Hello! I am making fabric flowers.

There are a lot of questions about the use of tools for flower making: how to work with them, on what pillow, what shapes they give ....

In this topic I will write a detailed description of the tools for making flowers that I use myself and that my students work with. The instruments are also called "Bulki". They can be used not only for fabric flowers, but also for the colors of their skin, wool, and felt.

Bulks are inserted into a soldering iron with a power of 40 watts, and heated.

On a hard cushion (except in some cases). Draws a double line with a distance of 2-3mm. It is used to draw the central vein of leaves and petals, as well as to draw various veins. Also used in the manufacture of some chrysanthemums, daisies, cornflowers and gerberas.

On a hard cushion (except in some cases). For drawing various veins.

On the middle pillow. Gives curved shapes. Used in the processing of leaves. And also sometimes it can be used in the manufacture of large chrysanthemums.

On the middle pillow. Draws a raised thin line. It is used in the manufacture of chryanthemums, butterflies, fantasy flowers, sunflowers.

A pillow is not needed to work with a spinneret. The spinneret is used for the manufacture of graceful rollers imitating grass, as well as for the manufacture of decorative flagella in various compositions of their colors. In order to make a flagellum, you need to cut strips at least 1 cm wide, and carefully stretch them through the holes in the preheated spinneret.

On hard and medium pillow. For curling the edges of rose petals. In the manufacture of lilies, chrysanthemums, orchids.

On the middle pillow. Draws a smooth smooth line. Used in the manufacture of clover, butterflies, fantasy leaves, chrysanthemums. For drawing softer veins on the leaves.

On a medium to soft pillow. To give convex rounded shapes. Depending on the size of the bulb, you can make both a small forget-me-not and a large rose. Bulkami draw soft rounded lines, curl the edges of the petals, process (press) the middle of the corolla flowers.

A little later I will write about 7 extra. tools, no photo yet..

Fabric flowers in photographs for Militta Magazine and all our readers.

With the help of fabric flowers, you can decorate your hair, bags and accessories,
as well as our beloved children, who are flowers in themselves.

We have two items on the agenda today:

1. What are flower bulbs?

2. What can replace bulbs for making flowers?

So, What are flower bulbs?

First, let's see what our great Wikipedia tells us:

Bulki- steel balls mounted on metal rods. The number of rolls used, as a rule, is not less than six. For example: 5,15,20,30mm in diameter. Changing the size of the balls by 1–2 mm in one direction or another special significance does not have. There are no boules for sale, they can be ordered in a locksmith or mechanical workshop according to the drawings. Corollas, petals, sepals and, in some cases, leaves are processed with bulbs, giving them a natural shape characteristic of given flower.

Yes, our Free Encyclopedia is a little behind the times. Bulks today you can buy whatever you want - you can use a soldering iron, or you can, which look like grandmother's, with ordinary wooden handles that heat up on gas stove. But not everyone can afford to buy them, at least in the beginning. Although, there are Masters who even today honor the traditions of their ancestors and do not change them. Remember, I told you about the great French flower maker Bruno Legeron? In his workshop, flowers are still made using such tools.

Bulks and other tools for making flowers

Well, in general, Wikipedia is right. Bulki are tools, part of which is a metal ball or half a ball, with a rod. Thanks to them, flower petals can be made voluminous. quality tool are usually made from brass. Brass is an alloy of metals, it has a high thermal conductivity, i.e. heats up quickly, and keeps warm for a long time, and then cools down for a long time.

Yes this professional tools, and thanks to them, some masters create masterpieces. Looking at them, the first thought that comes to mind is: "Of course, without this I will not succeed." And this is the first mistake of many beginners, and I once thought so. And in order not to offend anyone, I will show my first works and my mistakes. This is my first fantasy flower. How proud I was. Of course, I understood that I was oh, how far away from the great masters, but he seemed so unusual to me)))

I did it because I didn’t know how to do it, because then it was almost impossible to learn anything about leather flowers. There were so many beautiful things on Osinka, but there were no detailed descriptions. You had to read all one hundred odd pages to learn something. And now - my mistake. This is what many beginners do. I know, because sometimes I get letters from them in the mail with photos of their first flowers. petals twisted, have some form, but they flat, them not enough volume.

