How to Press Flowers (4 Ways!)
Here are 4 Ways How to Press Flowers and preserve those beautiful blooms to use in craft projects that are full of memories.
Servings: 4 ways to press flowers to choose from
Cost: $1
Equipment
- Determined by type of flower pressing chosen Refer to specific posts for equipment needed.
Ingredients
- Determined by type of flower pressing chosen Refer to specific posts for equipment needed.
Instructions
- Don't you love flowers? But how about getting the sweet blooms of the wildflowers, annual or perennial flowers around your home to last longer?Pressing flowers is my first go to. Here are 4 methods How to Press Flowers for doing just that!
- 1. DIY Flower Press from Wood for Pressing FlowersThe DIY Flower Press from Wood for Pressing Flowers post on WTN gives complete instructions for making a large flower press from wooden plaques purchased at a craft store or pieces of wood you cut yourself. Instructions there for how to press flowers in a press as well.
- 2. Drying flowers in a book/pressing flowers in booksOpen the book you are using to about the halfway point. Use a piece of wax paper to lay the flowers on and then fold the wax paper over the top of the flowers. This will prevent the colored juices of the flower from staining your book.Close the book and lay several other heavy books on top of it. Leave for at least two weeks until completely dry.
- 3. Microwave flower pressPlace your flowers in a single layer between two paper towels and set them on the turn table of the microwave. Place a microwave proof container over the flowers, covering the paper towel and flowers entirely. We used a Pyrex 9x13 which worked well (I have a large microwave).Turn on high power for one minute. Check the flowers carefully and continue to run the microwave for 30 second intervals until the flowers are completely dry.
- 4. Hammering flowersI'm including this as my fourth of 4 Ways How to Press Flowers, hammered flower prints. Now that I think about it, I’m not preserving the actual flower in this method, so I ask your forgiveness on tucking it in this post. But it does preserve the beautiful color of the blooms, so I will still include it!!Hammering flowers involves taping the flowers and leaves to a piece of fabric (or heavy watercolor paper) and hammering them until the juices of the flowers stain the fabric. The complete instructions are found in the following post- Hammered Flower Prints on Fabric.
- 5. Pressed flowers with iron?So, this is a bonus method. I have heard about pressing flowers with an iron (without steam). I have not tried this one yet so I can’t give any feedback. It reminded me of the microwave method, but the iron is the pressure, and the heat dries the flowers.