Build a Flower Read online

  9. Wrapping the stem

  Cut three ½-by-4-inch (1.3-cm-by-10-cm) strips of green crepe paper against the grain. Stretch them out, apply glue, and wrap them down the stem.

  10. Cutting the leaves

  Cut a 5-by-3-inch (13-by-7.5-cm) rectangle of green doublette crepe paper. Fold it in half along the grain and cut out the leaf template for a total of two leaves. Curl your leaves slightly.

  11. Attaching the leaves

  Scrunch the base of your first leaf and place approximately 4 inches (10 cm) below the flower, then secure it to the stem with a crepe paper strip and glue. Place your second leaf ½ inch (1.3 cm) below the first leaf and secure it with a crepe paper strip that you will then wrap all the way down the stem.

  Suggested adjustments if using other types of paper

  FOR FLORIST CREPE PAPER / Center, stamens, stem, leaves: no change. Petals: Stretch your paper before cutting and laminating. Cut and shape your petals while the glue is still wet.

  FOR FINE CREPE PAPER / Center, stamens, stem, leaves: no change. Petals: Be careful not to rip the paper while applying glue.

  Project No. 3

  Florist Crepe Paper Open Peony

  Peonies are one of the most popular flowers to re-create in paper, because their fluffiness makes them the perfect focal flower for bouquets and arrangements. This paper peony explores the cupping technique, and the recommended paper is florist crepe because of its stretch. The trick to this peony is to repeat the cupping motion up and down the petal to get an elongated shape. Once you finish assembling the flower, it is important that you fluff the center and bring down the petals for a more organic look.

  Relevant techniques

  cutting, cupping, ruffling, fringing, attaching petals, and wrapping the stem

  Number of petals

  15 arranged in 3 layers

  Optional coloring / Panpastels

  Apply pastels with a brush as a finishing touch, once the peony is completely assembled. Begin by mixing the color you want and pick it up with your brush. Wedge your brush between the base of your petals and the stamens to deposit the pastels. Although mostly used as a dry medium, pastels can be mixed with water or alcohol and applied with a brush for interesting effects.

  All dimensions are given as height-by-length. The grain of the paper should be running with height.

  Materials

  Florist crepe paper (180 g)

  Color for the petals

  Green for the leaves

  Yellow for the center

  Pink scraps for carpels

  18 to 20 gauge wire (cut to 9 inches [23 cm])

  Recommended glue: Extra-strength glue stick

  Templates: Peony petal, Peony calyx / leaf

  Scissors

  Floral tape

  Ruler

  Wire cutter

  1. Carpels

  Cut three 2-by-½-inch (5-by-1.3-cm) pieces of pink crepe paper. Wrap each piece with floral tape, leaving ¼ inch (6 mm) of pink paper visible at the top. Attach the bottom halves of the three carpels together to the top of your wire with floral tape and wrap it all the way down the stem.

  2. Stamens

  Cut a 2½-by-10-inch (6.5-by-25-cm) strip of yellow crepe and stretch it out completely. Cut a 1½-inch (4-cm) fringe on one of the long sides of the strip. Apply glue along the base (the opposite edge from the fringe) and wrap the fringe around the stem, approximately ¾ inch (2 cm) from the top of the carpels. Secure with floral tape.

  3. Cutting the petals

  Cut a 4-by-3-inch (10-by-7.5-cm) rectangle in the color of your petals. Fold it in half along the grain and cut around your petal template, which will create two petals. You will need eight rectangles to make a total of fifteen petals. Once your petals are cut out, fold back the base of each petal into a ⅓-inch (8-mm) tab.

  4. Shaping the petals

  CUPPING / To cup your petals, place your thumbs and index fingers approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the upper edge. Stretch your petal to create a subtle rounded shape. Move your fingers down ½ inch (1.3 cm) and stretch again. Do this two more times, until you reach the folded tab. Repeating the cupping motion up and down the petal will result in an elongated cupped shape. Smooth out any wrinkles. Repeat for all fifteen petals.

