How to Make Simple Tissue Paper Roses

Just in time for the start of wedding season and Mother’s Day, here’s an easy how-to for beautiful tissue paper roses. They might look time-consuming to make, but reading these directions will probably take you more time than it does to make them!

We’ve embellished our deluxe laminated gift bags and purse totes with white roses for dreamy wedding packaging. The gift wrap used here (above, left) is Wedding Blooms.

Mango Laminated gift bags (above, right) with vivid hot pink and tangerine roses make standout summer packaging. The gift wrap featured (above, right) is Spring Rhythm.

Materials
Tissue Paper (2 colors)
Florist Wire
Adhesive (I used glue dots)
Scissors
Florist tape

1. 1. Cut a 6 to 8″ piece of florist tape and set aside.
   2. Make a 3.5 to 4″ fold along length of tissue, trim out. (Above top)
   3. For a 2-color rose cut a single 3.5 to 4″ strip of a different color. (Above bottom)
   4. Then sandwich the single strip into the middle of the fold. I used Gemstone Tissue in Hot Pink and Ruby Red or any Solid Color Tissue would work. We especially love orange and tangerine for a two-color look. For a single-color rose, omit the extra strip of tissue.

1. 1. Accordion pleat the folded tissue as shown above.
   2. Trim a petal-shaped curve across the selvage edge of the accordion folded packet.

1. 1. Place adhesive along tissue edge (above, left).
   2. Lay florist wire stem onto adhesive and begin to tightly wind tissue petals around stem. Taking a liberal pinch and firm hold of tissue along base of flower, getting looser as you go and gathering up the slack at the base (above, right).

1. When tissue is wound completely, keep flower pinched together and retrieve that piece of floral tape. Stretching tape to activate the adhesive, wind it around the tissue pinched together at the base of the flower a few times. Continue winding diagonally down the stem, pulling tape taut until it’s all used. (Above top)
2. Arrange petals, gently separating tissue layers, for a big ta-dah factor!

To make little roses, use a fine gauge green wire instead of florist wire, and start with a 1.5-2″ tissue fold.

To attach long stem roses to gift bags as shown, staple stems to bag front and place a decorative seal over stems to hide the staple.

Learn How to Make More Tissue Paper Flowers