Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I am going back and re-making some of my previous tutorials. Today I am sharing my tutorial on how to make giant paper flowers for a paper flower backdrop. You can make a few to use as decorations, or make a whole bunch to fill an entire wall to use as a photo backdrop at an event or wedding.
UPDATE:
The link to the free template is below the list of supplies.
To order other style paper flower templates from me, click here!
To learn how to make the leaves, click here!
I’ve provided templates for the petals, but they’re really not necessary. With these flowers, you can draw petals in any shape you like! Just make sure make each petal layer smaller than the last. I made these flowers with three layers, but you can always add more or less! In addition, you can also experiment with different types of centers and leaves. So think of this tutorial as just getting down the basic technique.
Disclosure: the following links are affiliate links. If you use my link to make your purchase, I will get a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay. Thank you for using my link. Please note these are products I personally use, but you don’t have to get this specific brand/type for this project.
For supplies, you’ll need:
– Paper – I used 9 sheets of 60lb 8.5″x11 US letter size cardstock. You can try this out with regular copy paper first until you get the hang of it, but I think it looks best with heavier cardstock.
– Scrap piece of cardstock to use as the base
– Hot glue gun
– Scissors – these are my two favorite scissors, but any will work:
Click here to download the free template.
To order other paper flower templates from me, click here!
To learn how to make the leaves, click here!
Here is the video tutorial:
And here is the written tutorial:
First, take your paper and fold it in half, width-wise, and cut.
I have made the template so that the large petal will fit into this half-sheet, and that the smallest petal will fit into a quarter-sheet. you will use 6 half-sheets for the large petal, 6 half-sheets for the medium petal, 3 half-sheets for the small petal, and 3 half-sheets for the flower center.
Stack 6 half-sheets, trace the large petal and cut out.
At the base of the petal, cut a 2″ slit. This will create two flaps.
Flip the petal so that the widest part is on the bottom. Roll the petal away from you, to create a curl.
Now flip the petal back so the base with the two flaps is at the bottom. You will glue the flap so that it overlaps the other. By doing this, it will cause the petals to sit at an angle instead of laying flat. For the outer layers, you do not want your petals to angle too much, so do not overlap the flaps too much. As you move in, the petals should stand straighter, so for your medium and small petals, you want to glue the flaps so they overlap more. If this part is not clear, please see the video for a visual demonstration.
Add a little bit of glue to one flap
and overlap the other. Remember: for the largest petals, you do not want to overlap the flaps too much, or the petals will stand up too straight. Do this to all 6 of the large petals.
Now, you’re going to attach all 6 large petals to form a bowl shape. Add a line of glue to the edge of one petal.
Attach the next petal on.
Continue adding on petals to form a bowl.
Repeat all the steps above for the medium and small petal. Remember: the small petal will fit on half of the half-sheets, so take 3 half-sheets, fold them in half, and then cut, in order to get 6 quarter-sheets for the small petal.
You should end up with 3 petal bowls.
Flip over the largest bowl and glue a small piece of scrap cardstock to the bottom to act as a base. In this exampe, I just used this pink cardstock because I happened to have some leftover.
Now, add some glue to the bottom of the medium bowl and insert it into the large bowl. Next, add some glue to the smallest bowl and insert into the medium bowl.
To make the center of the flower, take your last 3 half-sheets, and fold it in half length-wise.
You are now going to cut a fringe, but make sure you cut from the side that is folded. Don’t cut all the way through; leave about a .5″ gap from the edge.
Once you have fringed the 3 sheets, separate them and begin rolling them up. Use some glue along the way to keep it in place.
Once you have finished rolling up the first sheet, attach it onto the next sheet and continue rolling. Do this until you have rolled all 3 sheets together.
This is what your center should end up looking like. You can use your fingers to separate the fringe and fluff the center up.
Now all you have to do is add glue to the bottom of the center and add it to your flower!
This is a very versatile technique and you can get so many different flowers just by changing the petal shape, size, color, and the center.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial. If you do decide to try this out, I’d love to see your work!
86 Comments
Carrie Groneman
May 30, 2015 at 9:58 pmLOVE your flowers and all you do Ashley!!! Fabulous talent. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Ash
June 3, 2015 at 5:49 pmThank you so much Carrie! You’re too kind!
Jaime
October 21, 2016 at 10:22 pmIs 80lb paper is ok with this paper flower? I wanted to make a backdrop for our wedding. Usually if we rent this backdrop its very expensive.
Hoping for your reply
Thanks
Ash
October 21, 2016 at 10:23 pmHi there! 80lb paper works too! I’ve even used up to 110 lb paper 🙂
Jaime
October 21, 2016 at 11:48 pmThanks dear
Lola
June 12, 2017 at 5:40 amHi Ash,
I just subscribed here yesterday , and I must say I am really wowed by most of your work. I want to use the paper flower backdrop for my upcoming wedding , and I hope to do it all myself. what type of paper do you use of advise me to use to achieve such great results as your?
