ST201902

YOU WILL NEED
As cherry blossom, substituting:
Bluebell templates* (previous page)
Lilac or indigo paper
Bone folder
Florist wire (22-gauge)

1 Photocopy 12 bluebell flowers and
10 leaf templates onto your chosen
paper or transfer all templates onto
card and cut them out, then draw
around them on your chosen paper.
These are oversized – if you’re feeling
like a challenge, the templates can be
copied and halved in size to create
something more realistic.
2 Take the flower shape and score
along the lines shown, including the
small tab at the side. Fold each score
line so that the scored side of the
paper is facing outwards.
3 Using a skewer,curl the short,
pointed edges of the flower outwards.

Bluebells

LARGER THAN LIFE AND

ALWAYS IN SEASON

These will be the petals.

4 Apply a small amount of glue to the

tab at the side and attach to the

opposite side so the flower forms a

tube.

5 Place a 22-gauge wire inside the bell

shape, making sure the wire doesn’t

stick out past the curled petals.

Gather the long thin strips on the

flower together, pinch tightly around

the wire stem and hold it with one

hand. With the other hand, take some

green florist tape and wrap it tightly

around the long thin strips and wire

stem, ensuring the flower head is

attached securely to the stem. Undo

and repeat if necessary, as this can be

tricky. Repeat for all the flowers.

6 Bend each flower head over to one

side. Then, for one stem, group the

flowers in two groups of 3 and 2 and

join these together using florist tape.

Place the bunch of 2 behind but

above the bunch of 3 and secure

them using florist tape. Now place

1 single flower behind but above the

bunch of 2 and attach to create a

tiered effect (using 6 flowers, total).

Repeat for the second bluebell stem.

7 Using a bone folder, curl the leaves

at the top pointed edge. Place and

attach the leaves onto the stem using

florist tape.

Adapted fromThe Paper Florist:

Create and Display Stunning Paper

Flowersby Suzi McLaughlin (Kyle

Books, out 25 February).

2

3 4

5 6 7

You can halve the size of

the bluebell templates if

you want something

more life-like and are up

for the challenge!

Put your new paper

shaping skills to

further use with this

beautiful lily of the

valley project:

thesimplethings.com/

blog/paperlilies

NEST (^) | WEEKEND PROJECT