Better Homes And Gardens Flower Templates

Paper Peonies

flower wreath

Download the flower petal template to make this pretty peony wreath. Watch the video to learn how to make the flowers, and then use your creations to craft this beautiful paper flower wreath. We used approximately 17 flowers and five buds for this 12-inch wreath.

Click here to download the paper flower template.

Paper Flower Table Runner

flower crafts

Decorate your table for spring with this wilt-free runner. Cut out four to six flower petals from fine crepe paper, with the length of the petal along the paper grain. Pinch and twist the bottom of each to give it shape. Gather five wire flower centers, fold in half, and tie together with a 6-inch piece of 20-gauge florist wire. Tape the centers to a 5-inch piece of 26-gauge wire. Working with two petals at a time, tape to the wire stem. Add more petals to create a fuller flower. Use gold crafts paint to give the edges of the petals a metallic finish. Let dry by securing stems in foam. Repeat to make additional flowers.

To make the buds for the centers of some of the flowers, bunch a piece of tissue paper. Cut a 3×3-inch piece of fine crepe paper. Cover the tissue paper ball with the crepe paper, and attach to a 6-inch piece of 20-gauge wire with green florist tape. Add petals as described above.

For the green runner base, cut 160-gram florist crepe paper to the size that works best for your table. With your sewing machine set on the largest stitch possible and using a matching color of thread, sew down the center of the crepe paper to create gathers, reversing to secure at the ends. (If the paper isn't gathering, hold the top of the thread spool to create more tension.) Add more length to the paper as needed. Place small pieces of foam under the runner and stick flower stems through.

Peony Hair Clip

diy flower

Add a pop of color to a low bun or to hold back your bangs with this cheery hair clip. Simply follow the directions for the peony to create a slightly smaller version of the flower. Make a bud for the center of the flower using gold metallic crepe paper and a gathered 8-inch piece of gold tulle. Finish with florist tape around the stem, hot-glue to a hair clip, and trim wire as needed.

Shoe Clips

flower craft

Dress up a pair of flats or heels for spring with a delicate shoe clip. Cut a 2x12-inch strip of fine crepe paper. Fringe each side. Pinch strip together, add a few flower centers, and wrap center with an 8-inch length of 26-gauge wire to secure. Fluff crepe paper. Cut a 2-inch square of gold tulle, pinch center, and use wire to secure. Cut a 2-1/2-inch square of yellow 160-gram crepe paper and cut out leaf shapes as shown. Pinch the center of the base and use wire to secure. Gather the three bunches in a stack (leaves on bottom, gold in middle, fringe on top) and secure wires together with white florist tape. Tape or glue to a shoe clip.

Flower Brooch

flower craft

Adorn a blouse, sweater, or dress -- for a special occasion or an everyday delight -- with this paper pin. Cut a 13x4-inch piece of fine crepe paper. Fold in half, then in half again, and cut out six petals on each side. Open, gather together, pinch center, and wrap with an 8-inch length of 26-gauge wire to secure. For the center of the flower, cut a 9x1-inch strip of fine crepe paper. Fringe each side. Pinch center, gather together, and wrap with an 8-inch length of 26-gauge. For the leaf, cut a 6-inch length of green paper twist. Leaving the ends twisted, flatten the center of the piece to create a leaf shape. Layer the center of the flower over the center of the petals and use the wires to poke a hole through the center of the leaf; pull through. Fluff to form the flower. Twist wire around a brooch clip to secure, trimming wire to finish.

Cake Decorations

cake with flowers

Decorate a cake or cupcakes with these pretty toppers:

Butterfly Wings (lime green decoration): To make the butterflies, cut a 2x4-inch strip of 160-gram crepe paper. Fringe both long sides of the paper. Pinch and gather paper to form a butterfly shape. Pinch center and secure with a 4-inch length of 26-gauge wire. Using the ends of the wire and white florist tape, secure butterfly to an 8-inch length of 20-gauge wire to form the stem. Wrap wire stem with tape to cover. Repeat as desired.

Flower Sparkler (pink decoration): Cut a 2x8-inch strip of both gold tulle and doublet crepe paper with the width of the strip along the paper grain. Fringe one long side of each strip. Place tulle on top of the crepe paper and hot-glue to the end of an 8-inch piece of 20-gauge wire. Roll up tulle and paper and close with glue. Cover the wire with white florist tape. Fluff to finish, and repeat as desired.

Surprise Lily (coral-orange decoration): Cut a piece of doublet crepe paper 3-1/4 x 12-1/2 inches with the width of the piece along the grain of the crepe paper. Fold into thirds, and cut scallops to resemble daisy petals as shown. Fold a few flower centers in half, then secure with a 4-inch piece of 26-gauge wire. Use white florist tape to secure centers to a 10-inch length of 20-gauge wire. Glue centers to one side of the crepe paper, then roll up and glue closed. Wrap base of flower and stem with white florist tape. Repeat to make more flowers.

Green Leaves: Cut two leaf shapes from 160-gram green crepe paper along the grain. Stretch the paper to add dimension, then tape each leaf to the stem of a flower to finish

Materials and Tools Guide

To make the best paper flowers, have these materials on hand before you start:

Doublet crepe paper:Two sheets of fine crepe paper are laminated together to form this smooth paper.

Fine crepe paper: This thin paper is perfect for delicate parts of a flower.

Florist crepe paper: Available in 160- and 180-gram weights, this is slightly thicker than fine crepe paper and is ideal for petal making.

Flower centers:Found in the florist aisle of your crafts store, these wire embellishments add a realistic appearance to your paper flowers.

20-gauge florist wire: This thin and delicate wire is often used as the stem of our flowers or to secure a flower when more support is needed.

26-gauge florist wire: Slightly thinner and more flexible, this wire is useful for holding the center of flowers together—or for a stem that needs flexibility. It is sold with or without a cloth covering.

Green and white florist tape: To make the wire look like a stem and to secure the base of the flowers, each is wrapped in either white or green florist tape.

Tulle: Used as an accent in small amounts and available by the roll like ribbon, gold tulle adds elegance and a hint of sparkle.

Paper twists:Often used to decorate packages and baskets, this material makes beautiful leaves.

Wire cutters: Small wire cutters are the safest and most accurate way to snip and trim the florist wire. (Spare your scissors!)

Fringe scissors: Just what they sound like, these scissors make quick work of the fringing steps.

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