Easy & Elegant Tissue Paper Flowers

Make these beautiful tissue paper flowers to add a handmade touch to your gifts this year!  All you need to make them is some tissue paper, a pair of scissors, and a piece of string.


Let's get started!  

First, cut your tissue paper into approximately 6" squares.  There is no need for exact measurements here (The larger your squares, the larger the diameter of your flower will be).  I took my tissue paper and folded it into thirds the long way, cut three equal-sized strips about 6" wide, then folded those strips in thirds and cut them to get a bunch of squares.  For really full flowers like these here, plan to use 5 - 6 squares of tissue paper per flower.  You can use less, but they just won't be as full.  The more you use, the fuller the flowers will be.

Stack your tissue paper squares directly on top of one another.  

Beginning at one end, accordion fold the squares, as you would if you were making a paper fan.  Make a fold about every 1/2 inch or so.  



Keeping the tissue folded, find the center (I do this by folding it in half) and cut two small slits on either side of it.  Your slits should be perpendicular to your fold lines.  Do NOT cut all the way through the middle!   Just cut close to the middle without actually going through.  You are cutting these slits for the cording that you will tie to hold the layers of the flower together.


Cut an approximately 18" long piece of cording (or yarn, string, ribbon, whatever you have on hand), and wrap it around the center of your accordion folded tissue.  Do this in such a way that the cording slides into the slits you made in the previous step.  Then tie it in a knot to secure.  Leave the ends of the string.  You can use these to affix your flower to something when you're finished.

Next take a pair of scissors and cut the ends of the accordion into a nice curved shape.  Doing this will give your flower pretty, rounded petals.


Now comes the fun part!  

Spread open the accordion folds.  

Starting with the top layer, CAREFULLY pull up each layer of tissue paper toward the center of the flower.  

As you do this, you will begin to see your flower take shape.  I recommend doing the top layer on each side, then moving on to the second layer on each side and so forth until you have pulled apart each of the six layers.



Tie your flower to a wrapped package, a gift basket, or a bottle of wine!  You can make an entire bouquet if you like!  Just use some green pipe cleaners instead of the cording to tie off the center of your flower and form it into a stem.  Layer different colors of tissue paper instead of using just one color.  Let your imagination go wild.
  

Have fun!