Paper Flowers: Paper Weights, Sizes and Assembly
Use text-weight crepe paper (around 90–180 gsm) for realistic flowers — it stretches and holds a curved shape, which ordinary paper cannot.
For giant backdrop flowers, use 160 gsm cardstock and make petals 8 to 12 inches long for a finished bloom of 18 to 24 inches.
Making a flower
Cut petals in graduated sizes
Real flowers have small petals at the centre and larger ones outside. Cut three or four sizes, five or six petals of each — the graduation is what stops a flower looking flat.
Shape each petal
With crepe, stretch the middle gently between both thumbs to cup it. With cardstock, curl the edges around a pencil. Unshaped petals are the main reason paper flowers look like paper.
Build from the centre outwards
Make the centre first — a rolled fringe or a stamen bundle — then glue the smallest petals around it, overlapping each slightly, and work outwards in rings.
Finish the back
A circle of green paper or a calyx over the base hides the glue and the petal ends. It takes two minutes and is the difference between finished and unfinished.
Choosing paper
| Paper | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fine crepe | 60 gsm | Delicate, realistic petals |
| Heavy Italian crepe | 180 gsm | Sculptural flowers that hold shape |
| Cardstock | 160–200 gsm | Giant backdrop flowers |
| Tissue | 17–20 gsm | Pom poms and soft blooms |
Crepe paper has a grain. The fine lines run in one direction and that's the direction it stretches. Cut petals so the grain runs from base to tip, or they won't cup when you shape them — this single detail separates flowers that look real from flowers that look flat.
Sizes for common uses
- Buttonholes and small posies — 2 to 3 inch blooms, petals about an inch long.
- Table arrangements — 4 to 6 inch blooms.
- Wreath flowers — 4 to 5 inches, sized to your wreath as with ribbon.
- Backdrop flowers — 18 to 24 inches, which need 8 to 12 inch petals in cardstock.
Stems and assembly
Florist wire of 18 gauge holds most flowers; heavier blooms want 16. Wrap the wire with floral tape, stretching it as you go — the tape only becomes sticky when stretched, which surprises everyone the first time. Hot glue is fastest for assembly, though it shows if you're generous with it; PVA is neater and needs patience.
Questions we're often asked
What paper is best for paper flowers?
Heavy Italian crepe at around 180 gsm for realistic flowers, since it stretches and holds a cupped shape. Cardstock of 160 gsm or more for giant backdrop blooms.
How big should petals be for a giant flower?
Roughly half the finished diameter. For a 20 inch bloom, cut your largest petals about 10 inches long, with smaller graduated sizes towards the centre.
Why do my paper flowers look flat?
The petals haven't been shaped, or the crepe grain is running the wrong way. Cut with the grain from base to tip, then stretch or curl each petal before assembling.