Blooming Lace Bouquet

Let creativity bloom with quick and simple freestanding lace flowers! Whether you intend to create a small floral accent or a bouquet of several flowers, this whimsical project is a simple way to dress up your home or office for the spring and summer seasons.

An orchid, poppy, rose, and hibiscus have bloomed in our garden!

Begin by stitching the three pieces of freestanding lace Blooming Orchid onto heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer using 40 wt. rayon thread for best results. Once you're done stitching, rinse and dry each piece completely. (Here's more on stitching freestanding lace).

The orchid will be assembled on a piece of wire. Cut a piece of 12 gauge floral wire to 10" in length using a wire cutter, and curl one end of the piece of wire with a needle nose pliers.

Next, slide the lace piece with two petals onto the wire with the right side of the lace against the curled end. Use a glue gun to adhere the center of the lace to the curl of the wire.

Add the second lace piece with three petals onto the wire as well, making sure the right side is also facing the curled end. Secure the two lace pieces together with a couple firm stitches to ensure the petals won't spin and fall off the wire.

Take the last little lace piece, and hot glue it to the front of the flower, covering up the wire's curl.

Finish off your 3D orchid by wrapping the wire with floral tape to make a beautiful stem.

Intertwine several orchids to mimic the real life beauty of the flower, and add real or silk leaves to complete your creation. This flower looks gorgeous potted by itself, or grouped together with other lace flowers in a bouquet!

The next flower to add to your bouquet is a beautiful poppy (or several)!

Begin by stitching the five pieces of freestanding lace Blooming Poppy onto heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer using 40 wt. rayon thread for best results.

For this design, this means stitching two of each of the petals and one center. Once you're done stitching, rinse and dry each piece completely. (Here's more on stitching freestanding lace).

The Poppy will be assembled on a piece of wire. Cut a piece of 12 gauge floral wire to 10" in length using a wire cutter, and curl one end of the piece of wire with a needle nose pliers.

Next, crush the two smaller petals to give them shape, and slide them onto the wire with the right side of the lace against the curled end. Use a glue gun to adhere the center of the lace to the curl of the wire. Make sure the two petal pieces are opposite each other, and use a hand sewing needle to tack them together to prevent them from spinning.

Give the poppy its 3D pop by taking one corner of the petal that is on top, and overlap it about an inch over the opposite petal. Using a hand sewing needle and matching thread, tack the corner of the petal in place.

Take the two larger petals, and overlap them slightly to line up the wire hole. Use a hand sewing needle to stitch them together around the hole to keep them perfectly opposite each other.

Then it's time to add those two petals onto the wire as well, making sure the right side of the lace is also facing the curled end. Secure all four petals together with a couple firm stitches to ensure the petals won't spin and fall off the wire.

Take the last little lace piece, and hot glue it to the front of the flower, covering up the wire's curl.

Finish off your 3D poppy by wrapping the wire with floral tape to make a beautiful stem.

Voila! Your lace poppy is ready to add to a bouquet!

The next flower to add to your collection is an elegant rose bloom.

Begin by stitching the four pieces of your  freestanding lace Blooming Rose onto heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer using 40 wt. rayon thread for best results. Once you're done stitching, rinse and dry each piece completely. (Here's more on stitching freestanding lace).

The rose will be assembled on a piece of wire. Cut a piece of 12 gauge floral wire to 10" in length using a wire cutter, and fold the end over 1/4" with a needle nose pliers.

First, grab the center piece of the rose (the smallest piece of the four). Starting with the arched end, wrap the lace piece around the bent end of the wire, then carefully hand sew to tack the piece to itself in a couple of places. This helps hold the spiral shape, hide the wire, and prevents it from unraveling.

With the next smallest size of the pieces, fold a single petal with the right sides together, and line up the edges of the triangle dart. Using a hand sewing needle, stitch along the straight edge to finish the dart and create a beautiful arch in the petal.

Repeat and sew all three darts on the first piece.

Wrap the petal piece around the wire and center spiral, making sure the petals are evenly spaced and overlapping. Using a hand sewing needle, stitch the petals together around the wire where it comes out to hold them evenly spaced.

Take the other two largest lace pieces and again sew each of the darts together. Add them to the rose, again making sure to keep the petals evenly spaced, then sew each of the pieces together around where they meet the wire, making sure to stitch them to the spiral center piece as well. This will prevent the petals from spinning and falling of the wire.

Finish off your 3D Rose by wrapping the wire with floral tape to make a beautiful stem.

You're lace rose is ready to add to your bouquet!

The final flower to add to your bouquet is the Blooming Hibiscus!

Begin by stitching the seven pieces of freestanding lace Blooming Hibiscus onto heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer using 40 wt. rayon thread for best results. For the Hibiscus this means stitching five of the petals and two centers. Once you're done stitching, rinse and dry each piece completely. (Here's more on stitching freestanding lace).

The hibiscus will be assembled on a piece of wire. Cut a piece of 12 gauge floral wire to 10" in length using a wire cutter.

First, grab the two center pieces of the hibiscus (the stamen), and hot glue them or hand stitch them, back sides together around one end of the cut wire.

Next, take one petal, fold it together with the backside of the lace touching then line up the edges of the large triangle dart. Using a hand sewing needle, stitch along the straight edge to finish the dart and create a beautiful arch in the petal.

Next, bend the petal along the smaller triangle dart found by the wire hole on the petal. Make sure you are folding the right sides together, and hand sew the dart closed.

Repeat and sew the darts on all five petals. Slide them all onto the wire with the right side of the lace against the glued center stamen (facing up).

Arrange the petals so that they are evenly spaced and slightly overlapped. Using a hand sewing needle and matching thread, tack the corners of the petals in place, and then sew all 5 of the petals together around the wire hole, making sure to stitch them to the glued center pieces as well. This will help to prevent the petals from spinning and falling off the wire.

Finish off your 3D hibiscus by wrapping the wire with floral tape to make a beautiful stem.

Finally, set your lace flower creations into your bouquet! Use real or silk leaves intermixed with your flowers to give your project a lush feel that will last for weeks!