide by 8″ long and your ribbon should be 1/2-3/4″ wide by 4″ long.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Knot your thread and sew along the raw edge of your fabric or ribbon. If there’s no raw edge, just pick a side to sew along. Bunch your fabric/ribbon together on your thread. With right sides facing, join the ends of your material and secure with a knot. Use liquid seam sealant along the raw edges to secure your flower and alleviate any raveling.

These are fun to experiment with. I played around with making multi-layered ribbon flowers and making them in to daffodil-ish creations.

Prepare your flower stems.

The directions at MSWeddings can be found in step 6 of the rickrack flower tutorial, but you should ignore them. For one thing, I couldn’t find artificial stamens anywhere, and for another, their instructions make no sense. Sorry guys.

I made my stems by cutting floral wire in to ten-inch pieces. Fold each piece in half using your needle-nose pliers to make the fold as pronounced as possible. Grab a floral pin and place it in the crux of the folded wire.  Twist the wire around the floral pin as shown, trying to wrap the wire as tightly as possible around the pin. Once the wire is wrapped down the length of the pin, continue twisting the wire all the way to the end.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Wrap floral tape down the length of the wire. This part drove me crazy because your hands will turn green and floral tape likes to stick to only itself. Securing the beginning and end of the floral tape on your pin-and-wire “stem” takes some getting used to. Stretching the floral tape just a little bit as you wrap the stem helps a lot.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Attach flower heads to stems.

Grab your pie tin or a small cup. Thread one of your flowers on to a stem so that the tip of the flower pin emerges just a little bit. Apply tacky glue from the back, bend your stem, and set assembled flower in your cup or pie tin to dry. Bending the stem helps your flower stay in place as it dries. Gravity is your friend here, especially if you used some bigger rickrack like I did. It’s hard to glue the flower heads straight on the stems when the heads are a bit heavy. To be honest, some of my flowers didn’t dry completely straight, but this wasn’t a big deal in the end when I wrapped all of my flowers into the finished bouquet.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Assemble your bouquet.

Despite the pain in the ass that was wrapping all of your stems in floral tape, this is where that sticky stuff comes in handy.  The floral tape, like I mentioned earlier, likes to stick to itself, so when you’re arranging your bouquet, the adhesive stems really help the bouquet come together. I’m definitely not an expert in floral arranging, but I attended a flower arranging seminar once and learned a helpful bit of advice. Don’t fight the flowers. Yes, these aren’t real flowers, but letting your homemade flowers rest together where they’d like to on their own will save you lots of headache. My biggest challenge was not freaking out about too many of one color being next to each other. I used 9 kinds of rickrack, and I didn’t want too many green flowers being next to too many yellow, blah blah blah. In the end, my bouquet was gorgeous, and I got so many compliments from guests at my wedding who were amazed that I made this myself.

The Finished Bouquet!

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

Here is my bouquet, and I also rustled up some pics from other women who followed the same MSWeddings pattern to make gorgeous bouquets of their own.

How-to: Homemade Wedding Bouquet  at HandsOccupied.com

  1. Ribbon & Fabric Bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings
  2. Ribbon Boutonniere from Martha Stewart Weddings
  3. Ribbon & Rick Rack Bouquet from Leigh Dotson
  4. A Darling Handcrafted Wedding from Ruffled
  5. same as #4

 

Filed Under: DIY Wedding, Embroidery, How-to Tagged With: alternative bouquet, bouquet, bridal, bride, diy, floral supplies, glue, handmade, martha stewart, martha stewart weddings, non-floral, ribbon, ric rac, rick rack, rickrack, wedding, wire

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Sarah

    May 20, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    Hi Heidi,
    Thanks for the awesome tutorial. Im going to try and make these for my sister’s wedding. I don’t quite understand how you attach the pearl to the stem and how the daisy flower is attached to the stem so that the pearl is showing. Also I see that some of your flowers have more two or three pearls, how is this done?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      May 20, 2013 at 1:25 pm

      They’re floral pins that come with pearls on the non-point end. Simply wrap them into the floral wire & floral tape stems to attach and/or add more. Best of luck!

      Reply
  2. Ananasa

    December 20, 2014 at 10:38 am

    So so smart and it lasts forever, DIY at its best! Thanks for sharing!

    http://www.ananasa.com/blog

    Reply
  3. Marble craft

    December 1, 2016 at 6:21 am

    Glad to find your blog,its really fantastic,thank you for sharing it….images are so stunning…..

    Reply
  4. Ribbons Supplier

    March 29, 2017 at 6:03 am

    Amazing tutorial!!

    I very much like this DIY bouqet… It looks stunning colorful!!

    Reply
  5. jessi

    June 29, 2017 at 9:02 am

    Love your blog and you are so talented!!!!!!! Thanks for this great idea!!! It looks amazing:)

    Reply
  6. handicraft export import handicrafts manufacturers handicraft items for export

    April 3, 2021 at 1:09 am

    wow this looks so nice. glad to know about your blog.i wil make this for my sister’s wedding. thanks a lot!! images are stunning!

    Reply
  7. Koya

    November 21, 2021 at 7:49 pm

    I decided to make this bouquet for my cousin’s wedding!  I’ll match the colors she likes.  And what’s even better, I think, is that it can be used as an ornament because it never wipes out!

    Reply
  8. Nancy

    August 19, 2022 at 4:33 am

    You are so right about making ribbon flowers is easier than rickrack, it worked great when we tried!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      August 29, 2022 at 1:53 pm

      Yay! Glad to hear it. :)

      Reply
  9. Janine Evans

    August 8, 2023 at 10:39 pm

    This is divine! I think I have all the supplies to make a sweet little bouquet. Thanks for sharing

    Reply
  10. Diyers Hub

    February 26, 2024 at 2:20 am

    What a fantastic guide on creating a homemade wedding bouquet! Thanks for sharing your expertise and making the process feel both achievable and enjoyable.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 50 amazing craft blogs you have to see! - Mod Podge Rocks says:
    April 2, 2013 at 6:57 am

    […] Hands Occupied – homemade wedding bouquet […]

    Reply
  2. 5 DIY Ribbon Flowers You Can Make « Ribbons Ribbons says:
    May 28, 2013 at 11:36 am

    […] ribbon flower tutorial from Hands Occupied is similar to the above tutorial in the sense that you use thread and a needle to pull the flower […]

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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