So What can replace the bulbs for making flowers?

I made this rose a little later, already having some experience with leather and already made several flowers.

Josephine skin rose

I "boiled" the petals of this rose with a screwdriver

Here is also one of my first favorite works - Pink Peony.

Brooch Peony - one of my first favorite))

I added volume to the petals of this peony with a tennis ball.

peony petals

How did I do it? I put the petal on my palm and, as if scrolling, pressed the screwdriver into the petal.

Only later, when I realized that I can’t live without leather flowers, that I really want bulbs, I was presented with a set of flower making tools for my birthday)))

The fact is that genuine leather is a very curious material. When wet, it can be given any shape. We form folds with our hands, stretch, give volume with improvised means, wrap the edges of the petals. The main thing is that the petals are not flat.

To be honest, it was kind of embarrassing for me to talk about it. Somehow it sounds unprofessional - to use improvised means. And the other day I saw a curious photo, in my opinion. This is a picture from an old Japanese book on leather flower making.

Of course, it's a pity that we can't read Japanese, but we can see. As you can see in the lower pictures, an awl is used to add volume. Those. you can use any object that is suitable in size, which has a round side surface.

Only wet skin lends itself to such manipulations, and to give it fixation, we pre-process it in the future. adhesive solution. You can't do this with dry skin, dry skin is boiled with warm or hot (but not much) bulges.

Like these ones homemade devices I found in the Land of Masters.

And here are the "masterpiece" bulbs of Svetlana Shovkoplyas, a reader of this blog.

Do-it-yourself bulki

Look what beauty she makes now with her bubbles

And now the question is for you, my readers, who already have experience, and what did you replace the bulbs with when you didn’t have them? And if you send photos to my address, I will add them to this article. I think many beginners will be grateful to you.

P.S. And here are the first reviews of blog readers. Regina Ryazanova shared her experience:

"I'd like to show what tools I'm trying to replace real bulbs with. The first photo is a homemade bulb made from a towel dryer handle. And the second "tool" I found on the Internet is an ordinary fork, in which I bent two extreme prongs (so as not to I use it as a double leaf knife.

homemade flower making tools

And the second photo ... just to show how this very "knife" makes veins on the leaves. Maybe it will be useful for someone...

Tools for making artificial flowers. Buy in Moscow and throughout Russia. Delivery to any city is possible.
To make flowers, you need to have a small arsenal of tools and devices that you can buy by writing to me by mail
In Moscow ONLY self-pickup (m. Chistye Prudy).
Sending across Russia and to other countries is possible, but ONLY by prepayment, and ONLY by EMS mail (door-to-door delivery). The prepayment includes the cost of the ordered goods and the cost of delivery.
The average cost of EMS delivery in Russia is 750-850 rubles, average cost delivery to Europe 2100r.

This happens as follows: You call me and tell me your city, then I specify the cost of delivery to your city by EMS mail, tell you the amount you need to transfer (the cost of tools + the cost of delivery) and bank card details (or Yandex wallet number). After payment, you send a confirmation (scan of the receipt / check or number + date + time of the transaction), as well as your address and as soon as the money is credited to my account (usually 1-2 days), I will send you the tool.
I do not send instruments by regular mail or cash on delivery. Everything is only by EMC- it saves our time and makes life more comfortable.

Attention! Dear foreingers! If you want to buy artflower tools or other materials, please send a message to this adress:

Please type my adress by you hands and do not print this adress anywhere in internet, I do not want spam bots find my adress and spam my email.

Attention promotion: with a one-time purchase of the first 4 sets, with 3 soldering irons plus 2 medium and 1 hard pillows, DISCOUNT 850r.

Summer Promotion! With a one-time purchase of all 5 tool kits, with 3 soldering irons, plus 2 medium and 1 hard pads, DISCOUNT 1500r.

Actual prices for tools are now on the website: http://tsvetyiztkani.rf

1. Basic kit for making flowers. Always available!
Cost of tools (15 nozzles without soldering iron)
soldering iron sold separately.

