How to Make a Fascinator
Cut out 15 circles., Stack the satin and chiffon circles., Fold each circle piece into quarters., Glue four sets onto the felt circle., Adhere the remaining three sets., Attach a button to the center of the flower., Fold the organza ribbon into a...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cut out 15 circles.
Use scissors to cut out seven 3-inch (7.6-cm) satin circles, seven 3-inch (7.6-cm) chiffon or tulle circles, and one 2-inch (5-cm) felt circle.Use any colors or patterns you'd like.
You can also use different fabric to create different effects.
Many materials, including satin, will fray after being cut.
Apply liquid seam sealant to the cut edges to prevent this from happening.
Alternatively, you can use fray-resistant knits and nylons to avoid the issue of fraying altogether. -
Step 2: Stack the satin and chiffon circles.
Place one chiffon circle on top of each satin circle.
Treat each pair as one piece from this point on.
If desired, this flower can be made with either satin or chiffon instead of using both.
In that case, you'll only need to cut the seven 3-inch (7.6-cm) circles of your primary fabric and the one 2-inch (5-cm) felt circle. , Fold one satin-chiffon pair in half, then fold it in half once more.
Repeat with the other six pairs.
The material may unfold once you release it.
If this happens, you'll need to work with one circle pair at a time instead of folding all of them at once.
Immediately after folding one pair, glue it in place, then do the same for the next pair and the ones after that. , Place a dot of hot glue in the center of the felt circle.
Arrange four of the folded satin-chiffon pairs on top of this circle, pressing the tip of each set into the glue.The pointed tips should all meet together at the center of the felt circle, and the open edge of each set should face in the same direction as the others.
All four sets should fit together snugly in a rough circle.
You may need to apply additional hot glue to the "petals" directly above the felt.
Otherwise, the sets may loosen and fall off as you handle the flower. , Place another dot of hot glue in the center of the previous layer.
Arrange the remaining three satin-chiffon pairs on top, pressing the tip of each one into this new dot of glue.
Position these three sets so that they fill in some of the gaps left between the first four sets.
Note that these three sets will face in the same general direction as the first four, but they will not fit together quite as snugly. , Gently spread apart the petal layers to reveal the center.
Glue or sew a decorative button into this center.
After adding the embellishment, use your fingers to carefully spread and fluff the "petals" of the flower around its new center.
Set the finished flower aside until you are ready to use it for the fascinator. , Cut a length of 2-inch (5-cm) wide organza ribbon.
Fold this ribbon three times, separating each fold slightly to create a small fan.
The exact amount can vary according to personal taste, but 12 inches (30.5 cm) of organza ribbon will usually work well.
Vary the length of each fold slightly to create more dimension.
Hold the fan together by sewing a running stitch across the base of the fan, or by applying a small bead of hot glue in between each folded layer near the base of the fan. , Arrange three to five fake leaves so that they connect at the bottom tip but fan out along the tops.
Fix the leaves together with hot glue.The leaf fan should be tall enough to help balance out the organza ribbon fan.
As such, try to use leaves that are roughly 2 to 3 inches (5 to
7.6 cm) long.
To vary the design, you could opt for wide craft feathers or fake flower petals instead of fake leaves.
If using feathers, choose feathers that vary from the single feather you'll be using later on in these instructions.
If using fake petals, separate the petals from the plastic stem before arranging them into a fan. , Each rectangle should be 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) wide and 3 inches (7.6 cm) long.
Both rectangles should be cut from the same color felt.
If your organza ribbon is sheer, it might be a good idea to roughly match the color of the felt to the color of the ribbon. , Place the felt leaves on one end of the rectangle and the organza fan on the other end.
Position one large feather in the center, then place the fabric flower on top.
Both fans should fan out to their respective sides.
In other words, if you place the leaf fan on the left, the wide outer portion should face to the left.
If you place the ribbon fan on the right, the wide outer portion should face to the right.
The center feather should stand vertically in between the two fans, but you can adjust the angle slightly if doing so creates better visual balance.
Ideally, the bottom fabric flower should completely cover the base of the other three embellishments. , Once you're satisfied with the arrangement, use hot glue or a needle and thread to attach each embellishment to the felt rectangle.
If you choose to sew the decorations instead of gluing them, note that you'll need to attach the feather and leaves by loosely stitching around the shafts of each one.
Hide any stitches made into the fabric flower beneath its center button.
Check the base of your decoration.