  5. Shaping the petals

  RUFFLING / Ruffle the edge of your petal by placing your fingers on the upper edge and gently pulling the paper once in opposite directions to create a subtle wave effect. Repeat for all fifteen petals.

  6. Attaching the petals

  FIRST LAYER / Apply glue to the folded tab of your first petal and attach it right under the stamens. The cupped side of the petal should be facing up. For your first layer, attach four other petals evenly around the stem. Press and hold briefly.

  7. Attaching the petals

  SECOND AND THIRD LAYERS / For the second layer, attach five more petals between the gaps of the first five petals. It is important that you attach each petal at the same level on the stem, instead of progressively lower down the stem. For the third layer, attach the remaining five petals, filling in the gaps of the previous layers. Secure with floral tape between layers if it’s becoming slippery and the petals aren’t staying in place.

  8. Cutting the calyx / leaves

  Cut three 4-by-2-inch (10-by-5-cm) rectangles out of green crepe paper and stretch them out completely. Fold each rectangle in half along the grain twice and cut out your calyx/leaf template. This will create four pieces. Repeat for a total of twelve pieces.

  CALYX / For the calyx, curl the upper half of five of the green pieces. Apply glue below the dotted line and attach them evenly around the stem. The long tab should be hugging the stem and connecting the bulk of the petal bases to the stem. The curled part should be right under your petals.

  9. Wrapping the stem

  Cut a ½-by-4-inch (1.3-by-10-cm) strip of green crepe paper against the grain and stretch it out completely. Apply glue and wrap it around the stem to secure the calyx and petals.

  10. Leaves

  Stack three leaves (from step 8), twist their bases together, and fan them out. Repeat with a second group of three leaves. Attach the base of the first group approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm) below your flower. Secure with a strip of green crepe paper and glue. Attach the base of a second group of three leaves approximately 4 inches (10 cm) below your flower (you will have one leftover calyx/leaf piece). Secure with a strip of green crepe paper that you will then wrap all the way down the stem.

  Suggested adjustments if using other types of paper

  FOR DOUBLETTE CREPE / Carpels, stamens, calyx, stem, leaves: no change. Petals: Add more petals if you notice any gaps after assembly.

  FOR FINE CREPE / Carpels, stamens, stem: no change. Calyx, leaves: Cut three 4-by-4-inch (10-by-10-cm) pieces out of green crepe paper. Do not stretch out the paper before cutting. Petals: Cut a total of twenty-eight petals. Scrunch the base of each petal before attaching it to the stem. Attach the petals in four layers of seven petals each.

  Project No. 4

  Fine Crepe Paper Butterfly Ranunculus

  To create this butterfly ranunculus, you will need to attach the petals in clusters. This makes it easy to evenly and organically space out the petals without leaving noticeable gaps. The recommended paper is fine crepe paper because of its subtle stretch and delicate texture. The calyx of a butterfly ranunculus adds a nice finishing touch, but you can skip this step depending on how you will display the flower. The same goes for the leaves. Fluff your flower and bring down your petals when finished assembling.

  Relevant techniques

  cutting, cupping, fringing, attaching petals, and wrapping the stem

  Number of petals

  26 arranged in 3 layers

  Optional coloring / Paint markers

  Paint your petals right after cutting them but before shaping them. Stack them in groups of four and then dab the edges of your petals with your marker’s tip and allow the paper to absorb the ink. You can also
use your marker to paint vertical streaks up and down your paper before cutting the petals. Paint the streaks in the direction of the grain.

  All dimensions are given as height-by-length. The grain of the paper should be running with height.

  Materials

  Fine crepe paper (60 g)

  Color for the petals

  Black for the center

  Green for the leaves

  18 to 20 gauge floral wire (cut to 9 inches [23 cm])

  Recommended glue: Extra-strength glue stick or tacky glue and a brush to apply it

  Templates: Butterfly ranunculus petal, butterfly ranunculus calyx, butterfly ranunculus leaf

  Scissors

  Floral tape

  Ruler

  Wire cutter

  1. Center

  Cut two 1½-by-1½-inch (4-by-4-cm) squares of black crepe paper. Crumple one square into a little ball and place it on top of your wire. Cover it with the other square and secure with floral tape.

