How to make Burlap Tie Backs by Beneath My Heart

Are you ready for another awesome guest blogger projet? How about some awesome burlap tie backs? When I asked for help, Traci was the very first to step up! Hey, what are neighbors for? Say a big howdy to Traci!

Hello! My name is Traci, and I blog Beneath My Heart!

I am so grateful to be here at Gail's fabulous blog today. Did you know we are neighbors? She and I are both Kentucky girls! I live right outside of Lexington, (Go Big Blue!) and she lives in Louisville. Even though she lives in my rival city, I still love her! 🙂 If you have never met me in blogland before, let me introduce myself. I am the mother of four precious boys and wife to an amazing DIY man!

We love buying older homes and fixing them up. For the past two years, I have been blogging about our current fixer-upper. I love creating beauty in my home for pennies. Thrifty is my middle name! Usually, I am posting about DIY home projects, furniture makeovers, and room re-dos, but every now and then I do something "crafty". Something like I am sharing with you today! I want to share with you how I made burlap tiebacks with interchangeable flowers that I made for my drop cloth curtains.

I got my inspiration for this project when I went shopping with Sarah, Thrifty Decor Chick, last month. We went to the Ballard Designs’ outlet store, and I almost bought these burlap curtain tiebacks that were on sale. One thing you need to know about me is I love burlap!

Then I came to my senses and said, “Why would I buy this, when I can make it!” Oh, it’s the blogger in me.

I decided I wanted to make a flower with a little more spring flare, so I chose to make a pink one. (Or we can call it “Honeysuckle” which is the color of the year.)

You have probably seen how to make one of these silk flowers before in blogland. So have I, but I had never tried to make one for myself.

Can you say, F-U-N! I had a blast making these flowers. (I may have even created a new obsession for me!) This costume silk was purchased at Walmart. I got ¼ of a yard, and it cost me only $.67! First, I cut out five circles of descending sizes and traced them onto my pink silk fabric.

How to make fabric flowers

A candle flame will curl the fabric

Then, I cut five slits on each circle to create the “petals”. Carefully hold each circle of material over a small flame, (a tea light works best) and let the heat singe the edges.

Follow the two steps above with each circle and then layer them on top of each other to create the flower.

Secure fabric flower layers with needle and thread

The last step is to get a needle and thread to attach the pearl button in the middle of the flower. Start from the back of the flower so the knot in the thread will not be seen.

secure fabric flower with needle and thread

Precious!

burlap curtain tie back with fabric flower

How to make burlap tie backs for curtains

To make the burlap tieback, I just cut a piece of burlap 9 inches by 30 inches, folded it long ways, and stitched up 2 of the three sides, leaving a hole at one end to pull the material through.

Then I ironed it flat…right side out, and stitched up the remaining side.

I also made two little strips of burlap to create loops on the inside of each side of my tieback, so I could attach the tieback to the wall with a hook.

Add hook & eyes to burlap tie backs

The only thing left to do was attach the “hook & eyes” to the flowers and tiebacks

And now I have a beautiful burlap curtain tieback!

I had so much fun making that flower, that I made two more flowers using a different technique that I will be sharing on my blog in the future.

I sewed a “hook” on the back of each of my flowers, so I can change them out whenever I want. How fun!!

I can think of a million different kinds of flowers to make. Maybe red ones around Christmas? What do you think? Of course, you could used this same concept with a different type material, if you do not like burlap. I hope you enjoyed this project. Please stop by and see me any time at Beneath My Heart!

Thank you, Gail, for sharing your readers with me! Have a blessed day! Traci
-- Beneath My Heart
twitter: @beneathmyheart

Thank you Traci for a great tute! For a Big Blue Family, I’m wondering why you’re wearing Louisville RED in your picture? Just kidding!
gail

Gail Wilson

Website

Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.

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James

December 12, 2012 at 9:37 pm

You make it look so simple! Such simple instructions and photos help a lot too! So thanks a lot for that!

Jaz

October 28, 2011 at 6:47 am

Amazing! I could definitely make this and thanks for sharing!

Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal

April 26, 2011 at 3:24 pm

What cute little flowers. How great you can swap them out!

Junker Newbie Stephanie

April 26, 2011 at 2:50 pm

So cute! Can't wait to hear how you did the other flowers 🙂
BTW - found out about you on Twitter!

Suzanne@Meridian Road

April 26, 2011 at 2:38 pm

Those are so cute! Better than Ballard's, because you can change out the flowers!

Kookie

April 26, 2011 at 5:47 am

You are right. Definitely Precious!

Thank you for sharing your ideas.

Home Made Quilts By Granny

April 26, 2011 at 4:13 am

I liked seeing how to make the flowers. Trish

malia

April 26, 2011 at 4:08 am

Gail! GREAT idea-- a new purpose for burlap! Malia

Rachael

April 26, 2011 at 3:26 am

I love this post! Thanks for sharing!

P.s. the first link to the guest blogger isn't working (for me at least).

Michelle @Shellsshabbyshack

April 26, 2011 at 3:16 am

Four boys... me oh my 🙂

I love this idea. I made drop cloth curtains for our bedroom and would like to try this. The interchangeable flowers are too cute! Great tute!
Thanks for sharing!
~Michelle

Tonya

April 26, 2011 at 2:30 am

Very cute!! Love the interchangeable flowers!!

Suzie

April 26, 2011 at 2:00 am

love the drop cloth and burlap combo!

Jen @ tatertotsandjello.com

April 26, 2011 at 1:21 am

Super cute!! I love that you can change the flowers out too!

xoxox
Jen

Christy

April 26, 2011 at 12:35 am

so cute...and since i have a ton of burlap coffee sacks lying around...this is the perfect project. i love the tutorial on the flowers..i would have never thought of heating the silk to create the beautiful edge.

Rose @ Confessions of a Curbshopaholic

April 26, 2011 at 12:19 am

That is the cutest thing! Love the way you can change the flowers out so easily! I have dropcloth curtains and some spare burlap..I'm definitely going to try this one. Thanks for the tute!

Candace@craftysisters-nc

April 25, 2011 at 11:42 pm

This comment has been removed by the author.

Candace@craftysisters-nc

April 25, 2011 at 11:42 pm

Pretty! That's a great use for the burnt flowers. Thanks for sharing!

Home and Heart

April 25, 2011 at 11:30 pm

Love them!