ADVERTISEMENT

All Access Exclusive

Learn a New Craft—Kanzashi Flowers!

Create beautiful folded fabric flowers with this Japanese craft.

Angela K. Schneider Jul 18, 2024 - 5 min read

Learn a New Craft—Kanzashi Flowers! Primary Image

This lovely fabric Kanzashi flower by Angela K. Schneider is easy to make on the go and makes a lovely embellishment. Photos by Angela K. Schneider

This year’s Twelve Months of On-the-Go Projects, created by members of our PieceWork team, is our way of thanking our All Access subscribers for being such valued members of our community. Each of the upcoming monthly patterns was designed to be quick, fun, and portable. The projects will encompass a variety of crafts, so that you can sample an array of different techniques year-round.

Kanzashi are Japanese hair ornaments that often include tsumami (“pinched”) flowers made from folded fabric. In the West, these charming fabric flowers are often called kanzashi flowers. Use these cloth blooms to decorate more than hairpins. With a little advance preparation, you can make up a kanzashi flower kit for a compact travel project.

Materials

  • Decorative fabric, such as quilting cotton, polished cotton, or lightweight canvas: solid or print, 8" x 16" (20.3 x 40.6 cm), 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm), or enough to cut eight 4" squares
  • Contrasting fabric for button cover: 1" (2.5 cm) square
  • Batting or felt: 1" (2.5 cm) square
  • Felt or heavy fulled fabric: 1½" (3.8 cm) square
  • Button, 7/16"–3/4" (11–19 mm)
  • Sewing thread, coordinating color
  • Sewing needle
  • Cutting mat, quilting ruler, and rotary cutter (optional)
  • Sewing clips (optional)
  • Scissors: fabric
  • Fabric glue

Finished size: 4¼" diameter x 1" (10.8 x 2.5 cm).

Unlock the Full Article with a PieceWork All Access Subscription

Get instant access to this article and the entire PieceWork library of projects, inspiration, and expert instruction. With your subscription, you’ll receive:

  • Unlimited access to the PieceWork Library, a digital miscellany of needlework ebooks, patterns, and more exclusively for All Access subscribers.

  • Stream 11+ needlearts videos and workshops

  • Unlock timeless techniques and heirloom-quality patterns

  • Learn from expert tutorials that deepen your historical craft knowledge

  • Enjoy unlimited access to exclusive content—updated regularly

  • Includes full access to PieceWork magazines + new issues.

PieceWork celebrates the rich history of needlework and makers from around the globe.

Plans start at just $11.99/month. Cancel anytime.

ARTICLES FOR YOU