  2. Stamens

  Cut a 2-by-5-inch (5-by-13-cm) strip of black paper, stretch it out, and fold it in half lengthwise. Cut a ¼-inch (6-mm) fringe on the folded edge. Apply glue along the bottom edge opposite the fringe and wrap it evenly around your center, aligning it with the top of the little ball. Secure with floral tape and wrap the tape all the way down the wire.

  3. Cutting the petals

  Cut a 2-by-5-inch (5-by-13-cm) strip of fine crepe paper in the color of your petals. Fold your strip in half two times crosswise and cut around the template to create four petals. You will need a total of seven strips to create the twenty-six petals needed.

  4. Shaping the petals

  CUPPING / Keep the petals stacked together to shape them and cup four petals at once. To do this, place your thumbs in the middle of your petals and stretch gently from the center outward to create a bowl shape.

  5. Assembling the petals

  FOUR-PETAL CLUSTERS / With the cupped sides facing up, group four petals together and then fan them apart so that each petal overlaps approximately half of the petal next to it. Glue them together at their bases as shown. Assemble a total of two clusters of four petals each.

  6. Assembling the petals

  THREE-PETAL CLUSTERS / With the cupped sides facing up, group three petals together by placing two petals next to each other and then placing one petal on top, where the two petals meet. Glue them together at their bases as shown. Assemble a total of six clusters of three petals each.

  7. Attaching the petals

  FIRST LAYER / With the cupped sides facing up, attach the first four-petal cluster to the stem, just below the stamens. Attach the second four-petal cluster right across your first cluster. Press and hold briefly.

  8. Attaching the petals

  SECOND LAYER / With the cupped sides facing down, attach three of your three-petal clusters evenly around the stem. Make sure each petal cluster is on the same level as the previous layer, just below the stamens.

  9. Attaching the petals

  THIRD LAYER / With the cupped sides facing down, attach your remaining three three-petal clusters evenly around the stem. Let glue dry and then secure with floral tape.

  10. Optional

  CALYX / Cut a 1½-by-3-inch (4-by-7.5-cm) strip of green crepe paper. Accordion-fold it into five equal parts and cut out the calyx template. Curl all five pieces above the dotted line. Apply glue below the dotted line and attach them evenly around the stem right below the petals. Cut two ½-by-4-inch (1.3-by-10-cm) strips of green crepe paper, apply glue, and wrap them down the stem.

  11. Leaves

  Cut a 3-by-4½-inch (7.5-by-11.5-cm) rectangle of green crepe paper and accordion-fold it along the grain into three equal parts. Cut a total of three leaves using your leaf template. Cut two ½-by-4-inch (1.3-by-10-cm) strips of green crepe paper. Scrunch and twist the base of each leaf and attach them to the stem approximately 3 to 4 inches (7.5 to 10 cm) below the flower using a paper strip and glue.

  Suggested adjustments if using other types of paper

  FOR FLORIST CREPE / Center, stamens, calyx: Stretch out your paper completely before cutting. Petals: Cut six 2-by-3-inch (5-by-7.5-cm) strips. With the help of your ruler, gently stretch them a little until they measure approximately 2-by-4½ inches (5-by-11.5 cm). Fold the strips twice along the grain and cut out your petal template. Shape, cluster, and attach your petals as per the tutorial. Leaves: Stretch out your paper completely and cut three leaf shapes. Twist the base on each leaf and attach to the stem.

  FOR DOUBLETTE CREPE / Center, stamens, calyx: Stretch out the paper completely before cutting. Petals: Make sure the same color of the paper is always facing up. Leaves: Stretch out your paper completely and cut three leaf shapes. Twist base on each and attach to the stem.

  Project No. 5

  Tissue Paper Dahlia

  This tissue paper dahlia is easy to put together and can even be made out of upcycled tissue paper. Dahlias usually have many petals and can be time-consuming to complete, but this technique allows you to simulate the dahlia’s petals without having to attach each one individually. It also uses the same template for your petals, center, and leaves, and you even shape them the same way. You will need enough paper to cut eleven squares, each one measuring 5-by-5 inches (13-by-13 cm). The recommended coloring technique is dip-dyeing the paper after cutting out the template shape. Once finished, fluff your petals with your fingers and bring down the flat petals slightly.

