Voodoo Molly Vintage: Rolled Rose & Rosette

Calico is such a lovely, under appreciated fabric. I buy it on the 50m roll as I use it for furniture upholstery a lot. It has a lovely strong raw nature to it, takes to dyes well, and depending on the grade / thickness it can be used for most things.

In my mother's day they'd use it to make mock-ups of dresses. It is often used today for inexpensive furniture slip-covers and drapes. For for me I've been making some lovely cushions and roses recently!

Rolled roses are lovely. They can be used to embellish so many things like bags, clothing, cushions, craft items. You can use any sort of fabric including thick sacking or thin lace. Today I've created a tutorial for a rolled rose using torn calico, along with an optional rosette.

Rolled Calico Rose & Rosette

Materials for rolled rose:
Calico
Hot glue gun

Materials for rosette backing:
Calico
Needle and thread
Hot glue gun

1. Tear a long strip of calico about 50mm wide. My piece was about a metre long. The width and length will determine the final size, so you can easily adjust these measurements.

2. Tie a knot at one end. Twist the strip and roll it around the knot, securing with a little hot glue.

3. Keep twisting the strip of fabric, and rolling around the centre. Use dabs of glue to hold in place as you go around.

4. When you get to the end fold the fabric under and glue.

5. If you want to stop at this stage, cut a circle of calico and glue it on the back to neaten it up. Finished!

6. To create a rosette backing, make another strip of calico about 40mm wider than your finished rolled rose.

7. Using a needle and thread sew a running stitch all the way down the length about 5mm from the edge. Pull to ruffle and tie off your thread. (You could also use a ruffling foot on your sewing machine).