Really Easy and Cute DIY Leather Flowers

Always seems to happen. I get the shopping and making of gifts done by the first of December and then I think, "Oh, I could make this little thing or that little thing." And suddenly my kitchen table and counter top are taken over by these little last-minute projects for the next week or so.

The table and kitchen in late December 2013

Well, this is one of those late 2013 projects. They really are cute, quick, and easy.

I made these Leather Flowers as pins and attached them to handmade elastic headbands for the 10 and 11 year-old girls that I teach in church. I (and my oldest daughter) also made some other fabric and ribbon flowers at the same time which I may show you how to make in a future post. I gave each girl a hairband and four varied, but 'matchy' flowers to pin onto the hairband, or to a cardigan, or to close up a scarf.


To make them, you will need:

• scraps of leather (I had some from covering our kitchen chairs, but you can buy small leather pieces at leather goods stores or craft stores)
• metal brads (brads come in lots of colors and shapes, too)
• pin backs
• glue (hot glue or e-6000 work well)

Also, scissors and a hole punch or awl.




Start by printing the pdf of the flower pattern. I included 3 different kinds of flowers on the pattern. Or you can just cut without a pattern, which is what I did. I like the randomness of freehand. (Of course, I do!)   

A link to a pdf pattern is here (but, really, you can just freehand this!)

leather flower pattern

Then cut three sizes of leather flowers from the scrap leather. Punch holes with the awl or leather punch tool in the center of each flower.

I wanted my flowers to be a little more 3 dimensional than they were looking, so I got them moderately wet, scrunched them up in my hands and then put them in the dryer for about 15 minutes on high heat. I got them out while they were still hot and scrunched some more until they cooled. You can do this step, or not.

At right, 3 cut out flowers with holes punched. Middle, flower with  a brad and right, flower with glued on pinback.

Put the flowers together any way you like - with the suede side up or smooth side up or a combination, lining up the holes in the centers.

Slip the shaft of a brad through the holes from the top to the back. Then open the two prongs out tightly against the back of the flower.

Finally, glue on a pin back over the ends of the closed brad. Let the glue set.

See. It really was quick and easy.