Clear glass vases… we all seem to end up with a cupboard full of them in various sizes. They can be quite lovely individually, but it can be difficult to use them in a grouping. In addition, because they are clear, you can see through to the floral arrangement’s stems and leaves, which may not be as pretty as you’d like! We have an easy answer: vase wraps. This is a Fast Fridays tutorial, so you know it will be quick and easy. And, even better, you’ll use just small cuts of fabric, interfacing, lining, and felt; also making it an excellent ScrapBusters project. 

Your wrap will be sized to fit your particular vase, so we haven’t listed a finished size here. Read through the steps in our Getting Started section below to see how easy it is to measure, size, and cut all your supplies.

We mixed three fabric scraps in neutral tones for our base panels. This was a lovely option for the white flowers we chose to display. But one of the best parts of this project is the ability to mix and match exterior fabric to fit your own décor or a special occasion.

The rolled felt roses are super fast and easy to create with a standard glue gun. We again stayed with lighter tones to blend with our neutrals, but with the color choices out there in quality felt, the sky’s the limit – from tone-on-tone to vivid brights.

These wraps would also be beautiful on tables for a wedding reception, anniversary or reunion. Buy enough yardage so all the wraps will match, then set up an assembly line with your friends, and knock out dozens in a single afternoon.

We provide free downloadable templates for the leaves as well as for the circle/spiral needed to create the rolled rose. 

S4H Fast Fridays projects are all about whipping up something wonderful in no time at all. The supplies shown below are for just one wrap, but you know you’ll want to make more than one!

These pretty little sleeves would also make great gifts. Recycle a glass vase, pick a few beautiful blooms… perhaps from your own garden, add a custom wrap, and you have a unique and very personal present.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Sewing Machine and standard presser foot
• Edge Guide foot; optional but helpful for the precise edgestitching along the ribbon as well as the outer perimeter of the wrap

Fabric and Other Supplies

NOTE: The items listed below are for ONE vase wrap. You’ll notice we don’t give actual fabric cut requirements as that will be determined by the vase you want to use. Look at the items needed, then jump to the Getting Started section below to see how to measure in order to know the exact size of scraps you’ll need to fit your vase(s).

• ONE scrap of quilting weight cotton for the exterior
• ONE scrap of quilting weight cotton for the lining
• TWO scraps of lightweight fusible interfacing for the exterior; we used Pellon Shape Flex
• ONE length of 1½” wide ribbon
• ONE length of ½” – ¾” Velcro® in a color to best blend with your fabric; we used white ¾”
• For Rose: ONE small scrap of felt for the rose (we used baby pink), ONE small scrap of felt for the leaf(s) (we used olive green), and one tiny bead (optional) for the center. We used a plain white plastic bead apx. ¼” in size.
• Glue Gun; the ingredients photo above doesn’t show a glue gun but that’s just because our glue gun has seen better days and refused to have its picture taken
• All purpose thread to match fabric, felt, and ribbon, plus a green slightly darker than your green leaf felt for stitching the leaf(s) in place
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pen or pencil
• Seam gauge
• Seam ripper
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Iron and ironing board
• Straight pins

Getting Started & Template Download

1. Download and print the Leaf and Rose template sheet.
   IMPORTANT: The pattern is ONE 8½” x 11″ sheet. You must print the PDF file at 100%. DO NOT SCALE to fit the page.
2. Cut out the leaves along the solid outer line.
3. Cut out the rose spiral “wild” – i.e. a bit beyond the solid outer line.
4. Measure the height of your vase. In the photo below, we are showing one of our shorter vases.
   
5. Remember to allow for a little “air” top and bottom. You don’t want to go all the way up to the top or down to the base. We had about 6” of “useable height” on our short vases. To the height add 1”.
6. Measure the circumference of your vase. Our circumference was about 10¾”. To this circumference add 2¼”.
   
7. Using our measurement sample, this meant our main exterior and lining panels for the shorter vase needed to be 7” high x 13” wide.
8. From the exterior fabric, use your figured dimension to cut ONE panel.
9. From the lining fabric, use your figured dimension to cut ONE panel.
10. From the lightweight fusible interfacing, subtract 1” from both your figured width and height (6” x 12” in our sample above). Use this new figured dimension to cut TWO interfacing panels.
11. Cut the ribbon into ONE length to match the figured width of your panel.
12. As described above, use the templates to cut one or two leaves as desired.
    
13. Pin the “wild cut” rose spiral to the felt.
    
14. Trim along the outer solid line to form the starting circle.
    
15. Then cut along the inner lines of the spiral itself.
    
16. Remove the paper template to reveal your starting spiral.
    

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

Fuse the main panels and apply the ribbon

1. Center the interfacing on the wrong side of both the exterior and lining panels. There should be ½” of fabric showing beyond the interfacing on all sides. Following manufacturer’s instructions, fuse in place.
   
