Handkerchief Roses

Lucky me! I was given an entire stack of antique handkerchiefs that belonged to my grandmother, her mother, her grandmother, etc... (at least, I know they came from family). For my wedding, I wanted to incorporate family heirlooms and what better way to use these than to make a bouquet from them.





Here are the steps:
...Fold the handkerchief in half to form a triangle...Fold back over itself until you've folded completely, accordion-style (shown above) *this is great way to give the look of more petals,
and you can leave a little of the tip hanging out to grab for extra "stem" support
...Starting at one end, begin with two folds and then start rolling
...After rolling a rose center, continue to roll while twisting the remainder of the piece away from you. This creates the petals.
...Once you get to the end, you can grab this piece to secure the entire flower
or use it to create a leaf later

At this point, you will need to put a couple stitches through the "stem" of your rose just to make sure nothing will move around. I used a pearl at the end of the thread just to hold it tightly and add a little something.
Because the center of the rose was a little awkward looking, I decided to pull some beads through the very center to bring it down into the rose. Also, I was able to use some pearls from my family's costume jewelry to add an extra touch.
This really became a rose with the last addition and a little fluffing!
Even if you don't add beads to the center, a stitch bringing the center down really makes a difference.
Also, if you have a handkerchief with a beautiful design in one corner, let that corner be the last bit left when you are rolling and you can use it to create a little leaf.
Beautiful! I am well on my way to a bouquet!
*On a side note, I didn't actually do any cutting of the handkerchiefs. So, if I wanted to reclaim them for other use or just sentimental value, all I need to do is cut the stitching!