How To Press Your Flowers
While flowers teach us to appreciate the beauty of the moment and live in the now, it’s completely normal to wish that they could last forever. After all, flowers help us celebrate endless special moments. From birthday flowers and engagement flowers to Christmas flowers and Valentine’s Day flowers, they decorate each and every occasion.
If you’re looking to hold onto the natural beauty of your blooms, flower pressing is a wonderful way to preserve your floral memories. The good news is that you don’t have to be especially crafty to make things work. Finding new life for your flowers is simple, whether designing bookmarks or photo frames. So, keep reading to discover how to press flowers with Freddie’s.
What You’ll Need: Supplies for Pressing Flowers
Let’s begin with what you’ll need to get your flowers pressed. Beyond a creative vision and your favourite blooms, pressing flowers doesn’t require too much preparation. Depending on your method, you may need:
- Your choice of flat-faced flowers
- Blotting or parchment paper
- Either heavy books, a flower press, or an iron
- Card or paper
How Do I Choose the Best Flowers to Press for Beginners?
Some flowers press better than others, and different flowers work for different reasons. Take pansies or cosmos, perfect for their flat, thin petals, or ferns - great for filler/texture - for example. We also recommend considering the following:
Are there any flowers I shouldn’t press?
Watch out for flowers with thick stems. They’ll prevent the press from closing, limiting its ability to preserve your flowers. We’d also recommend avoiding alliums, snapdragons, brassica, leucadendron, and anything with berries.
How to Press Flowers
Onto more pressing matters, get it? Let’s talk about the ways in which you can press your flowers. We’ve got a bunch of different options, so take a look and see which feels most convenient for you and your creations.
How to Press Flowers in a Book
Here’s one for the bookworms. Dust off your bookshelf and find some weighty classics to press your flowers with - the more pages, the better!
- After a week or two of enjoying your flowers, use floral scissors or secateurs to cut down your chosen flowers (leaving half an inch of stem).
- Gently dry them on kitchen roll.
- Fold a piece of paper in half. Place your flowers inside, before popping the paper in the middle of the book, adding even more weight on top with other books or tins and bottles.
- Wait for five to six weeks for them to properly dry, and voila, they’re ready for you to craft into whatever you want.
How to Use a Flower Press
It can be a bit pesky having books stacked up all over your home, so if you’re a regular flower presser, using a traditional press could make life a little easier.
- Follow the steps above, carefully selecting and cutting out your chosen flowers.
- Unscrew the four screws on each side of your press. Remove the top wooden lid, then place your chosen stems between the sheets of paper.
- Pop the wooden lid back on, screw it tight, and leave it for five to six weeks.
How to Press Flowers with an Iron
Let’s turn up the heat on your favourite flowers.
- Place your flowers between two sheets of parchment paper on top of a towel.
- Set your iron to a low heat with no steam.
- Press the iron straight down on the paper for 10-15 second intervals, letting the flowers cool in between.
Which Method Should You Choose?
So, which method works best for you? Take a look at our comprehensive breakdown of what methods are best suited to you.
Method: Book
Time required: 5-6 weeks
Best for: Beginners, no extra kit needed
Difficulty: Easy
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Method: Flower press
Time required: 5-6 weeks
Best for: Regular pressers, tidier storage
Difficulty: Easy
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Method: Iron
Time required: A few minutes
Best for: Sturdy, flat flowers
Difficulty: medium
How to Dry Petals Vs. How to Press Flowers
Contrary to what you may think, pressing flowers and drying petals have different purposes. Pressed flowers are mostly kept as keepsakes or used for crafts, whereas dry petals are used for confetti or scattering.
So, if you’re wondering how to dry petals, we recommend air-drying them on a tray for a few days in a warm, dry spot. Alternatively, you can microwave them in short bursts between paper towels for speedier results.
How to Use Pressed Flowers
Once your favourite blooms are pressed, it’s time to get creative.
Framing them
Sticking to a simple white background, or using a sample of contrasting floral wallpaper, you could arrange your pressed flowers in a frame.
Make a bookmark
For a thoughtful home-made gift, you’ll need pressed flowers, scissors, box string or ribbon, glue, and a laminator (for a finishing touch, if you have one).
Once your flowers are pressed, cut the card to the size you want the bookmark to be. Arrange the pressed flower design and cover with contact paper, or laminate.
Using a hole punch, make a hole in the top and thread your ribbon or box string through.
Make a homemade card
Let a friend know you’re thinking of them; you don’t need to wait for a special occasion. Glue your pressed flowers onto a blank card and write a message.
Order Flowers from Freddie's Flowers
Now that you’ve got a better idea of how to press flowers, order your favourites from Freddie’s Flowers today. Whether you’re looking for a flower subscription or are sending flower gifts, our colourful collection has plenty to choose from. Place an order online with us today.
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