https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/pleated-paper-flowers • Posted by Smallest Forest
Start with a strip of paper: printed, recycled from a magazine or old gift wrap, with colors and patterns (at least on one side) that you like. IMPORTANT: The WIDTH of your strip of paper will be the diameter of your flower, so if you want flowers 5 inches in diameter, use a strip 5 inches wide. The LENGTH of the strip of paper should be AT LEAST 3 times the width. If your strip is 5 inches wide, your strip should be at least 15 inches long...longer will give you more petals and a more ruffled look.
Start with a strip of paper: printed, recycled from a magazine or old gift wrap, with colors and patterns (at least on one side) that you like. IMPORTANT: The WIDTH of your strip of paper will be the diameter of your flower, so if you want flowers 5 inches in diameter, use a strip 5 inches wide. The LENGTH of the strip of paper should be AT LEAST 3 times the width. If your strip is 5 inches wide, your strip should be at least 15 inches long...longer will give you more petals and a more ruffled look.
Start with a strip of paper: printed, recycled from a magazine or old gift wrap, with colors and patterns (at least on one side) that you like. The WIDTH of your strip of paper will be the diameter of your flower. The LENGTH of the strip of paper should be AT LEAST 3 times the width. Fold the strip up by halving it lengthwise, halving each half again, and so on and on until you have a narrow accordion (alternating mountain and valley folds) of paper like the ones pictured here. You can round the ends, as I have done, or make them into sharp points, or notch them, or leave them square as you wish.
Fold your accordions of paper in half CROSSWISE, and poke two holes in the groove formed by the fold using a sharp large needle. The holes only need to be half a centimeter apart or so. Most tutorials on the web don't have this step, but just try and skip this and you'll soon see why it's a good idea! Without this step, anyone who tugs on your flower will pull it apart very easily.
Use some thread and a needle to stitch through these two holes you've just made, tying the two loose thread ends together firmly but not so tight that you tear the paper! Trim thread ends.
Now spread some glue along one side of the folded accordion. Stick it to the opposite side. Let the glue dry before you try to fan out the accordion.
Using your fingers, gently fan out the folds until the other raw ends are touching. Spread glue on this side, too, and glue to its facing side. Hold or clamp until dry because the tension in this last step will pull the glued sides apart otherwise.
When dry, Thread a needle with some thread and enter the flower from the back (you decide which is the back!) and affix circles and other shapes made of felt, paper, etcetera tot he front of the flower. Buttons are nice.
You can also glue elements down to the first circle that was stitched on...shisha mirrors, paste gems, crystals, fimo, whatever...
Done! Make gazillions and use as tree ornaments, or just for decorating the house, hanging in a window, sticking to skewers and 'planting' in pots, using instead of bows on presents... Make as big or small as you please!