DELICATE SPRIGS OF CRINKLED PETALS
This handmade paper wild rose has a natural colour and is perfect to adorn a table place setting or can equally be displayed in a vase
TO MAKE THE CENTRE
1. Cut a 5 x 3cm (2 x 1.2in) piece of 180g mustard crêpe paper, stretch fully between your fingers, and cut the centre template out. With precision scissors, finely fringe the top edge of the cut piece, 1mm (0.04in) deep.
2. Apply a thin layer of glue to the uncut part of the strip and wrap tightly around the top of a length of 20-gauge floral wire, with the top of the wire lying flush at the bottom of the fringe, securing with glue at the end.
3. Cut a separate 7 x 3cm (2.8 x 1.2in) piece of the 180g yellow crêpe paper, stretch fully out again and cut the stamen fringe template out. Very finely fringe the paper from the top down to the dotted line on the template.
4. Next, twist the fringe between your fingers gently to create texture. Apply a very light amount of burnt sienna marker pen to the very tip of the fringe, taking care to prevent bleeding.
5. Then apply a thin layer of glue to the bottom-left corner at the shortest end, and roll around the top of the centre stem, with the bottom of the fringe on both pieces of crêpe paper lining up. Secure with glue at the end.
6. Tease out the fringe with the precision scissors to expose the centre slightly. Add more pen or cut out some colour if needed. Trim, so it looks uniform.
TO MAKE THE PETALS
7. Take an 11 x 11cm (4.3 x 4.3in) piece of white/apricot doublette crêpe paper and cut out five petals per flower from the template.
8. Add a gentle gradation of yellow pastel onto the bottom third of each petal. Then use the peach pastel in the same way, with a separate sponge to apply a little gradation to the top third of the petals.
9. Cup the petals individually over the curve of the back of your thumbs in the bottom third of the petal. Then, towards the top of the petal, shape the top edge of each gently ove the closed blades of your precision scissors.
10. Apply a little glue to the petals’ base and place around the centre, directly below the fringe. Overlap them slightly so all petals are evenly glued around the centre. Pinch around underneath the flower to secure them. ❯
TO MAKE THE CALYX, LEAVES AND STEM
11. Stretch a 5 x 3cm (2 x 1.2in) piece of 180g medium green crêpe paper fully between your fingers and cut five calyx pieces from the template. Then make a slit on each side with precision scissors along the dotted marks on the template. Glue the five calyxes underneath the flower at the point each petal overlaps with the one next to it.
12. Cut the main flower stem with wire cutters to a length of approximately 17cm (6.7in) to make a table setting flower.
13. Take a 1cm (0.4in) wide strip of 180g medium green crêpe paper, stretch between your fingers, apply glue to the end and wrap around directly underneath the flower-head to cover any excess paper underneath. Then bring the strip down the stem at a 45-degree angle, adding a light layer of glue as you go until you reach 5.5cm (2.2in) down the stem. Rip and glue down the paper at this point, then wrap again to the 5.5cm (2.2in) point, so that the stem that is covered is a consistent thickness.
14. At this point, you can push the flower head forward with a tight curve behind it and open out the petals evenly so you can start to see where to place your leaves. 15. To make the leaves, refer to the panel below on making wired leaves on the bias, and make three leaf sprigs; one from each of the heavyweight crêpe papers (180g medium and dark green and 160g grass-green).
16. Sprig 1 (smallest sprig) consists of one x leaf template 2 and two x leaf template 3. Sprigs 2 and 3 consist of one x leaf template 1, two x leaf template 2 and two x leaf template 3. Two of the large leaf sprigs should have a 2.5cm (1in) covered stem that joins to the flower, and the smallest should have a 2cm (0.8in) stem. Cut tiny notches with the precision scissors into the edge of the leaves, then pull out from the leaf to give a serrated edge. To put each sprig together, see ‘how to make a multiple-leaf sprig’, in the panel opposite.
17. Attach the smallest leaf stem at the 5.5cm (2in) point on the left of the main stem, with a 1cm (0.4in) wide strip. Then wrap a further 3.5cm (1.4in) down the main stem. You might need to repeat this again if the wires show through the paper too much. Attach a second sprig on the right at this point, then wrap again for another 3.5cm (1.4in) and place the final sprig in at this point. You can now wrap to the end of the stem and repeat a few times until you have a consistent thickness. Now you can style the stem; bending it and the leaf sprigs into gentle curves, and adjusting the placement of the petals if needed.