These simple handmade flowers are incredibly quick and easy to make, and require very few materials. They can be made using coloured papers, newspaper, foil, old magazines, or even tissues, but tissue paper or crepe paper is the most effective and easiest material. They can be used for decoration, card-making or as gifts. Kids will enjoy making them to give to mom or to use on cards.
Simple Handmade Paper Flowers – Roll and Twist Method
- Take a sheet of paper. It doesn’t actually matter what dimensions the paper has; simply cut out a rough rectangular shape. The longer the rectangle, the taller the flower can be, and will have a longer stem. Taller rectangles will produce more ‘petal-folds’ inside the flower.
- Taking the long edge of the rectangle, gently fold or roll the paper all the way to the end. The result should look like a tube of rolled up paper.
- Nip the tube of paper towards the top, at the desired length of the flower. Now tightly twist the paper below this to create the long, thin stem. Make sure the twist is tight enough to hold when let go.
- The flower will now look like an unopened rose. If this is the desired effect, stop here.
- For an opened flower, simply cut small slits in the outer layer of the rolled flower, and curl these out to create petals. Finally, round off the edges of these petals using scissors.
- Images of this process are provided at the end of the article.
Homemade Gifts and Decorations
Use these handmade flowers to decorate rooms or dinner tables, to create table centre-pieces or ornaments, or place in colourful vases. Add them to homemade gift baskets, or place into envelopes to accompany a greetings card.
Handmade Paper Flowers on Homemade Cards
These handmade flowers can be used on homemade cards. Attach one to the centre of the card and embellish with glitter, beads, ribbon, or even real dried leaves. Try grouping a few together to create a bouquet effect.
To create a colourful picture of a vase of flowers, take three or four handmade flowers and cut off the stems, then arrange them at the top of the card. Draw on a vase or cut a vase shape from coloured card and stick in place. Now draw on the stems to connect the flowers to the vase; use pen, paint, glitter, ribbon, or whatever else is available to create the stems, or to add extra embellishments to the flowers.
Finally, finish the card off with added details such as a personal message or border. Why not trying printing out a picture of a fairy, bee, butterfly or humming bird to perch on one of the flowers?
A Handmade Daffodil Flower
For a daffodil effect, start with a thinner strip of paper and only roll once. Secure the end with tape or glue. Cut smaller slits all around the top and fold out. Leave these flaps with squared ends. This should now look like the trumpet of a daffodil.
To finish the daffodil, flatten the end of the trumpet and attach to the card. Cut out some large daffodil petal shapes to place all around the trumpet. Finally, draw in the stem and leaves.
Materials for Handmade Paper Flowers
- These flowers can be created using many different kinds of papers, though tissue paper or crepe paper is ideal. Thicker card will work if rolled rather than folded, but the thicker the card the harder it is to pinch and twist. If no coloured papers are to hand, use old newspapers or magazines, or even try raiding the kitchen for materials; tin-foil, baking paper, paper napkins, kitchen roll and tissues can all be used to make these flowers.
- Scissors will be needed if an open petal effect is desired.
- Glue or tape will be needed to attach these flowers to cards.
- Embellishments such as glitter, stickers, beads and ribbons can be used to add extra touches to cards.
Victoria Hooper - Victoria Hooper is the acquisitions editor and acting editor for Polluto, a Spectrum Fantastic Arts award winning magazine published by ...