All the flowers presented on my site are made with these tools. It is very important that you have an idea of ​​the quality of these tools. To further verify the quality of the tools, you can visit one of my flower making workshops, where we create flowers with students using these tools. See the schedule and cost of MK in the section "Training."

Advice. When buying a set of tools It is recommended to purchase 2-3 soldering irons. I always work with 2 and sometimes 3 soldering irons at the same time. And that's why. When making flowers and working with tools, you often need several tools at the same time. During operation, the tools in the soldering iron heat up and therefore expand, and sometimes it takes some force to pull the hot tool out of the soldering iron. This may cause some inconvenience at work. In addition, in such work, when you constantly and quickly change tools without waiting for them to cool, the inside of the soldering iron loosens, and it quickly becomes unusable. Trying to pull out a very hot tool can scratch and ruin it. Therefore, the best way out in this situation is to use several soldering irons. You can easily work with one tool. When you need another tool, you take another soldering iron, and turn off the first soldering iron and wait for it to cool down so that you can easily pull out the first one and insert the third tool into the soldering iron. Thus, your tools and soldering irons will serve you much longer. When making flowers using the "Living Flower" technique, as well as when working in Japanese technology you will need 3 soldering irons at the same time. One for curling the petals, the other 2 for processing, because. these techniques often require 3 heated instruments at the same time. I have been using the same 3 soldering irons for 3 years now and they are still in working order.

Before buying, I also recommend reading the article "All that glitters is not gold" about tools for making flowers.

2. Japanese tools (Japanese paws and knives) for making flowers.

Now on sale Japanese tools for flower making. The set includes 6 Japanese paws: 3 paws are smooth different size, and 3 paws are made in the form of knives, also of different sizes.

3. An additional set of tools for making flowers.

In the set: lily of the valley, ring, 2 chrysanthemum knives, double disc knife, single disc knife.

4. A set of BIG rolls.

"GIANTOBULKS" - a flower girl's dream. I dreamed about these bulbs for 3 years, but they could not be bought or ordered anywhere. Now I have found the opportunity to make them myself at the factory according to my order. And now you have the opportunity to buy such bulbs. Large bulbs are exclusively presented only in my store. There are no such places anywhere else in Moscow. The set contains 4 buns sized 3.5 - 4 - 4.5 and 5 cm. With the help of such buns you can make big roses and other big flowers.

5. "Set of Japanese paws №2 PROFI"

It's done! The thinnest Japanese paws for the pros and the “hoof” are already on sale.

I hasten to inform all lovers of floriculture, those who have been waiting for this set for so long, as well as those who have not even heard about it. A set of Japanese paws No. 2 PROFI appeared on sale.

The set was created in the image and likeness Japanese instruments, it's theirs exact copy, but there are several significant advantages of my particular set.

To order instruments, please email me. (Alena Abramova) I will answer within 2-3 days.
In Moscow, pickup is possible (metro station Chistye Prudy) or delivery EMC service, but ONLY after the advance payment of the entire order and shipping costs.
Sending across Russia and to other countries is possible, but ONLY by prepayment, and ONLY by EMS mail (door-to-door delivery). The prepayment includes the cost of the ordered goods and the cost of delivery.
The average cost of delivery in Russia is 700-800 rubles, the average cost of delivery to Europe is 2000 rubles.
Payment is made to a Sberbank card or Yandex money.

6. Rubber cushions.

On sale firm, and average pillows. A soft pillow is obtained by adding 2 medium pillows. Size 20*18 cm
Detailed description pillows read

Detailed description of the tools from the main set:

Soldering iron. A 40W soldering iron is used. You should not take a higher power soldering iron, because the tools in it overheat and the fabric starts to burn during processing. With effort, the tip is carefully removed from the soldering iron, and nozzles are inserted instead. (In my kit, the soldering iron tip is already removed, you do not have to do this)

Nozzles for soldering iron, they are special tools for making flowers, often referred to by the funny word "bulks". In fact, a tool kit consists of not only buns. Tools are made of brass high strength, which eliminates the deformation of parts when heated. The set of tools includes 15 nozzles: bulbs with a diameter of 3 to 30 mm (8 pcs), a hook, heels (wide and narrow), a spinneret, a single knife, a double knife, a penny.
Each tool is designed to different kind works. Given below short description tools, their application, as well as recommendations on which pad to work with each tool.