If some of your stitches or glue marks remain visible, consider hiding them with additional beads and gems. , Place a dot of hot glue on the edge of the blank comb, then press one end of the satin ribbon into the glue.Choose satin ribbon the roughly matches the color of your two felt rectangles.
The exact amount may vary, but 36 inches (91.6 cm) will usually be enough.
Use a blank comb measuring roughly 3 inches (7.6 cm) long.
Shorter combs will not be sturdy enough to support the decoration and longer combs will show through from the underside. , Wrap the ribbon around the base of the comb, weaving it in between the individual teeth.
Fold the loose starting end over the base of the comb before you begin wrapping.
As you wrap, make sure that your initial wraps cover this end and hide it from view.
When you finish, the entire base of the comb should be covered by the ribbon. , Once you reach the end of the comb base, tie a knot in the ribbon and trim away any excess.
To prevent the cut end of the ribbon from fraying or sticking up, apply a small bead of glue to the end of the base and carefully press the remaining tail into it. , Glue or stitch the empty felt rectangle to the wrapped ribbon along one side of the comb.
Stick the felt patch to the rounded side of the comb base, and make sure that the length of the patch covers the length of the comb.
Only adhere the patch to the base of the comb; do not attach it to the teeth.
If you choose to sew the felt instead of gluing it, sew the felt directly into the ribbon beneath it. , Place the embellished felt rectangle on top of the felt rectangle attached to the comb.
Sew or glue the two together.
Align the edges of the two patches together as evenly as possible.
You may need to trim some of the excess to keep the edges clean.
Note that the bottom of the embellished patch must face the teeth of the comb.
The upper portion of the patch should point above and away from the comb.
If you choose to sew the felt patches together, use a whip stitch or some type of edging stitch to make the final result look cleaner. , Examine the fascinator.
Use additional gems or charms to cover any messy areas or fill in any blank spots. , Once all the glue dries, the fascinator should be finished and ready to wear.
Stand in front of the mirror and slip the teeth of the fascinator comb into your hair. -
Step 3: Fold each circle piece into quarters.
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Step 4: Glue four sets onto the felt circle.
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Step 5: Adhere the remaining three sets.
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Step 6: Attach a button to the center of the flower.
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Step 7: Fold the organza ribbon into a fan.
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Step 8: Spread the leaves into a fan.
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Step 9: Cut out two felt rectangles.
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Step 10: Layer the decorations over one felt rectangle.
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Step 11: Attach the embellishments to the felt.
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Step 12: Attach the satin ribbon to the comb.
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Step 13: Wrap the ribbon.
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Step 14: Knot the ribbon.
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Step 15: Attach the empty felt patch to the comb.
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Step 16: Attach the two felt rectangles.
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Step 17: Make any final alterations.
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Step 18: Try it on.
Detailed Guide
Use scissors to cut out seven 3-inch (7.6-cm) satin circles, seven 3-inch (7.6-cm) chiffon or tulle circles, and one 2-inch (5-cm) felt circle.Use any colors or patterns you'd like.
You can also use different fabric to create different effects.
Many materials, including satin, will fray after being cut.
Apply liquid seam sealant to the cut edges to prevent this from happening.
Alternatively, you can use fray-resistant knits and nylons to avoid the issue of fraying altogether.
Place one chiffon circle on top of each satin circle.
Treat each pair as one piece from this point on.
If desired, this flower can be made with either satin or chiffon instead of using both.
In that case, you'll only need to cut the seven 3-inch (7.6-cm) circles of your primary fabric and the one 2-inch (5-cm) felt circle. , Fold one satin-chiffon pair in half, then fold it in half once more.
Repeat with the other six pairs.
The material may unfold once you release it.
If this happens, you'll need to work with one circle pair at a time instead of folding all of them at once.
Immediately after folding one pair, glue it in place, then do the same for the next pair and the ones after that. , Place a dot of hot glue in the center of the felt circle.
Arrange four of the folded satin-chiffon pairs on top of this circle, pressing the tip of each set into the glue.The pointed tips should all meet together at the center of the felt circle, and the open edge of each set should face in the same direction as the others.
All four sets should fit together snugly in a rough circle.
You may need to apply additional hot glue to the "petals" directly above the felt.
Otherwise, the sets may loosen and fall off as you handle the flower. , Place another dot of hot glue in the center of the previous layer.
Arrange the remaining three satin-chiffon pairs on top, pressing the tip of each one into this new dot of glue.
Position these three sets so that they fill in some of the gaps left between the first four sets.