2. Find the length of ribbon, which should be cut to the same width as your main panels.
3. Pin the ribbon in place on the exterior panel. The bottom edge of the ribbon should be 2½” up from the bottom raw edge of the fabric panel.
   NOTE: This ribbon position near the bottom of the vase is our suggestion, you can choose to place your ribbon in a different position if you’d like. 
   
4. Thread the machine with thread to best match the ribbon in the top and bobbin. Lengthen the stitch slightly.
5. Edgestitch the ribbon in place along both sides. We used our Janome Edge Guide foot to keep a precise seam very close to the edge.
   

Create the rolled rose

1. Find your starting spiral. Begin rolling at the outer point of the spiral.
   
2. Continue rolling, keeping the base even. You don’t need a super tight roll. A looser roll will allow the rose to flatten slightly and therefore sit better against the wrap.
   
3. Roll all the way into the center of the spiral. Keep the very centermost “circle” of the spiral free. It will act like a flap to cover the base.
   
4. Apply several rings of glue to the base of the rolled rose.
   
5. Place the center flap down into position, covering the glue. Hold for a few seconds to allow the glue to set.
   

Place the leaf(s)

1. Find the main exterior panel, which should have its ribbon stitched in place. Set the panel right side up on your work surface. Find the exact center point of the ribbon. Place a marking pin at this point.
   
2. Set the finished rose at this center point, and, holding the rose in this center position, slide the leaf(s) under the rose. You want only about half of each leaf to peek out from under the rose for the most natural look. When you have the look you want, pin the leaf(s) in place.
   
3. Remove the rose. We’ve added a seam gauge into the photo below so you can see the approximate distance of our leaves from the center pin point.
   
4. Re-thread the machine with the darker green thread in the top and bobbin. Switch to a standard presser foot if need be. Keep a slightly lengthened stitch. Stitch through the center of each leaf from the inner-most point to within about ¼” of the outer-most point.
   
5. You are stitching through the felt, the ribbon, and the interfaced exterior panel. Remember to lock your seam at each end. If you have a locking stitch on your machine, now is a good time to use it.
   
6. We are showing the steps for our taller vase that featured two leaves. The process is the same to place just one leaf either to the left or to the right of center.
   

Layer, stitch and turn

1. Place the main exterior and the lining right sides together, sandwiching the ribbon and leaf(s) between the layers. All raw edges of both layers should be flush. Pin together, leaving a 2” – 3” opening along the upper right side.
   
2. Re-thread the machine with thread to best match the exterior in the top and to best match the lining in the bobbin. Re-set the stitch length to normal.
3. Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch around all four sides. Remember to pivot at each corner and to lock your seam at either side of the 2” – 3” opening.
   
4. Clip the corners.
   
5. Turn right side out through the opening. Use a long, blunt tool, such as a knitting needle, chopstick or point turner to gently push out each corner so it is nice and sharp.
6. Press flat, pressing in the seam allowance at the opening so it is flush with the sewn seam.
   
7. Re-set for a slightly lengthened stitch.
8. Edgestitch around the entire perimeter of the panel. This stabilizes the edge and closes the opening used for turning. We again opted to use our Janome Edge Guide foot.
   

Attach Velcro®

1. Find the Velcro® and cut it to fit just within the finished height of your panel.
2. Place the panel exterior side up and flat on your work surface.
3. Peel apart the Velcro®. Place the hook side (the scratchy side) along the right hand side of the panel on the right side of the exterior. Pin it in place.
   
4. Flip over the panel so it is lining side up and flat on your work surface.
5. Place the loop side (the soft side) along the right hand side of the panel on the right side of the lining. This means the two strips of the Velcro® are on opposite sides of the panel. Pin in place.
6. Keep the lengthened stitch. Switch to a standard presser foot if need be. Re-thread with thread to best match the exterior in both the top and bobbin. It’s most important that this stitching is matched to the exterior as you won’t see the lining side of the panel once the wrap is around your vase.
7. Stitch around all four sides of each half of the Velcro®.
   
8. When done, you will see the hook side of the strip along the right side of the exterior, and the loop side of the strip will be on the lining side at the left side of the exterior. This is correct.
   

Apply the rose

1. Place a glue dot at the exact center point on the ribbon – the same center point you used above to position your leaf(s).
   
2. Place the rose into position against the glue, holding it there for several seconds to allow the glue to set.
   
3. If desired, add a drop of glue to your tiny bead and drop it into the center of the rose.
   
4. Place the wrap around your vase and seal. The hook strip will be the underlay; the loop strip will be the overlay.
   

Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation and Instructional Outline: Leah Wand