Double knife.
Draws a double line with a distance of 2-3mm. It is used to draw the central vein of leaves and petals, as well as to draw various veins. Also used in the manufacture of some chrysanthemums, daisies, cornflowers and gerberas.

Single knife.
On a hard cushion (with the exception of some cases). For drawing various veins.

Wide heel. (Iron)
On the middle pillow. Gives curved shapes. Used in the processing of leaves. And also sometimes it can be used in the manufacture of large chrysanthemums.

Narrow heel. (Iron)
On the middle pillow. Draws a raised thin line. It is used in the manufacture of chryanthemums, butterflies, fantasy flowers, podokhuhs.

Die.
A pillow is not needed to work with a spinneret. The spinneret is used for the manufacture of graceful rollers imitating grass, as well as for the manufacture of decorative flagella in various compositions of their colors. In order to make a flagellum, you need to cut strips at least 1 cm wide, and carefully stretch them through the holes in the preheated spinneret.

Hook.
On hard and medium pillow. For curling the edges of rose petals. In the manufacture of lilies, chrysanthemums, orchids.

A penny.
On the middle pillow. Draws a smooth smooth line. Used in the manufacture of clover, butterflies, fantasy leaves, chrysanthemums. For drawing softer veins on the leaves.

Bulki from 3 to 30 mm.
On a medium to soft pillow. To give convex rounded shapes. Depending on the size of the bulb, you can make both a small forget-me-not and a large rose. Bulkami draw soft rounded lines, curl the edges of the petals, process (press) the middle of the coronal flowers.

Bulk 3 mm.


Bulk 5 mm.

Bulk 8 mm.

Bulk 10 mm.

Bulk 15 mm.

Bulk 20 mm.

Bulk 25 mm.

Bulk 30mm.

Rubber pads.

In addition to flower making tools, you will also need rubber pads. Available for sale new generation rubber pads. White, heat-resistant and, what is very important, unlike the black rubber we are used to, do not contain volatile substances in their composition, which, when in contact with the sheathing fabric, paint it dirty black. White rubber always stays the same color and your pillows look neat and tidy.

On sale firm, and average pillows. A soft pillow is obtained by adding 2 medium pillows. This method is more economically justified, since rubber white color 3 cm thick costs 2 times more, and a soft pillow would cost more. And so you buy one hard and two medium pillows and "kill two birds with one stone."

Pillows needed for work varying degrees stiffness and elasticity to give one form or another to the details of the flower and to draw various lines and patterns. As a rule, pillows come in 3 types: hard, medium soft, and soft. There are also super-soft pillows, but you can completely do without them.

Rubber cushions before work must be sheathed with a piece of smooth and dense cotton fabric in one layer. For these purposes, it is best suitable fabric for bedclothes - teak, or dense satin. It is important that the weave of threads does not stand out in the fabric, as, for example, in linen or calico, since such upholstery can leave mesh marks on the details of the flower.

Previously, black rubber pillows were used, containing in its composition volatiles, from which the fabric of the case turned black over time and took on an untidy appearance. As a rule, craftswomen of nature are neat and very clean, and in order to keep the black rubber pillow in a tidy form, it had to be sheathed once a month. new fabric, which is quite time consuming, because you can make a flower instead.

But now it is possible to use pillows made of white rubber, which does not stain the cover, and the pillows remain tidy.

hard pillow- hard rubber cushion, the thickness of this cushion is not critical, 3-4 mm is enough to work comfortably. The size of the pillow must be at least 15 cm on each side. You can do more, for even more comfortable work. As a rule, it is used when working with knives, a hook, a penny and a heel.

Medium pillow- pillow made of elastic porous rubber, thickness not less than 1 cm and not more than 1.5 cm, size must be at least 15*15 cm. small diameter. Indispensable in the work of a flower girl, because it is the most used.