  Relevant techniques

  cutting, scrunching, attaching petals, and wrapping the stem

  Number of petals

  8 arranged in 5 layers

  Optional coloring / Dip-dyeing

  You can make the mix to dip-dye your paper by mixing food coloring with rubbing alcohol or mixing bleach with water. Test your color mix on paper scraps before applying it to your petals. Color the edges of your petals by dip-dyeing the folded petals right after cutting out the template shapes. Hold your folded petals by the pointy corner and dip them into your color mix to color the petal edges. Conversely, hold your folded petals by the petal edges to color the center. Dip for a few seconds and hang to dry. Wait for the paper to dry completely before unfolding the petals.

  All dimensions are given as height-by-length.

  Materials

  Tissue paper

  Color for center

  Color for petals

  Color for leaves and stem

  18 to 20 gauge wire (cut to 9 inches [23 cm])

  Recommended glue: Extra-strength glue stick, tacky glue with a brush to apply it, or hot glue gun

  Templates: Dahlia petal / center / leaf

  Scissors

  Floral tape

  Ruler

  Wire cutter

  1. Cutting the paper

  Cut eleven 5-by-5-inch (13-by-13-cm) squares of tissue paper, eight in the color of your petals, two in the color of your leaves, and one in the color of your center. Cut three ½-by-4-inch (1.3-by-10-cm) strips in the color of your stem.

  2. Cutting the petals, center, and leaves

  Stack five single squares of any color, since all the parts of the dahlia are cut and shaped the same way. Fold the group in half lengthwise and then crosswise to get a 2½-by-2½-inch (6.5-by-6.5-cm) folded square. Place your template on top of your folded square by aligning the template’s corner with the folded squares’ closed corner. Cut around the template’s solid lines but not around the dotted lines. Repeat for all squares.

  3. Corners

  Cut off a tiny bit of the corner of each group and separate them so you have eight petals, one center, and two leaves.

  4. Shaping

  To shape, place one finger in the center and scrunch the paper around it on the other side to create a ½-inch (1.3-cm) base. Do this with four groups of petals, one center, and two leaves. Leave four groups of petals flat.

  5. Center

  Apply glue to the base of your shaped center and attach it to the top of your wire. Secure with floral tape and wrap it
all the way down the wire.

  6. Attaching the shaped petals

  One by one, apply glue to the base of the four shaped petals and attach them evenly around the center. Secure with floral tape.

  7. Attaching the flat petals

  Apply glue around the center of your flat petals. One by one, insert the wire through the center of each flat petal and push them up to glue them to the bottom of the shaped petals. Make sure to rotate each flat petal slightly before gluing it to the base of the flower. Press and hold briefly between petals. Insert all four flat petals or create more if you want a fuller flower.

  8. Wrapping the stem

  Once your flat petals are securely attached, cover your stem with strips of tissue paper in the color of your leaves.

  9. Leaves

  Apply glue to the base of your shaped leaves and attach them to the stem, approximately 4 inches (10 cm) below your flower. Secure them with strips of tissue paper and glue. Wrap them all the way down the stem.

  Suggested adjustments if using other types of paper

  FOR FLORIST CREPE, DOUBLETTE CREPE, FINE CREPE / Petals, center, and leaves: Cut your 5-by-5-inch (13-by-13-cm) squares and stretch them out completely. Fold each square in half twice, first along the grain and then against the grain. Cut out your petals, center, and leaves from one folded piece of paper one at a time.

  6

  BEYOND FLOWERS

  There are many applications for your finished paper flowers. I’ve given them away as gifts to friends and family and made a host of fun projects, from wedding bouquets and centerpieces to event decorations, party favors, floral crowns, and miniature pins. Below are some quick project ideas that are brought to life by paper flowers. You can complete these projects using the paper flowers in this book.