Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Blue Morpho Butterfly Craft


I bought a fabric butterfly decoration at Marden's a few of summers ago for a couple of bucks, and I have gotten a lot of compliments on it. When I looked at it closely I realized how easy it would be to make one!! Recently, we took a trip to the Boston Museum of Science and we got a chance to go into the Butterfly House. What a cool experience!! You are surrounded by so many different butterflies in this greenhouse environment....with beautiful lush greenery and sturdy benches for lounging and hoping to inspire a butterfly to land on you. I happened to catch one of the Morpho's with it's wings layed out (a rare treat, as they are usual tucked up, the attendant told me). Here is my picture:
Well, I endeavored to make my own Blue Morpho. If you'd like to make one of your own here's what you'll need:

3 White Metal Coat Hangars
1 Q-Size White Waist Nylons
White Thread + Sewing Machine
Polyester Filling for Body
Blue Fabric Paint
Black Paint
White 3/d fabric paint
Paintbrush
Spray Bottle
Floral Wire
Blow Dryer
Pliers

I took the three metal hangars and formed two into the shape of the larger wings and the last one into the two smaller wings:
Then I used the pliers and squeezed/twisted them all together with the sharp ends turned in as best as I could:
Time to get the nylon. I trimmed off the very end of the stockings and sewed my own ends, rounding them a bit more to make them fit the shape of the wing. Cut off enough fabric up the leg so that it will cover one large wing entirely. Remember it will stretch (and you're going to want it to). You should have a tube that's sealed up on one side. Make another one for the larger wing and turn them both right-side out. For the smaller bottom wings you need to make a shorter tube with both ends sewed shut and a hole sliced in the center of the edge. Turn this one inside out too.
Fit all the nylon tubes onto their corresponding wings and quickly tie them together to make them stay. You'll sew them to the main body in a few steps. To make the main body, get one long flat piece of nylon, and fold it length-wise in half. Then sew in an elongated crescent shape to make the top of the head and the tail.

Sew Along the dotted lines in the picture above. Make sure to leave a large opening on the sides so that you can squeeze wings through it. Fit the piece (turned rightside out) on the middle of the butterfly and stuff some polyester filling into the head and tail. Start sewing the piece together....attaching the body shape to the wings on the front and back of the body. Leave enough of a hole to fill the rest of it entirely with the batting. Then, sew it shut.
Once that is finished, use a running stich with the white thread and sew circles around the filled body, making it look like segments. Do that to the entire body.
Time to paint!! Grab your spray bottle and add some blue fabric paint. Mix in some water as well and lay your butterfly down on some newspaper. Spray that bug!!
Forget about the glue dots you see in this picture.....I had this grand idea....and it didn't pan out. I used a blow dryer to speed up the dryer process and help set the fabric paint. Then, it was time for the black.
You might want to use some foam to cushion between the wings while you're painting. I just used my own image of a Morpho and one picture I found through google to paint the butterfly. I used the blow dryer again to dry this paint.....mostly because I was impatient. Now add some white dots (I used watered down 3d white paint to give it a little more oomph) to the wings. 

You can add some antennae.  I used floral wire,  painted it black, threaded it through the head of the Morpho and curled the tips. I squeezed the head with the wire in there and tried to make it an unusal shape on the inside so that it wouldn't slip out easily. 

And then, you are DONE!!!! Whew, that was a long tutorial. I love the effect of this Butterfly on the wall of my Munchkins room. You really could do so many things with this style of craft!!!! 
Here are some Parties I linked up to, check them out....they are so inspiring!!!!
Make It Yours Day

18 comments:

  1. That is really pretty! And so much bigger than I first pictures. I love the shading on the edges.

    Thank you for linking this, as well!

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  2. That is so cool!

    I'm your new follower though Penny Pinching Party! Great site! Visit me at www.rockindeals4you.com/?p=848 and sign up for my giveaway!

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  3. WOW -- What a great project!!! As I was watching, the butterfly just kept morphing into something better and better. Thanks for sharing it on the Boardwalk Bragfest!

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  4. This is a cool project. You make it sound so easy!!!

    Alyssa
    lifeoflyssie.com

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  5. I was supposed to go to the butterfly pavilion with my granddaughter this year but we had already made other plans for vacation... Someday! My granddaughter Mady loves butterflies, and I think this project would be perfect for her and I to do, then hang it in her bedroom from the ceiling!

    Thanks for ALL your kind comments on my lavender post. I am sure that lavender will grow where ever you are... it just doesn't like a lot of water... I used to grow it when i lived in Colorado, and I grew it in Washington state... and now I live in Arizona and am growing it! If I were you I would try growing it in a pot first... You can find lavender at Lowe's or home depot in the garden section... just ask... some times in the herb section... there are SO many varieties... I grow French Lavender and old fashioned lavender... and Italian lavender... I use it in tea and cooking and I have a lavender Bali Box in a chain and I put a little cotton in it and drops of lavender and I wear it and open it and smell it when I want a little stress relief...

    Those little lavender wands are old an old fashion Victorian craft that has lasted through the years.

    I never let any lavender go to waste... Like I said in my post... I even dry and burn the clippings in our backyard fire pit.

    I never grow tired of the scent of lavender for some reason.

    If you have any more questions about lavender... or if you can't find a started plant i'll send you one! Email me at raineynite@mac.com

    Take care there and Happy Easter!

    ~Really Rainey~

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  6. Very Cool. I really like the size. It looks lovely

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  7. Wow! How creative, and it looks great!

    ~Kim

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  8. Wow much bigger than I thought. Fun fun. I linked up a blue butterfly too... mine is MUCH smaller and entirely different concept but blue butterflies are the best are they not?

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  9. This is very cool! Thanks for the blog comment, I totally totally love your name too!

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  10. delightful! You did a great job! I hopped over from Fingerprints on the Fridge and am so happy that I did. Please accept my invitation to drop in at my place one day soon. Have a fun weekend! until later...

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  11. Love it! I bought some from a store for the girls room a while back, I could have just made my own!! :)

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  12. WOW! That is much bigger than I thought! It looks really good.

    Thanks for joining Get Your Craft on Thursday. Please join me next week for another wonderful party!!

    Please stop by next week I am having guest over each day and I would love for you to tell them HI!

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  13. You would love the butterfly museum in Niagara Falls. It has every bread imaginable fluttering about! I can't wait to go.
    http://www.niagaraparks.com/garden-trail/butterfly-conservatory.html

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  14. That is bigger than I thought it was. SO cool!! Thanks for sharing at the Spring has Spring Party at Fun to Craft.

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  15. That is really fun! Thanks so much for linking up to the Weekend Wrap Up Party! It's so fun to see your projects!

    I hope you will come back and link up again!

    XOXO
    Jen

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  16. Wow! This is amazing. You are so creative. Thanks for linking up this week. I hope you'll join me tomorrow for another great party!

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  17. I wanted to let you know that I did highlight your project this past week from the boardwalk bragfest. I hope you have something additional to link up tomorrow :)

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  18. What a cool project! The kids would love trying this one out, thanks for sharing!!!

    And thinks for visiting :)
    www.realmommy365.com

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