#sequin flowers

~ How To Stitch Sequin Flowers, Style 5 ~

You Will Need :

navette sequins x 8, 8mm cup sequin x 1, rocaille beads (we used size 11° x 65), approx 1 metre of thread such as Nymo D, size 10/13 beading needle, tailor's chalk or heat erasable pen, scissors, ruler.

1. Mark a template as shown, approx 30mm across, mark the centre and eight equal radiating lines. Thread your needle,  secure the thread on the wrong side and stitch through to the front at the centre. Pick up an 8mm cup sequin and a bead and let them slide down your thread. Stitch down through the sequin. Pull the thread taut but not tight so the bead sits in the cup then stitch up where one of the lines meets the edge of the cup sequin.

2. Pick up a navette sequin and enough rocaille beads to fill the gap betweet the sequin holes, let them slide down your thread to rest against your work. Stitch down where the second hole of the navette sequin meets the line from your template. Pull the thread taut but not tight so the beads and sequin lie along the line. Making a 1mm stitch, bring the needle back up through the sequin's second hole and pull up your thread. Stitch through the rocaille beads again then stitch down through the sequin's first hole and pull up your thread. Pass the needle up where a line meets the edge of the central sequin. Tip : stitch the four cardinal point petals first then the four diagonal petals.

3. Repeat step 2 until you have stitched all 8 petals.  Secure your thread on the wrong side and trim close to your work. Use a hairdryer to erase the template if you've used a heat pen.

Options :

Substitute sequins of your choice for 8mm cup, anything goes, experiment with different shapes sizes or layers.

Substitute bugle beads for the rocailles on the petals or try larger or smaller beads, mix and match to see what works for you.

~ How To Stitch Sequin Flowers, Style 4 ~

You Will Need :

7mm twisted bugle beads x 8, 8mm sequins x 9 (we used cup sequins), rocaille beads x 9 (we used size 9°), approx 1 metre of thread such as Nymo D, size 10 beading needle or sharps, tailor's chalk or vanishing pen, scissors.

1. Mark a template as shown, approx 30mm across, mark the centre and eight equal radiating lines. Thread your needle, bring the ends together so you are working with doubled thread, secure the thread on the wrong side and stitch through to the front at the centre. Pick up an 8mm cup sequin and a bead and let them slide down your thread. Stitch down through the sequin. Pull the thread taut but not tight so the bead sits in the cup then stitch up where one of the lines meets the edge of the cup sequin.

2. Pick up a bugle bead and let it slide down your thread to rest against your work. Stitch down where the edge of the bugle bead meets the line from your template. Pull the thread taut but not tight so the bead sits along the line then stitch up approx 4mm away from the bugle bead. Pick up an 8mm cup sequin and a bead and let them slide down your thread. Stitch down through the sequin. Pull the thread taut but not tight so the bead sits in the cup then stitch up between this sequin and the bugle bead. Stitch through the bugle bead again, pull up your thread then stitch down between the bugle bead and the central sequin. Pass the needle up where the next line meets the edge of the central sequin.

3. Repeat step 2 until you have stitched all 8 petals.  Secure your thread on the wrong side and trim close to your work.

Options :

Substitute sequins of your choice for 8mm cup, anything goes, experiment with different shapes and sizes.

Substitute bugle beads of your choice for the twisted ones, try longer or shorter plain or spiral bugles

~ How To Stitch Sequin Flowers, Style 3 ~

You Will Need :

13mm shell sequins x 6, 8mm cup sequin x 1, 6mm cup sequins x 18,  rocaille beads x 25 (we used size 9°), approx 50cm of thread such as Nymo D, size 10 beading needle or sharps, tailor's chalk or vanishing pen, scissors.

) = concave, ( = convex, ♤ = shell, o = bead

1. Mark a template as shown, approx 20mm across, then mark the centre and six equal points around the outside edge. Thread your needle, bring the ends together so you are working with doubled thread, secure the thread on the wrong side and stitch through to the front at the centre. Pick up the 8mm cup sequin and a bead and let them slide down your thread. Stitch down through the sequin. Pull the thread taut but not tight so the bead sits in the cup then stitch up at one of the points you marked on the outer edge of your template.

2. Pick up a 6mm cup sequin concave, a bead, a 6mm cup sequin concave, a bead, a shell sequin convex through the top hole, a 6mm sequin convex and two beads  -)o)o♤(oo-. Let the sequins and beads slide down the thread to rest against your work then pass the needle down through the bottom hole of the shell sequin. Pull your thread up taut but not tight then stitch down through your work at the edge of the central cup sequin. Stitch up at one of the points marked on the outer edge.

3. Repeat step 2 until you have stitched all 6 petals.  Secure your thread on the wrong side and trim close to your work.

Options :

Substitute sequins of your choice for 13mm shell, anything goes as long as it has one or two stitch holes on the edge, experiment with different shapes and sizes.

Substitute a bead of your choice for the central rocaille, e.g. 3mm glass druk, crystal, pearl or even a rose montee.

To make a flatter shell flower, omit the first 6mm cup sequin and bead -)o♤(oo-

~ How To Stitch Sequin Flowers, Style 2 ~

You Will Need :

10mm disc sequins x 10, 10mm cup sequin x 1, rocaille bead x 1, approx 50cm of thread such as Nymo D, size 10 beading needle or sharps, tailor's chalk or vanishing pen, scissors.

1. Mark a template as shown, approx 10mm across and 2mm deep. Thread your needle, brings the ends together so you are working with doubled thread, secure the thread on the wrong side and stitch through to the front on the outer edge of your template.

2. Pick up a 10mm disc sequin and let it slide down your thread. Stitch down at the inner edge of your template. Pull the thread taut but not tight then stitch up at the outer edge of your template where the sequin intersects the line.

3. Repeat step 2 until you have stitched all 10 petals. Stitch up in the centre of your flower, add a 10mm cup sequin and a rocaille bead, as shown in one of the completed examples. Stitch down through the 10mm cup sequin and pull your thread taut but not tight. Secure your thread on the wrong side and trim close to your work.

Options :

Substitute sequins of your choice for 10mm disc, anything goes as long as it has a stitch hole on the edge, experiment with different shapes and sizes.

Substitute a bead of your choice for the rocaille, e.g. 3mm glass druk, crystal or pearl.

This design is infinitely customisable! .