How to Make Fabric-Covered Butterfly Wings

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Wendy Sloneker, contributor

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The fabric casing for the pair o' wings. Sew with right sides facing each other, then snip the excess fabric away to about 1/4 inch.

Wendy Sloneker

Snip ONE LAYER of fabric along the midline. Just cut an inch or so—that should be workable.

Wendy Sloneker

Estimate the length of wire you'll need for each side.

Wendy Sloneker

The fabric casing for the pair o' wings. Sew with right sides facing each other, then snip the excess fabric away to about 1/4 inch.

Photo: Wendy Sloneker

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Estimate the amount of wire you'll need for each side of your pair of wings. Start with a longer piece and then trim once you have one wing wired. Repeat for the second wing.

Bend the wire and manuever it into the fabric casing. You are the boss, yes, but be gentle and work with it to get it to look the way you want it to look. When the wire is snug, snip it with your cutters and work the other side.

Tack the wire to the fabric—for staying power!—with embroidery floss. Use just a few stitches as needed at the sharp angles.

Sew up the 1-inch cut along the midline with an invisible or whipstitch. Attach the wings to your project with this cut facing inside.

Sew a few stitches to secure the wire inside of the fabric casing.

Anchor the wings into place as you'd like—I chose several stitches at the nape of the doll's neck and on the body, just inside the waistband of the skirt.

Attach the pair at the nape of the neck and to the body, just inside the waistband of the skirt. Use simple stitches to secure.

This is just one technique. Attach these to dolls, sculptures, stuffed animals who need a lift, or ornaments. Your imagination can take flight!

My self-portrait doll—with wings!

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Comments (1)

Eternal_Clouds writes: im going to try them without the person i mean leave just the wings because they look like butterflys already to me :)
Posted: 11:55 am on March 8th

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