Leonela
May 3, 2017 at 9:45 amHola puedes traducirlo a ingles para que entiendas. yo quería saber si puedes hacerme un gran favor de enviar a mi correo el molde para yo imprimirlo y poder copiarlo mi correo es leonelafalcones@gmail.com por favor me subscribo a tu canal seré tu seguidora
Olivia
April 26, 2018 at 9:25 amSi la busca en su canal de YouTube ahí está el molde para hacer las flores
Debbie-Dabble
May 31, 2015 at 1:34 pmThanks so much for stopping by!!
These flowers are amazing! I love them! They are so pretty!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Ash
June 3, 2015 at 5:49 pmThank you Debbie!
This Design Journal
June 2, 2015 at 7:54 amWow, These are super cool, reminds me of my little girls Birthday party last year when we did something similar.
http://www.thisdesignjournal.com/2014/08/flowers-butterflies-party.html
I admire your precision and quality of projects, these turned out great.
Ash
June 3, 2015 at 5:52 pmYou did a great job! It looks beautiful! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Lou Lou Girls
June 8, 2015 at 2:37 pmI absolutely love this! Thanks for sharing it with us. Pinned and tweeted. I hope to see you tonight at 7 pm. We can’t wait to party with you! Lou Lou Girls
Ash
June 12, 2015 at 2:19 pmThanks so much!
rikki
June 9, 2015 at 6:11 amHi, I love the colors you’ve used for these flowers. May I know where can I get them and what are the colors? Thanks!!
Ash
June 12, 2015 at 2:25 pmHi Rikki, I am so sorry for the delayed response! I will send you an email too in case you don’t see this. I purchase cardstock at Michaels, Kelly Paper and once at Hobby Lobby. I am pretty sure these colors are from Michael’s Recollection Brand Essential Cardstock 8.5×11″ and there is a bundle that has these two blues and a gray. I wait until they are on sale for 4 for $10.
Lisa Porcellini
August 9, 2016 at 4:20 pmCan you please name the colors. I went to Michaels to purchase & I couldn’t find the package with the grey & two blues. I LOVE your flowers & these colors.
Thanks in advance.
Lisa Porcellini
August 10, 2016 at 2:34 pmAsh. R u there? I need to do my daughters bridal shower & I love the colors you choose.
Please help.
Christine | Where The Smiles Have Been
June 9, 2015 at 5:56 pmOh my word….these are GORGEOUS!! They definitely make me want to have another baby (hopefully a girl!) so I can decorate her nursery with these! Thanks for the great tutorial!!
Ash
June 12, 2015 at 2:26 pmThanks so much Christine!
Keri
June 26, 2015 at 8:37 amHi! Your flower backdrop is beautiful! We are making these flowers to create a flower wall to hang on the back of the garage for a catered backyard party this summer. How to you recommend these get hung?
Ash
June 26, 2015 at 9:45 amThanks so much Keri! There are several ways people like to hang these. If you only have a few flowers and not a full backdrop, you could use thumbtacks hidden at the center of the flower to attach to the wall. You can also use a hot glue gun to attach the flowers to fabric or a foam board and hang that up. Finally, if you don’t have a wall to use, you can create a PVC backdrop frame and hang the fabric from the top pipe like a curtain. If you google “PVC backdrop” you’ll find lots of instructions. I will email this to you directly in case you don’t see this message.
Yael
July 28, 2015 at 11:07 amHi,
I would love these for my baby shower. I am doing an Alice in Wonderland theme. Can you do these as free standing flowers with long stems?
Barb
August 4, 2015 at 8:32 amYour flowers are beautiful……..I would love to get the tutorials from you. What is the best way to do this.
Thanks
keziah
August 21, 2015 at 1:44 pmi love your flowers! i am an events designer and my friend who bakes told me of your youtube tutorial. it is amazing!
Pili
September 3, 2015 at 12:29 pmWow, your flowers are just out of this world! I LOVE them! Pinned to try someday.
Thanks for sharing!
Hugs,
Pili
Sigourney
September 11, 2015 at 9:27 amHello, would like to know what you stick the flowers onto and what do you use to get them to stick for the backdrop?
Amabelle
September 20, 2015 at 8:54 pmI absolutely love your tutorial!! Do you happen to have a template for the other flowers in the various colors of pink you made on this page, such as the roses?
Dana marie
September 22, 2015 at 4:05 pmWould you be able to put more templates up for those of us who are not as creative making different sizes and shapes! Thanks
Raquel
October 28, 2015 at 2:49 pmThose flowers are so beautiful Ash! Found you from The Merry Monday link party. Following you on Twitter!
