How to Make a Brooch

Co-authored by Shaelynn Haning

Last Updated: January 2, 2024

Brooches are a great fashion accessory reminiscent of classic style but also distinctly modern. However, brooches can be expensive. Cut down on the cost by making your own brooch! You can easily make a brooch using crystals and beads, felted wool, or rickrack.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Designing a Crystal or Beaded Brooch

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1
Draw the desired shape of your brooch on a piece of felt. Use felt that matched your items to make it less visible, or use a basic background color, such as black or grey. You can draw a square, circle, oval, rectangle, triangle, star, horseshoe, or any other shape you like for your brooch. Try to make the shape about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) across. You can use a template such as a glass. ^{[1]
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- For example, you could make a circle that is 1.5 in (3.8 cm) in diameter, a triangle with 1.5 in (3.8 cm) sides, or a rectangle that is 1.5 by 2.5 in (3.8 by 6.4 cm).
After you have traced the shape onto your felt, cut along the lines. Cut slowly to ensure that you do not create any misshapen or jagged edges. ^{[2]
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Tip : If you prefer a metal back for your brooch, purchase one from a craft supply store and glue your items directly onto it.

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3
Lay out the items you want on your brooch. You can glue beads, crystals, rhinestones, buttons, and other items onto your brooch to decorate it. Use enough items so that they will completely cover the felt, and then position the items on your felt piece how you want to attach them before gluing them into place. This will allow you to play with the positioning of the items and get the desired look. ^{[3]
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- Try outlining the brooch with 1 type of gem or bead and then add another row of a different type of bead or gem next to it. Keep alternating or adding new items as you move in towards the center.
- If you have 1 large gem or bead that you want to use as a focal point, place that in the center and surround it with gems or beads that complement it.
4
Use a hot glue gun to attach the items to your brooch. Turn on your hot glue gun and allow it about 10 to 15 minutes to warm up. Once you are happy with the arrangement of your items, begin gluing them into place. Pick up a piece, apply a small dot of glue and press the piece onto it. Continue to do this until you have attached all of your items. ^{[4]
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- Be careful not to touch the hot glue with your fingers. The glue will burn your skin if it gets on it.
- If you don’t want to use hot glue, you can apply fabric glue to attach the items and then let the brooch dry overnight.
5
Turn the brooch over and glue a brooch pin onto the back. When you have finished attaching the items to the front of your brooch and the glue has dried, turn it over. Then, apply a couple of dots of hot glue to the center of the brooch back and press a brooch pin closure onto the glue. Hold the pin in place for a few seconds to ensure a good bond. ^{[5]
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- If you use fabric glue, let the pin dry overnight.
- After the glue has dried, your brooch is ready to wear!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Felted Wool Flower Brooch

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1
Purchase felting wool in a variety of colors. You can purchase felting wool online or at a craft supply store. Buy a few colors that complement each other to create your brooch.
- Felted wool is not regular wool. It will come in soft, puffy bunches.
2
Wet the wool using soap and warm water. Fill a plastic bucket or bowl about halfway with warm water and add a squirt of hand soap. Squeeze and pull the wool gently while it is in the soapy water. When you can't stretch the fibers any more, the wool has felted.
- That should take about 15 minutes.
Hold the wool under warm, running water to rinse it out. Squeeze out the fabric to get rid of any excess water.
4
Dry the felt pieces overnight. Place the pieces on a towel on a countertop or up on a shelf where they will not be disturbed by pets or children. The felt pieces will take around 8 hours to dry completely.
- They should feel soft to the touch when they're completely dry.
Tip : Don't rush when waiting for your felt to dry. Only start to make your own brooch with the felt when all the water is completely gone.
You can arrange the pieces however you like to get the desired effect. Try ordering the layers by size with the smaller ones on top of larger ones so that each of the layers will be visible.
6
Sew the pieces together. Thread a needle with about 12 in (30 cm) of a durable matching thread and use it to sew through the center of the pieces you want to layer together. Stitch through all of the layers several time to ensure that they are securely attached, then tie a knot through the thread on the back side of the brooch.
- Another way to attach the pieces together is to fold each piece in half and then fold it in half in the other direction so that it is 1/4 of its original size. Then, sew the corner of the piece onto an open piece. Do this for 6 or 7 more pieces to create a 3-D felt flower. ^{[6]
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7
Sew on buttons, beads, or gems to the center of the brooch. You can also use extra felted wool formed into balls for a decorative addition. A bead or a button makes a good center of a flower.
- Don't forget to glue or sew on a safety pin or brooch pin to the back! You need to be able to attach it your clothes.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Sewing a Rickrack Flower Brooch

