How to Make Crepe Paper Flowers

thecrimsonpoppy, member

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paper flowers from thecrimsonpoppy.com

photos by Rex Barrett for the crimson poppy, (c)2010 the crimson poppy, llc

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paper flower - red rose - by the crimson poppy

photos by Rex Barrett for the crimson poppy, (c)2010 the crimson poppy, llc

paper flowers from thecrimsonpoppy.com

Photo: photos by Rex Barrett for the crimson poppy, (c)2010 the crimson poppy, llc

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You've heard it all before: crepe and tissue paper flowers are fun, easy, economical, environmentally friendly, long-lasting, more or less non-allergenic, and a dozen other fabulous features I take for granted and have failed to mention here.

If you're like me, you found online tutorials that had confusing text instructions or a video you followed super-carefully when cutting and gluing and twisting and folding ... and when it was all said and done, you had a globby, lop-sided, not-so-great-looking paper flower that wasn't realistic in the least.

The wonderful truth is that crepe paper flowers don't have to turn out that way.  I was amazed to learn I absolutely LOVE to make them (so much so my goal is to make them my "day job" within the next year) because they have such potential to be fun and easy and economical and painless once you get the hang of making them.  The catch, it would seem, is how much of your time and sanity is involved in "getting the hang of it"; with a little luck, this paper flower "general how-to" info will save you both!

When you make paper flowers, here's what you should know:

- All glue is not created equal when it comes to making paper flowers.  Paper, especially crepe paper, is more fragile when wet, so elmer's or a very liquid craft glue is not going to serve you well.  After a great deal of trial and error, I've settled on Crafter's Pick Craft Glue - The Ultimate! to make my paper flowers because it's very thick, very fast drying, and needs only the tiniest amounts to work beautifully.  Since it's carried at both Michael's and Hobby Lobby, I have no problem finding it on short notice in spite of my small-town shopping limitations.  Glues made specifically for paper abound, so try a few different glues in order to find what works best for you.

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Comments (6)

dennisbray writes: I wish there were more photos in this post. It's very detailed and that's what I like about it, but it would have been even better with some photos.
Posted: 7:23 am on September 18th

Amycannon writes: Your artwork is wonderful. I love your website and refer to the great photographs when I make my paper flowers. I've been using cardstock paper and rubbing it with an embossing tool to make it more malleable. But after reading your article, I'm inspired by your use of crepe paper. I'll be purchasing the doublette and fine crepe papers from the online store you mentioned in your article. Thanks for sharing your hints and tips. I can't wait for the upcoming video tutorial!
Posted: 3:44 am on June 6th

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Posted: 2:35 am on May 20th

thecrimsonpoppy writes: thanks, dangermouse013; I'm glad you enjoyed the helpful hints! happy flower-making to you :)

MissyLinda, every flower is different and has its own specific petals. Some people want abstract and a little quirky, others want very realistic flowers, so that makes a difference, too. I'll have a tutorial up before long that I hope you'll enjoy, but in general, I consider the patterns I've created or adapted proprietary. Thank you for the compliment of being interested in them, though! :D You'll find a lot of different flower patterns and how-to's online, especially at YouTube. I made my first paper flower from a pattern at FoldingTrees.com
Posted: 7:47 pm on May 5th

MissyLinda writes: Hello, do you have a pattern for the petals you used ?
Thank you.
Posted: 1:35 pm on May 5th

dangermouse013 writes: This is a fantastic article. I never thought I could take on the paper flower, but this article makes me feel like I've already mastered it.
Posted: 9:26 pm on April 29th

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