How to Create a Flower Press
Flower pressing is a creative style to make art and this has been going on for years, so this article is going to teach you the old school and modern style of pressing flowers.
When it comes to picking and selecting your flowers, regardless of whether you are drying or pressing them, it is always best to pick and select on a dry day. Do it in the morning, the moment after any dew has dried. In addition to that, it is also best when you pick and select your flowers before it reaches its full bloom stage as some flowers do open more as they dry.
Pressing flowers: old fashioned approach
1. Gather your selected flowers along with some newspapers, tissue paper, a heavy book (yellow pages works well) and a large brick or stone.
2. Set out a piece of cardboard that has the same size as the book you are going to use, lay a piece of newspaper on top of that followed by a piece of tissue paper. Make sure every piece you use is the same size of the book.
3. Place you flowers on the tissue paper. Make sure none of your flowers touch each other or hang over the side of the tissue paper.
4. Cover your flowers with another piece of tissue paper, followed by a news paper, and then a cardboard.
5. You can continue this process, one on top of the other, until all your flowers are all fixed in there.
Once your stack is done, top it off with the heavy book and the brick or stone to put pressure and to keep everything tight and in place.
Pressing flowers: modern approach
1. Cut 2 plywood squares in the size you want for your finished press.
2. Measure 1/2inch from each corner on both plywood boards and mark the spots.
3. Drill holes at each spot. Make sure they are wide enough to fit your screws.
4. Sand the surface of your plywood boards to smooth away any roughness.
5. If desired, you can stain or paint the wood for your flower press.
6. Set out 4 square pieces of cardboard and cut it the same size of your board, match them and drill the exact holes. Also set out 6 square construction/blotting paper, no drilling but make sure it is cut in the same size of your board.
7. Place a cardboard on top of one plywood piece, followed by a construction/blotting paper. Then arrange your flowers on top of it.
8. Place a second square of construction/blotting paper on top of the flower, and then another cardboard square. Continue with additional layers of materials following the same order.
9. After all layers are stacked and arranged, place the second piece of plywood on top of everything. Insert the bolts in each hole, put on the washers, and tighten down the wing nuts.
Always remember to store your flower press in a warm, dry place for roughly six months. The longer the flowers are pressed and allowed to dry, the less likely their color is to fade.
Benefits of drying or pressing your flowers:
- You are able to preserve the beauty of the season and its lovely colors.
- You can creatively save these seasonal flowers and be enjoyed all year round.
- It’s a good gardening activity to share with your kids or the whole family.
- It can be used to decorate; design scrapbooks and invitations.
