Creating Tissue Paper Flowers For Your Wedding

Tissue paper flowers are a fun, easy, and inexpensive craft that can be used to decorate weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, and more. They can be used as table decorations, strung on a garland, or even used to create a photo backdrop. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to make tissue paper flowers in different styles and sizes, as well as provide tips on how to decorate with them. Let's get started on creating beautiful and budget-friendly decorations for your special day!

Choosing colours and layering the tissue paper

Choosing the right colours for your tissue paper flowers is important, as it will set the tone and style of your wedding. You can opt for a single colour, a mix of shades of the same colour, or a rainbow of colours. For a wedding, you may want to choose colours that match your theme or the bridesmaids' dresses.

Once you have chosen your colours, you can start layering the tissue paper. For a simple flower, you will need around 8-12 layers of tissue paper. If you are making a large flower, you may need a few more layers, and for a small flower, a couple fewer. You can also experiment with different numbers of layers to see what works best for you.

For an interesting effect, you could try layering different colours together. For example, you could put a small strip of yellow tissue paper in the centre of a larger strip of red tissue paper to create a flower with a yellow centre. Or, you could layer different colours of the same size for a striped or ombre effect.

Another option is to add a piece of green tissue paper to the bottom layer to create a layer of "leaves". This will give your flower a more natural look.

Once you have chosen your colours and layered the tissue paper, you can start folding it accordion-style. This will create the petals of your flower. You can also cut the ends of the tissue paper to add texture to the petals. Rounded or pointed petals are popular choices, but you can get creative and cut them into any shape you like.

After folding and cutting your tissue paper, you can begin assembling your flower by securing the centre with a stapler, floral wire, or pipe cleaner. Then, carefully fluff and shape the layers of tissue paper to create the petals.

Accordion-folding the tissue paper

Accordion-folding is a crucial step in making tissue paper flowers. This technique allows you to create the flower's petals and shape them to your liking. Here is a detailed guide to help you master the art of accordion-folding tissue paper for your wedding decorations:

Preparing the Tissue Paper

Before you begin folding, it is essential to have the right amount of tissue paper. For larger flowers, you will need more layers of tissue paper, while smaller flowers require fewer layers. Typically, for an 8-inch flower, you will need around 12 layers of tissue paper. Adjust the number of layers accordingly if you plan to make bigger or smaller flowers.

Once you have the desired number of tissue paper sheets, stack them neatly in front of you. You can play around with different colours to create unique effects. For a more subtle look, use the same colour for all sheets. If you want to add some variety, try using 2-3 shades of the same colour or go for a rainbow selection. You can even create a layered effect by placing smaller strips of tissue paper over larger ones.

Creating the Accordion Folds

Now that you have your tissue paper ready, it's time to start folding! Take the stack of tissue paper and begin folding it accordion-style, with each fold measuring approximately 1 inch. You can make the folds larger or smaller, depending on your preference. Start from the short end of the tissue paper and work your way down the length. Continue folding until the entire length of the tissue paper is folded together.

Securing the Centre

After you've finished folding, it's important to secure the centre of your accordion-folded tissue paper. Use a stapler or a binder clip to hold all the layers together. Make sure that your fastener goes through all the layers to keep them securely in place.

Customising the Petals

At this stage, you can customise the shape of your flower petals. Using scissors, carefully trim the edges of the tissue paper to create different styles. You can go for rounded edges, pointed tips, or even fringe the ends for a unique look. If you want to create pointed leaf shapes for the green tissue paper, cut each folded sheet into a pointed leaf shape. Play around with different shapes to see what suits your floral vision best!

Final Assembly

Now that you've trimmed your petals, it's time to reassemble the layers of tissue paper. Stack them in the order you prefer, usually with the leaves on the bottom and the chosen petal colours above. Once stacked, fold the tissue paper in half and secure the centre with floral wire, pipe cleaners, or string. Make sure that the wire or fastener goes through all the layers to hold them together.

Your accordion-folded tissue paper is now ready for the final step—fluffing the layers to create beautiful, full petals! Open up the folds and gently pull each layer upwards towards the centre of the flower. Repeat this process for all the layers, carefully shaping and fluffing them to create the desired look.

Cutting the ends of the tissue paper

Rounded petals

To create rounded petals, use scissors or a rotary cutter to cut the ends of the folded tissue paper into gentle curves. This will give the flower a soft and romantic look. You can also try using a jar lid as a guide to achieve even and consistent curves.

Pointed petals

For a more dramatic look, cut the ends of the tissue paper into pointed petal shapes. This will give the flower a bolder and more defined appearance. You can experiment with different levels of pointiness to achieve your desired effect.

Inverted rounded petals

If you want to create a unique look, try cutting the ends of the tissue paper into inverted rounded shapes. This involves cutting curves that go in the opposite direction of the standard rounded petal. This will give the flower a whimsical and playful feel.

Fringe-cut petals

For a fun and festive touch, try fringe-cutting the ends of the tissue paper. Make small snips about an inch long, leaving about 2-3 inches uncut in the centre. When you fluff the tissue paper, it will create a pom-pom effect in the centre of the flower.

Other techniques

You can also experiment with different colours and layers of tissue paper to create a variety of styles. Try using two shades of the same colour, or a rainbow selection of colours. You can even add a piece of green tissue paper to create leaves. Additionally, you can decorate the tissue paper before folding by using paint markers or spraying the tips with metallic paint to create an ombre effect.

Securing the tissue paper with a pipe cleaner or stapler

There are several ways to secure tissue paper when making flowers. One way is to use a stapler. After folding the tissue paper accordion-style, simply staple the centre of the folded paper. Be sure the staple goes through all layers of the tissue paper.

Another way to secure the tissue paper is with a pipe cleaner. First, cut notches on each side of the folded tissue paper at the centre point. Then, twist a pipe cleaner around the notched area and twist tightly. The pipe cleaner works as a stem for the flower.

You can also use string instead of a pipe cleaner to tie the notched area.

Fluffing the tissue paper to create the flower shape

Fluffing the tissue paper is a crucial step in creating beautiful and full tissue paper flowers. Here is a detailed guide to help you achieve the perfect flower shape:

Start by folding the tissue paper accordion-style. You can use two large sheets of tissue paper, or cut them to your desired size if you want smaller flowers. For an 8-inch flower, cut 12 layers of tissue paper. For larger flowers, add a few more layers, and for smaller flowers, remove a few layers. Once you have your desired size, stack the tissue paper sheets and fold them with 1-inch folds, from the narrow end down the longer length.

Secure the centre of the folded tissue paper with a stapler or binder clips. Then, cut the ends of the tissue paper to create the shape of the petals. You can round the edges, cut them to a point, or get creative with fringe or scalloped edges. If you want to add some texture to the petals, you can also cut notches on each side of the folded tissue paper before cutting the petal shapes.

Now, it's time to fluff! Fan out the tissue paper layers and begin gently pulling each layer upwards towards the centre of the flower. Do this on both sides of the flower, pulling each layer at a different angle to create a full, rounded shape. Repeat this process for all the layers until you have fluffed half of the flower. Then, repeat the process on the other side. Be careful not to pull too hard, as a small amount of tearing is normal.

To finish your flower, gently pull and shape the layers to even out the petal shape. If you have added a green layer for leaves, you can pull this layer to one side to create a leaf peeking out from beneath the petals. And that's it! You now have a beautiful tissue paper flower.

You can create a variety of flowers by experimenting with different colours, sizes, and petal shapes. Tissue paper flowers are a fun and easy way to decorate for weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, and more.

Frequently asked questions