Fun with Fabric Flowers

A few years ago I set out to learn how to make crochet roses. I was highly motivated for deeply personal reasons, and succeeded in my quest!

The only downside: it’s far more addictive than I expected.

And I couldn’t stop at just roses…

Before I knew it I was looking for other flower patterns and started experimenting with a few of my own (daffodils were a little tricky but surprisingly fun).

And then I stared thinking “fabric flowers”…

… and I went down another rabbit hole.

Rainbow Rose Wreath

After that the question became, what to do with all these lovely blooms? The first thought was sell them to other creatives now that “the” fabric store is, uh, no more.

(For hilariously asinine reasons btw!)

While that is a good idea for small batches, it’s unfortunately not very practical in the long run. For a couple of reasons.

For one thing, it’s hard to constantly gauge designs that will remain popular enough to stay profitable; each crafter has a different aesthetic and different needs to complete their work.

For another, my workspace is simply too small right now to accommodate the scale of inventory I would need in order to remain profitable, if I were to find that sweet spot.

Honestly guys, this is a low-budget show I’m running here, lol!

At this stage, it makes more sense to write down and film my methodology, and then share those patterns so others can use them to complete their own projects.

scrappy flowers - a great way to use up extra fabric and buttons!

As to whether or not I’ll sell those patterns… well, I haven’t quite decided yet.

Craft and clothing patterns represent a gray area for trademarking and patent protection. And honestly it’s not surprising why: many designs serve a utilitarian purpose, and, if I understand the gist of it correctly, no one person can own such a design.

No one can own the patent to “shoes” because- well they’re shoes, literally everyone needs at least one pair of shoes!

But, the brand behind your favorite pair can register as the sole owners of their logo, because that image represents their intellectual property. In that case, everyone else is legally prohibited from replicating their designs…

In an ideal world…

That doesn’t mean a skilled artisan (with 20+ years knowledge and experience), can’t or won’t produce a knock-off if it means putting food on the table.

This is just branding in fashion design, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of that story!

Long story long: ownership of crafting patterns is even more complicated because it involves the direct fabrication of design elements; no one person can legally own crocheting, because it’s been around for literally hundreds of years (possibly longer).

And any highly skilled artisan worth their $25/hour fee (yes, that’s how good some folks get!) can easily look at a reference photo from a book or thumbnail, and say: “bet!”

No pattern required.

Inspiration photo (from what I’m positive is an AI generated account…)

I personally don’t really care if someone wants to copy my design because they really like it. On the contrary, I’m actually a little flattered because it means I’m doing my job right.

Someone at some point is going to come along who’s even more talented and skilled, and they’re going to be able to figure it out on their own.

(There’s always a bigger bear in the woods)

But, I’m not opposed to charging a small fee for courses and classes, and PDFs, as compensation for the trouble of study and practice. Having a variety of different instructions is actually a really great thing in this community, because people learn at different paces and advance to different stages; one approach to crocheting roses may not work for everyone, so having more than one way to do it is extremely beneficial.

In case you couldn’t tell, making all these flowers has really given me a lot to think about. Especially regarding the industry I’m in.

The long, roundabout point I’ve been trying to make, is that whether you’re a hobbyist or a career-person, there’s plenty of room for everyone at this table.

So, you bring the snacks, I’ll bring the flowers!

Check out one of the easiest ways to make your own fabric flowers!