This is what I’ve been up to today – making an enormous flower brooch using suffolk puff (yo yo) techniques.
I’ve written up a tutorial for you, if you’d like to make your own!
Tag: suffolk puffs
Chloe’s Cupcake Dress
This is Simplicity 4050, sadly now out of print. The only change I made to the pattern was to add a tie belt to the waistband.
The plain pink fabric is from my stash of Bishopston organic cottons, and the cupcakes are by Martha Negley for Rowan.
Chloe had seen the photograph of a dress I’d made for myself using these fabrics – Simplicity 4072 – and asked for one the same. Simplicity 4050 is the plus-sized version of that pattern, and to be honest I think it’s much more flattering. The neckline isn’t quite so low, and there’s no gathering at the front of the skirt. It also fastens with a zip at the back, making it a more streamlined dress.
The Simplicity 4072 turned out not to suit me after all, so I’m quite tempted to make myself a version of the Simplicity 4050 instead.
I’ve made clothes for Chloe before, and she always looks fabulous, so I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of her wearing this one!
I also made a matching Suffolk Puff corsage to go with it:
Lovely brooches for lovely Mums.
I made this one for my Mum. I’ve been trying to think of something pretty to make from this fabric for ages, but I had such a tiny piece that I didn’t know what to do with it.
The fabric is the remnants from a dress which was made for my Mum when she was a little girl. It’s the most adorable print, of fairground carousels with horses, and these doves.
It’s made from a very large self-cover button, with the loop at the back removed. I fixed the fabric firmly over the button, and attached the back to hold it into place. I then sewed a brooch pin to a piece of matching felt, and joined it to the button with blanket stitch.
Voila – one pretty brooch, from a tiny scrap of heirloom fabric!
This one was made for Paul’s Mum, whose birthday is very soon. The button is the same size as the one above, covered in a tiny square of quilting fabric. The spotty fabric is actually brown. It’s gathered into a Suffolk Puff, with the button sewn into the centre. There’s a brooch pin on the back, to fasten it onto a jacket.
As soon as Stef saw this, she came up with loads of great ideas for these Suffolk Puffs with buttons in the middle. She suggested hair ties, shoe clips, embellishments with beads – all sorts of things!
I have so many teeny-tiny scraps of fabric that I didn’t know what to do with. I also have two art market stalls coming up in September and November. I can feel a whole lot more Suffolk Puff making coming on!
A Pleasing Pile of Puffs.
I’d never made a Suffolk Puff before today, and now I’ve made a dozen:
They’re made from offcuts of the Bishopston organic cottons, with a little bit of Fair Trade batik thrown in for good measure. The centres are made from self-cover buttons.
These particular puffs are going to be sewn on to organic cotton tote bags, which I’ve been embroidering for Paul’s cousin’s daughters. I haven’t done any embroidery for a very long time either, but I’m pleased with the way it’s come out. Pictures will follow when the puffs are attached!
Before the Art Market in September, I plan to make a whole bunch of these as corsages, with brooch pins on the back. If I’m feeling particularly creative, I might go mad with multiple layers and feathers and ribbons and sparkly bits.
I’ve really enjoyed making these little pretties. I can’t wait to see how they look in lots of different types of fabric!