A How to Guide on Pressing Flowers

1. Pick your flowers and leaves!

• The best time to pick is during a warm part of the day when the blooms will have the least amount of moisture.

• Remember that you are flattening the flowers, so avoid flowers with big thick cores such as roses as these won’t flatten so well.

  You can cut thicker flowers like roses up into sections, or even just press the petals on their own.

2. Cut some paper (optional)

• We like to use sheets of paper between the cardboard layers in our flower press. The press will work beautifully without them, but the paper will keep the cardboard clean for many years of pressing, and it will help with absorbing the moisture in the flowers. Pick clean paper, preferably one that is slightly absorbent such as craft paper or paper from a drawing pad. 

3. Collect your flowers and arrange

• Trim your blooms and arrange them between the layers of cardboard and sheets of paper. You can fit as much as you like between each layer. Try not to overlap any of the petals or leaves to avoid them sticking together.

4. Put the press back together

• Put all the layers back together and screw the wing nuts back into place. You might have to push down on the press to get the wing nuts back on! Make sure the press is screwed down nice and tight.

5. Done!

Keep your press in a cool, dry place for at least 2 weeks. After 2 weeks you can have a look but if the flowers aren’t fully dry then leave them for a while longer. 

Flower Pressing is a craft and one that will produce varying results each time you do it. Sometimes the flower colours are vivid and stunning, sometimes they’re more muted and soft. Some flowers will come out perfectly, others may not be worth keeping. But that is all part of the fun and a great learning curve for our children, too.

Try to put as many different flowers and leaves in the press each time so you have lots to play with when they’re ready.

The joy is in the experience so take your time, enjoy picking the blooms, arranging them in your press and then revealing the pressed beauties when you remember to check on them. 

What to do with your pressed flowers? 

My favourite thing to do is add them to gift wrapping. You can embelish gifts so beautifully.

You can make greeting cards with them! Fold a piece of card in half then arrange the flowers on the front with a little bit of craft glue. 

Another lovely idea is arrange them in a picture frame for a beautiful artwork. 

My kids like including them in their art and craft. Gluuing them onto random bits of paper and constructed card. 

Really it is totally up to you, get creative!