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To make a poppy brooch you will need:
- metal fastener
- black thread
- semolina
- acrylic paint (black/gray)
- PVA glue (polyvinyl acetate glue)
- bubble wrap
- wooden roller
- wool for felting (red, black, gray and green)
1. Spread out thin strands of wool on the piece of film in the shape of the circle. Begin from the center and move to the edge – do not do it in a different order! Make sure there are no spaces between the strands, otherwise there will be holes. Put the green wool in the middle but use a little less as you will add some black and some gray wool there as well.
2. Now you have to soak the wool in soap solution – just to make it damp. If you use too much solution the wool may shift! Cover the wool with another piece of film and with gentle pushes of your palm evenly soak the wool and foam up the solution.
3. Slightly press the film with your hands in circular moves. Turn the film upside down and remove the upper layer of the film. Be careful not to pull out the strands – they are not felted yet! What you see in front of you is the inside. Bend the edges of the circle (0.5 – 1cm) to make sure the petals of your poppy are neat.
4. Wrap the film with the wool around the roller and roll. Reel it out, spread out if needed, wrap around the roller from the other side and roll again. Reel out and make the incisions of the petals: cut the circle in 4 places and make the edges of the petals round. Roll again. After that use your fingers to rub the petals to give them the round.
Rinse and put the flower into the drying cup for several hours (over night).
5. Using the red wool and the same method make the second circle – this will be the upside (lower) layer of the poppy petals.
6. Now it’s time for the middle of the poppy. Use the green wool to arrange an oval bead (according to the size of the petals): dip the lump of green wool into soap solution and roll it between your palms. Rinse under the running water.
Form another round bead and squeeze it between the palms to make it flat. Leave them to dry.
7. Let’s make the filaments. Wrap the black thread around your fingers and cut it from the one side.
Cover the thread with glue (to give it firmness), then dip the tips into the
semolina. Hang out to dry. After drying tint them a little with black or gray paint.
8. After everything is dry, sew the flat green bead through with the black thread to make
your flower look like a real poppy. Sew it to the oval bead.
9. Assemble the threads-filaments into several beams and sew them to the first layer of the petals.
Place and sew the green middle.
10. Put the second layer of petals underneath and sew everything together – all the layers and the metal fastener.
Our poppy brooch is ready!
