Buzz
Paper flowers are beautiful decorative pieces that can be used to adorn any event. These flowers are vibrant, colorful, and inexpensive, yet very easy to make. Choose a flower type such as dahlias, roses, or hydrangeas and follow the step-by-step guide. To create these various flowers, you'll need materials like tissue paper, scissors, floral wire, and glue.
Steps
Creating Dahlias from Tissue Paper
Layer 12 sheets of tissue paper on top of each other. You can choose any color of paper. Typically, flowers look more realistic when you use 12 sheets of paper in the same color. Use standard-sized paper (33x51cm) to create larger decorative flowers.
- If you're making flowers for a party, select colors that match the event's theme.
Fold 12 sheets of paper into a fan pattern. Start with a 2.5cm fold, then alternate the folds by changing the side each time. Press each fold firmly to maintain the shape. Once finished, you’ll have a stack of paper with 2.5cm wide folds.
Trim the edges of the paper into a rounded shape to make the petals look more realistic. Use sharp scissors to trim the edges into either a rounded or pointed shape. This extra step will enhance the appearance of your paper flower to make it look lifelike.
- Make sure your scissors are strong and sharp enough to cut multiple layers of paper at once. Dull scissors can tear the paper and create uneven cuts.
Cut a 46cm length of floral wire for the flower stem. Fold the wire in half and clamp it around the center of the stack of paper, then twist the wire to secure it. If necessary, trim the wire or wrap it with green floral tape.
- Floral wire works well and looks great, but you can also use velvet cord for the stem if you prefer.
Fan out each petal layer. Gently separate and fan out each layer of petals, pulling each sheet of paper toward the center of the flower. This will give the petals a voluminous look, creating a beautiful layered effect as the flower blooms. Leave a small gap in the center of the flower.
- If you plan to display the flower on a wall or table, simply fluff up the top layers, keeping the bottom of the flower flat for stability.
- If you want to hang the flower, for example on a string from the ceiling, be sure to fluff both sides of the flower. Leave a small gap between the two sides for a fuller appearance.
Decorate the paper flowers. Arrange the flowers to decorate events like outdoor parties, birthday parties for little girls, baby showers, or the bride’s bachelorette party.
- To hang the flowers, tie a long piece of fishing line to the floral wire and hang it from the ceiling.
Creating Rose Flowers with Tissue Paper
Choose one or two colors of tissue paper. For a simple, classic look, pick shades of pink, red, or coral. To make a two-toned rose, select an additional sheet of paper in another color. Some eye-catching color combinations include pink and red or deep orange and light orange.
Cut one or two pieces of paper about 9-10cm in length. To create the main petals, cut a piece of paper about 9-10cm long, following the length of the tissue sheet. Cut another piece of paper, also 9-10cm, from the accent color you've chosen.
Fold the two sheets of paper together. Place the accent-colored paper on top of the main paper and fold both sheets in half, with the accent color inside the fold. Then, fold the paper in a fan-like pattern, alternating the direction of each fold about 2.5cm wide.
Use scissors to round one end of the folded paper. Take a pair of sharp scissors and trim one end of the folded paper into a rounded shape, selecting the end where the folds aren’t perfectly even. This will form the shape of the rose petals. Once done, gently unfold the paper and lay it flat, with the front side of the petals facing up.
Cut a piece of floral wire about 15 to 20cm long to create the flower stem. Once you've formed the stem, feel free to trim the wire if you need to adjust the length.
Apply glue to the edges of the tissue paper piece. Glue dots are the best option because they apply precisely without causing mess, but you can also use a hot glue gun or craft glue. Ensure the glue is applied right at the point where the stem and petals meet.
Wrap the tissue paper around the floral wire. Position the floral wire on the glue, then begin tightly wrapping the tissue paper around it. Hold the base of the flower firmly while wrapping, keeping any extra paper neatly folded on the outside. Gradually loosen the wrap to create a blooming effect.
Secure the wrapping at the base of the flower with floral tape, about 15 to 20cm long. Wrap the tape several times around the flower's base, then spiral it down the wire. Make sure to wrap the tape tightly to ensure the paper flower stays in place.
Separate and fan out the petals. Adjust the petals by gently separating the paper layers and fanning them out. This will give the flower a fuller, more natural look.
Making Hydrangea Flowers with Tissue Paper
Prepare several sheets of colored tissue paper to make the flowers. For a classic hydrangea look, choose light blue, purple, light green, or pink tissue paper. You can also add green tissue paper if you want to make the leaves.
Cut 120 teardrop-shaped petals. Fold the tissue paper until it forms a stack that's 2.5cm wide. Then, use sharp scissors to cut the petals into teardrop shapes. You'll need about 120 petals to complete the flower.
- You can adjust the size of the petals as you like, but 2.5cm is the typical size.
Cut and bundle 30 pieces of floral wire to make the flower's base. Cut the wire into pieces about 15-20cm long and bundle them tightly together. Wrap the bundle with floral tape, leaving about 5cm at the top of the wire bundle.
Spread the top of the wire bundle. The wires on the outside should spread out at right angles to the wire bundle, while the remaining wires will spread evenly.
Use a hot glue gun to attach the petals to the wire. Start by gluing two petals onto a piece of floral wire, then bend the end of the wire into a small loop using pliers. Apply glue to the center of the loop, then add more petals to form the flower, hiding the small loop of wire. Continue gluing the petals onto the remaining wires until the flower is complete.
- You can also glue a second layer of petals to add more fullness to the flower.
- The more petals you glue onto the wire, the better—especially adding petals to the exposed wire ends.
- If making leaves, glue them beneath the flower stem.
Fluff the petals. For hydrangea flowers, you should avoid separating the petals too much. Instead, gently spread and twist each petal once the glue is dry. This will give the flower a fuller, more natural look.
Items you'll need
- Tissue paper
- Floral wire
- Glue (such as glue dots)
- Scissors
- Floral tape
- Hot glue gun
Tips
- Spray some perfume on your paper flowers or place a drop of essential oil in the center of the flower to make it fragrant.