Note that these three sets will face in the same general direction as the first four, but they will not fit together quite as snugly. , Gently spread apart the petal layers to reveal the center.
Glue or sew a decorative button into this center.
After adding the embellishment, use your fingers to carefully spread and fluff the "petals" of the flower around its new center.
Set the finished flower aside until you are ready to use it for the fascinator. , Cut a length of 2-inch (5-cm) wide organza ribbon.
Fold this ribbon three times, separating each fold slightly to create a small fan.
The exact amount can vary according to personal taste, but 12 inches (30.5 cm) of organza ribbon will usually work well.
Vary the length of each fold slightly to create more dimension.
Hold the fan together by sewing a running stitch across the base of the fan, or by applying a small bead of hot glue in between each folded layer near the base of the fan. , Arrange three to five fake leaves so that they connect at the bottom tip but fan out along the tops.
Fix the leaves together with hot glue.The leaf fan should be tall enough to help balance out the organza ribbon fan.
As such, try to use leaves that are roughly 2 to 3 inches (5 to
7.6 cm) long.
To vary the design, you could opt for wide craft feathers or fake flower petals instead of fake leaves.
If using feathers, choose feathers that vary from the single feather you'll be using later on in these instructions.
If using fake petals, separate the petals from the plastic stem before arranging them into a fan. , Each rectangle should be 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) wide and 3 inches (7.6 cm) long.
Both rectangles should be cut from the same color felt.
If your organza ribbon is sheer, it might be a good idea to roughly match the color of the felt to the color of the ribbon. , Place the felt leaves on one end of the rectangle and the organza fan on the other end.
Position one large feather in the center, then place the fabric flower on top.
Both fans should fan out to their respective sides.
In other words, if you place the leaf fan on the left, the wide outer portion should face to the left.
If you place the ribbon fan on the right, the wide outer portion should face to the right.
The center feather should stand vertically in between the two fans, but you can adjust the angle slightly if doing so creates better visual balance.
Ideally, the bottom fabric flower should completely cover the base of the other three embellishments. , Once you're satisfied with the arrangement, use hot glue or a needle and thread to attach each embellishment to the felt rectangle.
If you choose to sew the decorations instead of gluing them, note that you'll need to attach the feather and leaves by loosely stitching around the shafts of each one.
Hide any stitches made into the fabric flower beneath its center button.
Check the base of your decoration.
If some of your stitches or glue marks remain visible, consider hiding them with additional beads and gems. , Place a dot of hot glue on the edge of the blank comb, then press one end of the satin ribbon into the glue.Choose satin ribbon the roughly matches the color of your two felt rectangles.
The exact amount may vary, but 36 inches (91.6 cm) will usually be enough.
Use a blank comb measuring roughly 3 inches (7.6 cm) long.
Shorter combs will not be sturdy enough to support the decoration and longer combs will show through from the underside. , Wrap the ribbon around the base of the comb, weaving it in between the individual teeth.
Fold the loose starting end over the base of the comb before you begin wrapping.
As you wrap, make sure that your initial wraps cover this end and hide it from view.
When you finish, the entire base of the comb should be covered by the ribbon. , Once you reach the end of the comb base, tie a knot in the ribbon and trim away any excess.
To prevent the cut end of the ribbon from fraying or sticking up, apply a small bead of glue to the end of the base and carefully press the remaining tail into it. , Glue or stitch the empty felt rectangle to the wrapped ribbon along one side of the comb.
Stick the felt patch to the rounded side of the comb base, and make sure that the length of the patch covers the length of the comb.
Only adhere the patch to the base of the comb; do not attach it to the teeth.
If you choose to sew the felt instead of gluing it, sew the felt directly into the ribbon beneath it. , Place the embellished felt rectangle on top of the felt rectangle attached to the comb.
Sew or glue the two together.
Align the edges of the two patches together as evenly as possible.
You may need to trim some of the excess to keep the edges clean.
Note that the bottom of the embellished patch must face the teeth of the comb.
The upper portion of the patch should point above and away from the comb.
If you choose to sew the felt patches together, use a whip stitch or some type of edging stitch to make the final result look cleaner. , Examine the fascinator.
Use additional gems or charms to cover any messy areas or fill in any blank spots. , Once all the glue dries, the fascinator should be finished and ready to wear.
Stand in front of the mirror and slip the teeth of the fascinator comb into your hair.
About the Author
Raymond Peterson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical lifestyle knowledge.
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