1. Michael's gray felt
- $0.29 for 1 large sheet
- $0.29 for 1 large sheet2. J.Crew flower hair pins- $9.50 each (recent and in-store)
3. Scissors
4. Michael's 1" bar pins
(size depending on flower pin/brooch)- $2.99 for a 60 pack **use 40% or 50% off coupon**
(size depending on flower pin/brooch)- $2.99 for a 60 pack **use 40% or 50% off coupon**5. Super glue
(any strong adhesive will work)
(any strong adhesive will work)STEP 1: Snip off the hair clip in the back
Please note that I forgot to take a picture of the back of the J.Crew pin before snipping off the hair clip in the back. This particular hair pin did NOT come with the pin back like the majority of flower hair pins/brooches therefore this explains why I am doing this post. I love my LOFT flower pin so much that this was the closest thing I could find in the same size and style. The following steps are for AFTER you snip off the hair clip. My dad was able to do that for me with a strong pliers
and also filed down the tips of the left over metal just to be safe. Ladies- make sure to have your hubby or BF help you with this:)
and also filed down the tips of the left over metal just to be safe. Ladies- make sure to have your hubby or BF help you with this:)STEP 2:
I chose the color gray for my felt but you can opt to match your felt with your flower pin (personal preference). I didn't really care since no one will see it but some may want it to match perfectly. Michael's has a variety of colors to choose from.
You will want to measure how big of a rectangular piece you will need. I eyeballed it but you can be more precise and use a ruler to make sure you have enough felt to cover the leftover metal hair pin.
Make sure to test it out the size before proceeding to the next step.
STEP 3:
Remove one bar pin from package...(I know sounds silly but I like to be as thorough as possible).
Put a small amount of super glue on the entire area of the back of the bar pin. Do this carefully and with caution! Do not put too much because it will get messy, just enough to adhere to the back of the flower pin.
STEP 4:
Open safety pin and make sure to place the bar pin horizontally (opposite direction of previous hair clip). You will see why in the next step. Hold in place for 1-2 minutes so the super glue to adhere properly. Be careful because your fingers may get stuck.
STEP 5:
Apply super glue to one side of the rectangular felt piece (preferably the smooth side). There are 2 sides to a piece of felt. One side feels smoother, I figured it would adhere better if it wasn't as rough. I could be wrong but just went with my gut.
STEP 6:
You want to make sure to cover up the leftover metal from the hair clip and also this adds another layer of adhesive to keep the bar pin in place. Be sure to open the bar safety pin before adhering. Hold in place for 1-2 minutes. I held it for 2-3 just to be safe.
STEP 6:
You want to make sure to cover up the leftover metal from the hair clip and also this adds another layer of adhesive to keep the bar pin in place. Be sure to open the bar safety pin before adhering. Hold in place for 1-2 minutes. I held it for 2-3 just to be safe.
Voila! You are done. You have successfully turned a hair pin into a brooch! For reference, these pins measure 3" x 3" which is the perfect size for a flower pin (IMO). You all know how much I love my flower pins and wear them quite often. I searched and scoured for a similar one to my LOFT flower felt pin that I love so much and nothing comes close. When I came across these at J.Crew, I was quite disappointed to see that they did not come with a pin attached to wear as a brooch. I figured I would take a stab at doing it myself and I am super glad I did! I am very un-talented when it comes to crafts or DIY projects so hope this wasn't too painful to read. I am not even 100% sure this is the proper way to do this but it worked for me so I thought I would pass it along:)
Dress: Banana Republic factory tweed sheath dress- size 00P (post alterations)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Simple 100's- size 35/5 (buy here)
Necklace: Pearls
Brooch: J.Crew purple flower pin
What are your thoughts on this DIY project? Will you attempt it?
Dress: Banana Republic factory tweed sheath dress- size 00P (post alterations)
Shoes: Christian Louboutin Simple 100's- size 35/5 (buy here)
Necklace: Pearls
Brooch: J.Crew purple flower pin
What are your thoughts on this DIY project? Will you attempt it?
