Any one pressing flowers or leaves?

angelaclay509@gmail.com
angelaclay509@gmail.com Posts: 49 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in DIY Tutorials

I am getting flowers that don't sell from a vendor at the Farmer's Market because I like to add them to my soy candles. I decided that I would like to have pressed flowers in my glass jars. AS far as pressing I would love some tips for a beginner. Right now I am using old big books and wax paper to press them. Any tricks or tips would be appreciated.

Comments

  • merlin44
    merlin44 Posts: 426 ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2019

    A flower press can be made with 2 pieces of wood, squared, and screws but I think large books work just as well. I use cardboard or coffee filters cause it seemed the plants had some discoloration with wax paper. An excellent way to create a herbarium when learning plants.

  • VickiP
    VickiP Posts: 586 ✭✭✭✭

    I have sped the process by using an iron and wax paper or parchment paper. I has been awhile since I did it but as I recall it worked best on less juicy ones. Just place the leaves between two sheets of the paper and press them, don't let the iron set too long in one spot. I cant remember the temp. So I would start low and work up. I did have good results. I embedded them in homemade paper/cards.

  • chimboodle04
    chimboodle04 Posts: 286 ✭✭✭

    We pressed a lot of flowers and leaves growing up - my mom is a horticulturalist and was creating identification samples. She has a professional press, but the sheets you placed the plant or flower material between to press was more like a very thick paper card stock with the texture of homemade paper. Regular flat sheets of cardboard went between these layers then, so the layers ran sheet of cardboard, sheet of thick cardstock, plant material, sheet of thick cardstock, sheet of cardboard, and so on. If you are able to find something similar, the leaves and flowers always turned out beautiful and retained great color.

  • Hassena
    Hassena Posts: 345 ✭✭✭

    We made a cardboard book. Layers of paper and cardboard. Then used straps to tie it together for the press part. It was a lot of fun. I'm not sure how long they lasted. The gathering and pressing of plants was a fun summer.

  • Linda Bittle
    Linda Bittle Posts: 1,518 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have 2 small ones (8x8 inches and 4x7 inches) that I picked up at a thrift store. They are pretty simple, even with moderate skills, and are like this:


  • frogvalley
    frogvalley Posts: 675 ✭✭✭✭

    What a great idea! Now that my kids are out of the house, all of these projects that I have always wanted to do are moving from "one day I'll do this" to "let's put this on the calendar for next month." The prettiest pressed flowers I've ever seen were in Quebec (I think). Absolutely gorgeous! Not just pressed flowers, but the most remarkable designs and pictures. Note to self: GET STARTED.