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1
Cut your desired length of rickrack. Count from the end of the rickrack until you get to 12 loops on the top edge of the rickrack. Then, cut the rickrack through the next loop.
- Wide rickrack works best for making a brooch. Choose rickrack that is about the width of your thumb.
- Use a pair of sharp fabric scissors to cut the rickrack.
2
Fold 0.25 in (0.64 cm) of the rickrack under and tack it in place. Thread a needle with about 12 in (30 cm) of thread and tie a knot in the end. Then, fold over the rickrack and insert the needle in through both layers. Pull until the thread is taut to secure the end of the rickrack.
- Make sure that the raw edge of the rickrack is facing away from you when you tack it down.
Tip : Use a needle that is durable enough to puncture thicker material. A thin needle could snap if forced through multiple layers of rickrack.
3
Sew each loop together across the bottom of your rickrack. Use your fingers to hold the first 2 bottom loops together and then insert the needle through both. Pull the thread taut. Then, pull the needle through the next bottom loop to layer it over the last 2 you sewed through.
- The loops should fold together like an accordion with your needle going in and out of each lower point of the material.
4
Tack down the end of the rickrack to hide the raw edge. When you're finished sewing through all of the bottom loops, fold the end of the rickrack under as you did in the beginning and sew through it to tack it down. Pull the thread taut to pull the rickrack together in a tight accordion-like bundle.
- Don’t tie a knot in the end of the thread just yet because you have more sewing to do.
5
Sew the end of your rickrack to the first 1 or 2 loops. This seals up the bunch of fabric in a circle, which should look similar to a flower. Pull the thread taut to tighten the rickrack into a circle.
- Hold the thread taut with your fingers, but don’t tie it off yet.
6
Stitch the inside corners of the rickrack. Sew back and forth across the rickrack circle to secure the pieces together more firmly. Make sure to sew on the back side of your rickrack flower so that these stitches will not be visible.
- Sewing across the center will help to make the flower firmer and sturdier. It will also improve the appearance of your finished brooch.
7
Choose a button in a complementary color to your rickrack. Sew it into the center of your rickrack flower. Tie off the thread on the back of the brooch and cut it about 0.25 in (0.64 cm) from the knot.
- Opt for a button or bead that will stand out from the rickrack. For example, you could add a pink or yellow button to the center of a purple rickrack flower.
8
Cut out a 1 in (2.5 cm) diameter felt circle. This will be the base of your brooch. You can sew or glue the rickrack flower onto the felt circle.
- Choose a color of felt that matches the rickrack, such as red for red rickrack or blue for blue rickrack.
- Use a pair of sharp fabric scissors to cut out the felt circle.
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9
Sew or glue the felt circle onto a brooch pin. You can thread a needle and sew through the openings in the brooch pin, or use hot glue to attach the brooch pin to the felt base. Press the flower onto the felt circle and hold it there for about 15 seconds if you are using hot glue.
- Place the pin near the top of the circle. Sewing it in the middle will cause the brooch to sag when you are wearing it.
- Be careful not to get hot glue on your skin as it will burn you.
EXPERT TIP

Shaelynn Haning
Professional Tailor & Business Owner
Shaelynn Haning is a Tailor & Business Owner based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shaelynn is the founder of the highest-rated and most-reviewed alterations and tailoring service in Oklahoma, Tallgrass Tailor, employing a team of skilled craftsmen and women from across the country and the world. Shaelynn is a member of the State of Oklahoma Education Careers and Technologies Board and a member of both the Custom Tailors and Designers Association and the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals. She is the host of The Sew Show with Shae, an entertaining and educational sewing channel posting weekly videos on YouTube. Shaelynn earned her BS in Apparel Design and Product Development from Marist College.

Shaelynn Haning
Professional Tailor & Business Owner

Baste-gather fabric spirals into rose brooch shapes. When creating a fabric rose brooch, start by cutting a spiral shape from fabric, with the center small and each ring getting bigger. Run a basting stitch along the inner curved edge, gather it up, and it will naturally curl into a rose shape. Pop a few stitches at the bottom to hold the flower shape in place.