Mindy
November 7, 2015 at 8:12 amLOVE these! Thank you SOOO much for the tutorial. I am thinking of making these to put on the wall above my baby girl’s crib in her nursery. Any ideas on ways to attach to wall would be great! Thanks again.
wahy
December 14, 2015 at 7:24 pmThank you for sharing!!!! <3
Danielle
January 1, 2016 at 12:50 pmI absolutely love these flowers I can’t wait to find the tutorial for the rest of them. I started making some for my sister in laws baby shower and I can’t wait to see how they all come out!
Ash
January 3, 2016 at 8:45 amThanks so much Danielle! I’d love to see your finished project!
Audrey
January 11, 2016 at 10:47 amHello! Thank you so much for the tutorial. I always wondered how to make big flowers. I have a quick question. How big is the flower you made in this tutorial?
Thank you!
mary
February 2, 2016 at 10:54 pmIt was Great! thank you so much.
unkown
March 1, 2016 at 9:47 pmno it wast
sara
March 2, 2016 at 9:10 amyah it was b**** f***you
unkown
March 1, 2016 at 9:46 pmi will put your videos and pictures in my site hahahaha
sara
March 2, 2016 at 9:09 amwhat are you saying dont worry she is stupid
sita
March 2, 2016 at 10:58 amThese are beautiful, do you have a tutorial on the rose flower?
Cielo
March 27, 2016 at 5:01 pmHi! I would like to say thank you for sharing this! I’ve made some based on your tutorial https://www.facebook.com/theSweetzLabCo/photos/a.627381244080988.1073741851.456517054500742/627383804080732/?type=3&theater <3 <3 <3 will try out more with different shapes of petals and design 🙂
Cecilia Weinberger
March 30, 2016 at 2:15 amMy goodness, this is an amazing tutorial! You explained it very well & made it look easy so I’m inspired to make them. Thank you so much for sharing your talent! By the way, I ordered the Katelyn templates on March 7, 2016. When can I expect to receive them?
A
April 1, 2016 at 11:44 amHi! I just wanted to tell you that I saw another blog that seems to have stolen your exact pattern/tutorial without giving you credit. Their flower looks exactly like yours!
http://www.thesitsgirls.com/diy/giant-paper-flowers/
Karen Gabriele
April 5, 2016 at 4:04 pmHi, your flowers are beautiful. The instructions were so easy. I made one and it came out great. A friend of mine saw it and now I will be doing a back drop for a spring dinner dance with over 150 guests. Im sure they are going to admire them. Thank you so much.
vanessa
May 26, 2016 at 7:56 amhow do you go about hanging them up?! what do you use to hang them on a wall?
Whitney
May 2, 2016 at 11:21 pmWhere can I find the tutorial to your other flowers posted, roses etc.
sandeep
June 25, 2016 at 2:18 pmHi. I am an event planner in India. in this business since 2004. would like to start my own floral design institute in India with affiliation to your academy. please help how to go about the same. As i have the passion and core interest to start this creative venture and share knowledge of designing. this is going to be a good career opportunity for young talented generation. Please help in this venture with your expertise. I myself would kike to get trained first wherever your institute is located. i will love to come and get trained …get certified and then start this in India.
Judith Anne Fernandes
July 12, 2016 at 7:43 amLovely and so easy to make – thanks once again!
Lisa Porcellini
August 9, 2016 at 4:15 pmLove your flowers. Just got back from Michaels & I couldn’t find the colors (grey, & the two blues) in the packaged ones. I saw a comment that said the brand & size. I need the names of the colors if possible. It would be a great help. I LOVE the colors!! Thank you in advance.
Carol
August 24, 2016 at 12:12 amThks for the tutorial, can I request for kastuba flower paper tutorial please
Sapitha
August 30, 2016 at 9:19 pmHey loved the flowers!i hv a question it would be nice to have a template for the extra large has well if you can send it
Erika
September 2, 2016 at 4:34 pmHow do you get the template for these beautiful flowers?
Tara BOHM
October 13, 2016 at 10:40 amWould you ever sell these flowers
Shirley
December 14, 2016 at 10:23 amWhat type of paper do you use? Do you use 80lbs paper or 100lbs?
Jennifer
January 4, 2017 at 8:10 amSuch a great tutorial! Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Arely
January 5, 2017 at 12:31 pmHow do I know how big to cut the white paper ?
Phumla
January 6, 2017 at 4:22 amHI,
Where can I order these for a party in Pretoria?
Tammy
January 11, 2017 at 6:01 amThanks so much for this tutorial. I can’t wait to try it!
