| Sunflower Curtain Hold-Back |
From "Ask DIY" episode ADI-403 |
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Q: I love sunflowers. They're all over my kitchen. Do you have any other accent ideas for me? A: A clever accent for the sunflower lover can be made in the form of decorative curtain hold-backs. This project can be adapted easily to other themes and seasonal decorations -- spring flowers, poinsettias for Christmas, etc.
Materials: Felt (brown, yellow, green) Plastic curtain hold-backs Double-stick crafting tape or hot-glue Tacky glue Awl Scissors Button-making kit
Steps: - Begin with pre-made plastic curtain hold-backs (figure A), available inexpensively at most discount stores.
- Cut a circular piece of brown felt large enough to cover the round front-piece of the hold-back and extend over to the backside. Center the felt on the piece and attach it to the backside using strong double-stick crafting tape (figure B).
- With the circular front-piece covered, attach some small felt pom-pons using some tacky glue (figure C).
- Using the covered piece as the center of the flower, place it on a piece of yellow felt, then draw a flower-petal design around the center (figure D). You can draw the design free-hand or use a pattern or template.
- Carefully cut out your design from the yellow felt.
- Use green felt to create some green leaves to back the yellow flower (figure E).
- Use an awl to punch a small hole in the center of the flower and leaf designs (figure F).
- Once you've punched a center-hole through both the yellow and green pieces, use scissors to enlarge the hole to a small slit (figure G).
- Insert the center-fastener of the round front-piece of the hold-back through the slits (figure H), then snap the back piece into place. The back piece is used to anchor the hold-back to the wall.
- To carry the theme through another step, create smaller sunflower adornments for the tops of the curtains (figure I).
- These smaller flowers can be made using a self-covering button-making kit, available from fabric stores. The kit includes forms for making buttons. A plastic template allows you to cover the button forms in the fabric of your choice (figure J).
- Use the brown felt to cover large button forms creating the sunflower-centers (figure K) similar to the larger ones created for the hold-backs.
- Use yellow and green felt to create the flower petals and leaves, just as you did before. Punch a small hole through the green and yellow felt pieces and insert the back-loop on the button through the small holes.
- Fasten the button to the felt pieces with wire at the back. You can use craft wire, floral wire or twist ties. Use the wire to attach the small sunflowers at the top of the curtains.
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