Crepe Paper Flowers for Beginners: An Easy Rose
Paper flowers last forever, can be made in any colour and look beautiful in bouquets, wreaths and wedding décor. The best paper for the job is crepe paper: its fine wrinkles let you stretch and cup each petal into a natural shape. Here's an easy rose to get you started.
What you'll need
- Crepe paper in your petal colour, plus green for the leaves
- Floral wire or a wooden skewer for the stem
- Florist tape or green paper tape
- Sharp scissors and a glue stick or tacky glue
Our paper craft accessories have the glue, cutters and tools to go with it.
1. Cut the petals
Cut a strip of crepe paper about 6 cm tall. Important: the grain (the fine lines) should run up and down the petal, not across. Fold the strip back and forth like a fan and cut a rounded petal shape through all the layers at once. Make 10–12 petals.
2. Shape them
Hold each petal in the middle with both thumbs and gently stretch outwards to make a cup. Curl the top edge backwards over a pencil or skewer. This is what makes the petals look real.
3. Make the centre
Bend a small loop at the top of your wire. Wrap one petal tightly around it to form the bud.
4. Add the petals
Glue the base of each petal and wrap it around the bud, overlapping by about half each time. Start tight and let the outer petals sit looser and more open.
5. Finish the stem
Cut a few leaf shapes from green crepe paper. Starting just under the flower, wrap florist tape down the wire, tucking in the leaves as you go.
Next steps
Once you've made one, try a bunch in different shades, or mix paper flowers with artificial flowers and faux greenery for a bouquet that never wilts.