Samantha
January 16, 2017 at 12:41 pmHello. May I ask the best way to hang these? And if it happens to be a paper backdrop for like photo shoot?
gladys
January 17, 2017 at 5:17 pmSo I noticed your leaf template is free but you charge for the petal template, please let me know if I’m missing something on the site, I want to download the template for the petal…
Thanks
gladys
January 17, 2017 at 5:22 pmSo I noticed your leaf template is free but you charge for the petal template, please let me know if I’m missing something on the site, I want to download the template for the petal…
Thanks
lynn
January 18, 2017 at 9:03 pmThank you for the tutorial! It is easy to follow. How many 8.5″x11 US letter size cardstock makes one larger flower paper?
Ev Düzenleme
February 14, 2017 at 7:39 amThis is wonderful. thank you so much
Mindy
June 4, 2017 at 10:13 amCan’t wait to try your tutorial! What is the diameter of the flower in your tutorial? Trying to figure out how many sheets of paper I’ll need to create enough flowers to fill a flower wall
Maricella Lopez
June 5, 2017 at 4:51 pmwhere do you buy the color papers at?
Maricella Lopez
June 5, 2017 at 4:56 pmI wanted to know where do I buy the paper at? I love you videos
Nikki
June 5, 2017 at 9:02 pmWhat are the dimensions for these flowers?
Jennifer Maker
June 28, 2017 at 5:52 pmLove your giant paper flower! I’m on a big giant flower kick lately and I love looking at what other people have made and how they do it. There are so many different styles and techniques, and I always learn something or get good ideas. So far I’ve made a rose, a sunflower, and a peony. I’m hoping to make enough to fill up the space over my sliding glass door — a paper flower valance!
patty
July 4, 2017 at 10:33 amjust discovered your flowers love them watched the vvideo do you have templates for mini flowers like thisas want to put on a small box pop up card etc also do you have a mini version of the leaves for the same reason please email me as would like to do for a wedding at the end of this month willing to buy the templates please email me thanks
Tasha m
July 18, 2017 at 12:02 pmHello
I tried doing the big flower however how do I make smaller flowers? Please advise
Thanks
Brandy
July 23, 2017 at 4:49 pmI am making these for my baby girl’s nursery, I love the idea!! Question: how would you recommend sticking them to the wall? I’m going to put them over her crib so I want to make sure they stick pretty good to the wall.
Thanks!!
Lisa
August 9, 2017 at 7:36 amHi Ash, I absolutely love your flowers!! I could only find 110lb paper for peach/coral colored papers. Would 110lb cardstocks work? Will they curl nicely? Or should I return them and get 65lb in another color?
Ash
August 9, 2017 at 7:49 amHi Lisa, thanks so much! I’ve made flowers with 110 lb paper before. It works fine, but if you’re making a lot of flowers, your hands might get tired from cutting all that paper. My preference is always 50-65 lb.
Jackie
September 9, 2017 at 5:30 pmHello
Great tutorial love it. Maybe I missed it I needed to know what to use to put the flowers on to create a backdrop ? What type board How to get the unit to stand up without falling down. Help
brabusday
October 24, 2017 at 10:55 pmthank you very much this helps me best regards
tizz
January 20, 2018 at 2:55 pmHello do you have a template I cricut could use on my explore air 2 cricut?
I need to make a lot of flowers and I have a weak left hand cant cut
sayeedah
January 30, 2018 at 8:43 pmhey girl this was so easy to follow! thank you so much! xo
http://sayeedahsparkles.com
Kim
February 13, 2018 at 5:44 amYour flowers are beautiful! Can you please tell me how you hang these on the wall? Thank you, Kim
Ash
February 13, 2018 at 6:34 amThanks so much Kim! For the smaller flowers, you can use something like 3M Command hanging strips, which you can usually find in the picture hanging aisle at stores like Target. It’s a type of double-sided tape. For the larger flowers, I’ve found that the tape usually doesn’t hold it too well, so I like to use small thumbtacks hidden between the biggest and second biggest layers.
Amy
April 6, 2018 at 2:45 amThank you for the super clear instructions! I just tried making these as a backdrop for my best friends hen party – they look amazing! Thank you so much 🙂
Alicia Padmore
May 10, 2018 at 2:41 pmThis is amassing, from i saw the tutorials i have been trying to make them, i am doing pretty good.
blessings/black hugs
Marcie
May 29, 2018 at 6:16 pmThese flowers are gorgeous and your tutorial is fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Maggie
July 3, 2018 at 7:22 amI love it, at first was kind a complicated for me but keep trying and finaly did’t.
Karla Pedraza
July 8, 2018 at 10:22 amI made these with a rose center for a wedding gazebo backdrop! They turned out great!!
Tarz Yaşam
August 24, 2018 at 9:38 amthank you. i loved them.