This week's party continues
here so please link up! I had several requests for a tutorial on the Coffee Filter Flowers I made and used in my
Oversized Floral Wreath so here it is. They were never designed to be any specific kind of flower...they're just "flowers" I made while playing around one day.
The process is the same for all three styles and you can definitely adapt to other styles.
Supplies:
- Coffee Filters. The basket kind, not the cone kind. You can get them everywhere...Dollar Store, Grocery Store etc.
- Dimesional or Thick Glue. I used Glossy Accents by Ranger. Available at craft stores, online, etc. You can also use a thick glue like Aleene's Turbo Tacky.
That's it on the supplies! I'm going to show the step by step for Flower number 1 and the basic cuts for the other two. The process is the same. It's the cuts to make the petals that make the difference!
For each flower, I used nine filters.
Separate each filter and crumple each of them up. I did this because it gets rid of the original shape and also because it helps give the flowers some body and shape.
Once you've crumpled them, uncrumple them! I know...work work work. You'll use three filters each to make three sets of layers for each flower. To begin, fold one filter in quarters.
Then make the cuts into narrow petals as shown. If you are a person who needs to be exact, you can draw them but I'm not so I just eyeballed and did it freehand.
Make the petal cuts until you reach the other end of the folded quarter. Repeat two more times to create the first three layers of the first section. Here's what it will look like unfolded.
Since flowers in nature aren't perfect, I didn't worry about making mine perfect either. For the subsequent sections, it's the same process but you're going to make each section slightly smaller by trimming the filters down.
Again, I eyeballed it and just trimmed the middle section down as shown before cutting the petals. Then did this once more for the top layers. You're building the flowers from the bottom up.
For the top layers you just cut more off the filters than the middle layers. You'll end up with three sets of large (1), medium (2), and small (3).
The quarter folds make a kind of natural well in each layer. Place a dab of Glossy Accents in the middle, then slightly offset the next layer atop the glue, then repeat with the last layer for this section.
Repeat with the last large layer, then continue with all of the remaining layers until the last of the small top layers. Make sure to offset each layer. This adds to the fullness of the final flower.
You can see the form start to take shape but with the second section I use the eraser end of a pencil to push down in the middle that helps the petals stick up a bit. I hope that makes sense.
For the final layer of the top section, before you add it to the flower add a drop of the dimensional glue to the middle and pinch together from the bottom. Then add this layer to your flower.
And there you are! For flowers 2 and 3, I'll show you what a difference changing up the petal cuts makes.
Flower 2:
Quarter fold and then cut as shown with a deep curved V. Same concept. Large, medium, and small sections, three filters each, cut down in size before making the petal cuts as shown in Flower 1. Same process of offsetting each layer as glued, and using a pencil to push down / deepen the well in them middle.
And just as with the first flower, when you get to the final top layer, pinch the middle before gluing to the flower.
Flower 3:
For this style I just used a basic petal shape on the quarter fold. Large, medium, and small sections, cutting down as shown in Flower 1. Offset as each layer is glued and pinch the middle of the final top layer.
If you wan to make smaller flowers then just trim down your filters accordingly. There are so many possibilities. You don't have to keep them white. You could dye the layers for example. But I would do this and make sure they're dry before you build your flowers. I hope you found this helpful! They're addictive once you make a few.
If you make these shapes or come up with your own, I'd love to see!!
