How to make crepe paper flowers?

A huge hello and welcome to all the paper flowers newcomers out there! Whether you want to make your first crepe paper flower or perfect the technique for your 50th flower, you've come to the right place. This post contains everything you need to know to make crepe paper flowers. We will teach you the essentials you need to make beautiful and realistic flowers that last. After reading our tips and tricks, you can browse all of our crepe paper flowers here .

Select crepe
origin
The origin of your crepe paper makes a big difference! Chinese crepe paper is cheap and very accessible, but often the colors can be a bit on the neon spectrum and it does not seem to have much stretchability. US crepe paper is non-toxic and ideal for children's craft, but it has less stretch than European crepe. Italian crepe paper is fantastic and usually comes in 160 and 180 gram varieties that stretch well. The only problem with this crepe paper is that the machine lines over the grain of the crepe can disturb the smoothness we like to reach in our petals. Lia Griffith crepe paper is made in Germany. We have both extra fine and heavy crepe paper types. Our extra fine crepe has a stretch of 150% and our heavy crepe has a stretch of 250%. All of our crepe paper is beautiful and free from machine lines that break up the grain. We currently offer a total of 57 crepe colors in our shop that you can findHere.

Mass
The weight of crepe paper is measured in grains, but do not be confused by the number on the packaging. Choose a paper for its feel and processability, not for the number on its packaging.

Selecting patterns
Due to the grain, not all patterns appear on crepe paper. If you cut a petal against the grain, it could become flabby and weird. For this reason, it is important to note the direction of the grain when selecting patterns for cutting and styling. The patterns you'll find on our website are all designed to work very well with our crepe paper, so you should not worry about using one of them for your next project. A great starter pattern and a flower are our Crepe Paper Daisies.

Cutting crepe
Cut with the grain
As mentioned above, it is very important to align the selected pattern marks with the lines of the crepe paper. We like to print our patterns on cardboard so they are strong enough to support the soft crepe paper.

Stratification
It is very easy to cut several layers of petals and leaves by stacking several layers of crepe paper on top of each other and cutting them all at once with your trusty pair of scissors. Make sure you use scissors sharp enough to get clean, sharp cuts. We love to use our new Lia Griffith signature 8 "non-stick scissors for cutting crepe.

Angle cuts
If you want to get a "V" in the grain of your crepe paper to mirror the texture of a leaf or petal, all you need to do is line up your pattern diagonally along the grain of the crepe.

Using a cutting machine
The Cricut Maker machine works wonderfully for cutting our crepe paper. The reason why this machine is incredible when cutting crepe is that its blade does not grind like other machines. A slashing blade rips your crepe paper instead of giving you the sharp cuts you want.

Curling and stretching crepe
Stretching and curling crepe paper gives your flowers a realistic look and brings them to life. To curl our flowers, we use our new Lia Griffith signature curling tool and curl in the same direction as the grain. You can also use 18-gauge wires, dowels or skewers to roll your paper. All you have to do is use your fingers to shape the hard surface.

Add color to crepe
To color your crepe, you can use pan pastels, markers or colors. We usually color our crepe after we've already cut all the leaves and petals, but before we put the actual flower together. If you use pan pastels to dye your crepe, be sure to use a matte spray to adjust the color before curling the leaves or petals.

Make double-sided crepe paper
Double-sided crepe paper is a great material because it is smooth, elegant and has a body weight that keeps its shape really good. We have our own double-sided crepe paper line. But if you can not find the color you want, you can make your own color. We teach you how to make your own double faced crepe paper in our craft school video Here.

Centers
There are several techniques to add dimension and texture to the center of your flowers.

Round
For round centers, you can use hard foam balls. Before we cover the balls, we attach the shaft by drilling a hole in the middle of the ball with the trunk wire and bending it back to double the wire. Then we glue it back hot in the hole with a hot glue gun. To cover the balls, cut an oval of crepe paper 3xs wider than the ball. Wrap and glue the long ends under the ball's head and onto the wire, then gently stretch the crepe to form the ball. Gather the crepe at the base and twist the ends around the wire with your fingers into a spiral and hot glue it in place.

Fray
If you choose a fringe center, make sure you brush along the crayon's grain line. Once you edge a crepe strip, you can roll it up and fasten it with hot glue and then flatten the fringes to create a beautiful flower center.

Store and store crepe paper flowers
In our studio, we store our crepe paper flowers in boxes of foam blocks to puncture the stems. Make sure the paper is not exposed to direct light as it fades over time. Finally, make sure that your crepe is kept in a dry place.

More to discover
We're here to help you discover your creativity with daily inspirations, downloadable cutting files and printable templates to make your craft life easier. We believe in the power of creativity to nourish and strengthen the soul. Our designs are created with simplicity and we always strive to offer you the highest quality DIY's. Share what you just did #MadeWithLia - Your creativity is our greatest inspiration!