Learn how to press flowers with any of the foolproof DIY pressed flower tutorials here! We're featuring several methods on how to press flowers of different varieties for your projects. We've included how to dry roses, and bonus tips and tricks to press flowers perfectly. Get free craft materials from resources available in your homestead by learning how to press flowers as you read along!
How to Press Flowers for Perfectly Dried Petals
In This Article:
- How to Press Leaves and Flowers
- How to Mount Dried Flowers in a Frame
- How to Make Pressed Flower Art
- How to Press Flowers in a Microwave
- How to Press a Rose
- Tips for Pressing Flowers
How to Press Leaves and Flowers
Do you have any encyclopedia or heavy old books lying dusty in your shelves? Put them to good use including your abundant flowers in the garden. This simple technique takes some time but it's worth the wait.
What you need:
- Flowers, leaves, or plants
- Two sheets of paper
- About 2 or 3 heavy books
What to do:
- Pick the flowers, leaves, and plants you want to dry. Remember, if you are picking plants right out in the woods or neighborhood, make sure you are not on someone's property, picking their plants!
- Place two pieces of paper in the middle of the heavy book. Take your flowers and place them in the middle of the two pieces of paper. Make the flowers lie flat so when the book closes, the flowers won't bend the way you don't want them to.
- Close the book, place the other books on top, and push a bit on top of the books. Leave them in the book for a few days until they are delicate, crisp and dried.
Here's what the pressed flowers should look:
How to Mount Dried Flowers in a Frame
Roses are lovely and keep their lovely scent long after they're dried. Keep them longer by drying the roses or pressing these lovely flowers.
If you want to dry a rose, you will need:
- One fresh rose
- Scissors
- Heavy books
- Two pieces of paper
What to do:
- First, you will need to cut the stem. If you noticed, the rose's stem is thicker than most flower stems. The stem will take longer to dry than the flower itself because it's thick and has lots of moisture in it.
- Take your scissors and cut the stem lengthwise. Snip off one part of the stem, once you are at the top of the stem. Now you only have half a stem.
- Like drying most flowers, put the rose in the middle of the two pieces of paper, and into the middle of one large book.
- Now, if you close the book in the rose, you will not see the middle of the rose. You will have to bend the rose so you can see the middle when it's lying flat.
- Close the book, and add more books on top of the first book. Leave the rose in the books until the rose is completely dried.
How to Make Pressed Flower Art
A simple message in a homemade card made from pressed flowers can melt the heart of the receiver. Learn how to do it with the designs you have in mind.
If you want to make a birthday card with flowers, you will need:
- Piece of paper
- Markers, any colors you want
- Book dried flowers
What to do:
- First, you fold the paper in half.
- Then, you decorate the inside of the card and write a message if you want.
- Decorate the front cover, but remember to leave a space for the flowers.
- Once you glue the flowers on to the front, you are done!
- Now you have flowers to last a long time! You can even start your very own collection. Make cards for family and friends, or place the flowers in a picture frame to decorate your room!
How to Press Flowers in a Microwave
Using a microwave to dry or press flowers is one of the quickest ways to get dried and pressed petals. If you need pressed flowers asap, this is a bright and dependable idea.
There are plenty of ways to press flowers and you might also want to learn how to press flowers with an iron here.
How to Press a Rose
Roses are lovely and keep their lovely scent long after they're dried. Keep them longer by drying the roses or pressing these lovely flowers.
If you want to dry a rose, you will need:
- One fresh rose
- Scissors
- Heavy books
- Two pieces of paper
What to do:
- First, you will need to cut the stem. If you noticed, the rose's stem is thicker than most flower stems. The stem will take longer to dry than the flower itself because it's thick and has lots of moisture in it.
- Take your scissors and cut the stem lengthwise. Snip off one part of the stem, once you are at the top of the stem. Now you only have half a stem.
- Like drying most flowers, put the rose in the middle of the two pieces of paper, and into the middle of one large book.
- Now, if you close the book in the rose, you will not see the middle of the rose. You will have to bend the rose so you can see the middle when it's lying flat.
- Close the book, and add more books on top of the first book. Leave the rose in the books until the rose is completely dried.
Tips for Pressing Flowers
- For perfect pressing or drying, the humidity should be about 45 RH%.
- The flowers should be drying in a warm environment.
- If you want to make your flowers look nice when dried, place them in the book when they're still fresh.
- Don't press the thick plants. They are mostly water and just aren't meant to be pressed.
- Cacti
- Aloe
- Echeveria
- Yucca
- Stapelia
Want more stuff to do with pressed flowers? Then watch this video from Gurl.com:
With your pressing flowers know-how, you know now what to do with the abundant flowers in your yard. Look for different pressed flower crafts and put your pressed flowers into beautiful use. Next time you want a personalized gift for someone, you won't have to go far from your craft room. Make DIY home decor, cards, and crafts from free materials including your pressed flowers!
Isn't learning how to press flowers fun? Are you going to give any of these flower pressing techniques a try? Let us know in the comments section below!
Up Next: 39 Stunning Drought-Tolerant Plants For Low-Maintenance Landscapes
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 31, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
I seem to be seeing pressed flowers everywhere lately.. even tiny ones on nails!