How to Sew A Rouched Rose

I thoroughly enjoyed making this Rouched Rose. Let me share with you a step by step guide to sewing your own Rouched Rose.

Start by cutting a 2-1/2" wide by width of fabric strip. (My fabric was 42" wide.)

Fold your fabric right sides together to form a 1-1/4" wide by width of fabric strip and stitch a 1/4" seam across one end and down the long side.

Turn your tube right side out and press leaving the seam at the edge.

Use straight pins to mark the long edge in alternating 1" increments. (First put a pin on the right side at the 1" mark, then on the left side at the 2" mark and back to the right side at the 3" mark, etc.

Using a doubled length of matching quilting thread that is knotted at the end, take running stitches down the open short end of the tube.

Then diagonally across the fabric strip from pin to pin.

Continue stitching diagonally from pin to pin drawing your thread up tight to form gathers as you go until you reach the end of the strip.

When you have reached the end of your tube and the entire piece has been gathered, take several hidden stitches to secure the stitches.

Starting at the originally open end of the tube, start to bend the rouched (gathered) tube in a tight circle to form a spiral.

Continue wrapping the gathered tube behind the original tight circle to form layers of flower petals.

Pin each "layer" to hold it in place.

Continue wrapping the gathered tube until you get to the end.

Turn the flower over and stitch through the layers to hold them together taking care not to let your stitches be seen on the front side. Finished size is 3 – 3-1/2" across depending on how tightly you place your petal rows together.

Turn over the rose and using a doubled piece of quilting thread, stitch some small pearl beads in the center. (I used 7 small pearls on this rose.) Tie off your thread on the backside of the flower. Now comes the fun part, decide how you would like to use the flower. By stitching on a pin back, it can become a lapel pin or a beautiful addition to brighten your winter coat or decorate a handbag, but it also makes for a pretty flower that can be appliqued onto a wall hanging or a pillow. Let your imagination run wild.