Soft pillow- made of elastic porous rubber, with a thickness of 2 to 3.5 cm. The size is not less than 15 * 15 cm. It is intended, as a rule, for working with bulks. At first soft pillow can be replaced with a pillow of salt or sand. To do this, you need to sew a case 15 * 15 cm in size and fill it with fine, uniform sand or salt, but not very tightly. You can also use instead of rubber regular foam lined with cotton fabric, but such a pillow is short-lived - the foam rubber is deformed and becomes unusable. Both salt and foam cushions do not have sufficient elasticity, and in the manufacture of convex parts, creases and bruises remain on the product.

Tools for making fabric flowers

Name and purpose of the tool

When creating flowers from fabric, special tools, fixtures and a soldering iron are used as a heating element.
Conventionally, tools can be divided into basic and additional.
The main ones are bulbs, single and double knives, narrow and wide heels, hook, die. It is with these tools that they begin learning to create flowers, and in the future they create all flowers.

Additional - a penny, a ring, narrow and wide chrysanthemum knives, lily of the valley. Help in the manufacture of small parts, expand processing capabilities. Used when working in a classic European technology flower making.
Each tool has a specific function and is designed to perform for a different type of work.
Below we will dwell on each of them in more detail.

To extrude convex surfaces on the elements of flowers and give a natural shape characteristic of a given flower, so-called bulbs are used.

Bulki - balls (hemispheres) mounted on rods. The number of buns used, as a rule, is not less than eight from 3 mm to 30 mm in diameter. The bulbs process the petals, as well as corollas, sepals and, in some cases, leaves. Soft, rounded lines are drawn, the tips of the petals are turned away and the middle of the flower is formed.
Small-diameter bulbs will help in creating forget-me-nots, lilies of the valley, spray roses, gillyflowers and other small flowers. They can also process the edges of poppy peony, iris, and other large multi-petal flowers.

Hook - a metal rod in the form of a hook with a thin tip. The hook is necessary for processing (curling the edges) of leaves and oblong petals. Ideal for lilies and roses. It can also be used in the manufacture of chrysanthemums, orchids.

Knives - single and double are necessary in the processing of leaves. The cutting edges of the knives should be somewhat blunt to avoid cutting through the fabric. When driving cutting edge on the material with a relatively light pressure, the knives should leave a clearly visible mark, and with a stronger pressure, the knife should twist the material.

Single round knife used for applying veins on the leaves and processing the petals of some flowers.
Round double knife necessary for processing the middle of the leaves (drawing the central vein), and can also be used for processing reed petals, sepals.

Heels - narrow and wide
Narrow heel (roller 1 mm) for processing petals and leaves. It will draw softer veins on the leaves, give a beautiful twist to the petals when processing the edge. Used in the manufacture of chrysanthemums, sunflowers, lilies, clover, fantasy flowers,
Wide heel (roller 4 mm) - used when processing leaves. It is this tool that gives naturalism to an artificial sheet. It can also be used for curling petals and corrugating the edges of the petal on poppy, iris, gladiolus, peony flowers.
Die tool with holes different diameter for creating tubular parts, stems, grass (for example, grass in a field bouquet), decorative tubules

Additional Tools:

The lily of the valley consists of two parts: bulbs in the form of a small bell and metal base repeating the shape of the bulb. Used accordingly for making lilies of the valley.
A penny or a clover knife. processed small parts flower, is used as the main tool for processing clover. A penny can become an alternative to a single knife, if necessary, to obtain softer lines during processing. This is achieved thanks to a slightly wider working surface than a single knife.
The ring is used to give the edges of the petals a fine corrugation. Can be used instead of a hook. But if the hook is responsible for processing roses and lilies, chrysanthemums can be processed with a ring.
At sharp chrysanthemum knife- a tool that combines a single knife and a narrow heel. Gives beautiful natural lines when processing leaves, corrugating petals, processing chrysanthemums. Allows you to process chamomile petals in one movement and does not require the use of other tools in the manufacture of a flower.
Wide chrysanthemum knife- in terms of parameters and properties, it repeats a narrow chrysanthemum knife, but with a wider working surface. Allows you to process the petals of chrysanthemums, asters, sunflowers, gerberas.