Post # 1
Member
1318 posts
Bumble bee
{skip to the bottom to see my final product}
So I’m pretty stoked about flamingos. They’re the ultimate in cutesy kitsch to me, and I want to include them (sparingly) at our reception in Asheville, NC in August. I found this awesome flamingo cake topper on Etsy.
(Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/222358970/flamingo-cake-topper-flamingo-wedding?ref=cat_gallery_15)
But with shipping they would be $150 and we couldn’t agree on spending that much for something so…extra. Lol. My friend suggested I just make them. “SURE!” I said excitedly. “I bet I can do that!” I said, wildly over-optimistic with absolutely no reason for this confidence. (I don’t sew other than to darn rips in shirts or whatever)
So I bought all the materials for about $30 and gave it a go. Holy f*ckballs, bees. Flamingos are difficult to sew. I tried 3 or 4 times but couldn’t get the neck/head portion right side out without destroying the whole thing. Hours wasted.
The first time I did get it right side out it became clear that my pattern was (pretty significantly) off. Oops. Maybe a fatter neck?
Slightly better but still weird. Shout out to the inadvertent ring pic. Lol.
Finally got the hang of it, for the most part…but realized my flamingo has some serious junk in the trunk. Decided to make one a little less Kim K inspired.
Thats better. So I abandoned the large-behind flamingo and progressed with the 2nd version.
TA-DA!!!
i still have the face and collar to do for the groom, and legs for both. But I’m pretty proud of myself. I also made another pink flamingo as an alternate because for some reason the first finished lady is a little taller than the groom flamingo.
So let me ask, what do you think? What has been your biggest pain in the ass DIY? Lol
Post # 2
Member
1670 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: April 2018 - Our Backyard
tinneranne2 : OMG. LOVE!!!!! My mom and I have a flamingo thing. When I was growing up I had a flamingo wallpaper border in my bedroom. For years my mom and I each had to buy some cheesy flamingo for one another for holidays. I downsized and had to get rid of many of them but I still kept my faves. In fact, now I have a gigantic flamingo floating in my pool. I may have to make these – or just bite the bullet and buy them 🙂 great job!
Post # 4
Member
218 posts
Helper bee
Those are beautiful! I actually like them better than the original version! My current DIY pain in the ass was the calligraphy envelopes I did. I like doing calligraphy so the actual process wasn’t bad it was the 20-25 minutes per envelope thing that wound me up.
Post # 5
Member
1318 posts
Bumble bee
2ndchance : I recommend buying them. Bc OMG THEY TOOK ME SO LONG. Lol. The Etsy seller has different variations and all are adorable. But if you like I can post a picture of the pattern that finally worked out for me. 🙂
Post # 7
Member
2610 posts
Sugar bee
- Wedding: April 2017 - Valleybrook Country Club
tinneranne2 : wow, seems like a lot of work, but they’re looking good! You have to update with a picture once they’re completed!
Post # 8
Member
1670 posts
Bumble bee
- Wedding: April 2018 - Our Backyard
tinneranne2 : that sounds great! Thank you!
LOL! I just realized that my picture is of a flamingo – told you I had a thing with them! 😂
Post # 9
Member
252 posts
Helper bee
Great job! They came out soooo cute! Trying to get the printer to spit out the guests’s addresses properly on the invitation envelopes nearly undid me, so you have my awe & wonder at your crafting skills.
Post # 10
Member
327 posts
Helper bee
They look great, your first few photos made me laugh a little because I was expecting a Pinterest fail story. But yours look just as good as the Etsy ones – good work persevering through it and sharing!
Post # 11
Member
813 posts
Busy bee
tinneranne2 : They look great. I chuckled a little at the Kim K. comment. lol.
Post # 13
Member
1318 posts
Bumble bee
2ndchance : I give to you the most amateur sewing pattern of all time. I don’t even have a pattern for the belly piece. I just sewed along one side, folded it in half and sewed the other side.
I left a small hole in the middle of the top back portion to flip the pattern. It gets covered with feathers anyway
I had to double sew the seam along be head/neck and I used fabric glue on ALL the seams before I cut them out. Bc I was using linen it had a tendency to fray very easily when cut and to get the neck inverted you need very little overlap. I’m entirely inexperienced in sewing, so if there’s an obviously better way than my MacGyver system…def ignore any/all of what I did.
Post # 15
Member
4568 posts
Honey bee
Excellent DIY, and these are words I rarely speak 🙂 Great job!
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