VIDEO: Crepe Paper Gardenia
A Stunning Paper Flower for Weddings and More
I have been teaching the art of paper flower making for a long time now, and my crepe paper gardenia is perfect for those who have already had a little experience in making paper blooms. In the video below I will show you how to curl the edges of the paper to create the delicate ruffles that give this paper gardenia a surprisingly realistic look. I will also teach you how to make those sweet little buds and that fresh looking greenery to go alongside. Make one blooming gardenia flower as a gift topper or create an entire paper bouquet with pretty buds and green leaves. Whatever you choose to make here, this gardenia project is perfect for those who are looking to take on a paper flower that is slightly more advanced.
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Steps
- Gather the tools and materials listed above.
- Print the PDF template below and cut your crepe pieces according to the template.
- Fold the tip of the floral wire over, pop some glue on the top and push it into the center of a 3/4″ foam ball.
- Gently stretch the six smaller petals using your thumbs to create a cup shape in each.
Full tutorial available for members to download above.
Tips
Watch the video below for a visual guide! Our double-sided crepe paper is wonderful for this particular paper flower. It’s a little more stiff than our single sided extra fine paper, which means that it is easier to manipulate with your fingers or a pair of scissors. Crepe paper is unlike any other paper material, and because of this there are specific ways that it should be handled. If you are new to crafting with crepe we always recommend watching our Crepe 101 video for tips on cutting and stretching the paper. It’s a good idea to cut a few extra petals and practice the curling and stretching technique a few times before you commit to the real ones. Thankfully nature is not perfect and so we encourage you to embrace the imperfection in your crepe paper flowers!
Get Inspired!
Browse all of our crepe paper flower tutorials, or look through our crepe paper collection to find more inspiration. Do you have a crepe paper flower you would like to make? Always feel free to leave your project requests and suggestions in the comments below! And we love seeing your project photos, so please share them with us on Instagram using #DIYDreamingWithLia. If you want to try out more DIY projects after you finish checking out these gardenias, read through our membership options to see how to start crafting with us. See you soon! ~ Lia & Team
Tools
- Craft Scissors
- Cricut Maker or Silhouette Cameo 4 (optional)
- Low-Temp Hot Glue Gun
Materials
- Lia Griffith Double-Sided Crepe Paper – White & Vanilla, Ferns & Moss + Green Tea & Cypress
- 20mm Cotton Spun Paper Balls (1 per flower/bud)
- 18-Gauge Green Paper Covered Wire
- Floral Tape — Fern & Moss
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Discussion
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33 Comments
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MARIA
February 18, 2023 at 11:04am
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Lia
February 18, 2023 at 8:22pm
@MARIA
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Laura
November 2, 2021 at 4:01pm
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Lia
November 3, 2021 at 8:25am
@Laura
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Kathryn
August 26, 2021 at 11:57pm
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Lia
August 27, 2021 at 11:36am
@Kathryn
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Linda
May 1, 2020 at 4:21pm
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Lia
May 7, 2020 at 10:53am
@Linda
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Rosemary
August 22, 2019 at 5:07pm
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Lia
August 29, 2019 at 10:38am
@Rosemary
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Debra
February 17, 2019 at 5:21pm
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Lia
February 18, 2019 at 11:31am
@Debra
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Kathleen
July 2, 2018 at 12:00pm
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Lia
July 2, 2018 at 1:11pm
@Kathleen
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Dmitri
February 20, 2018 at 5:25pm
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Lia
February 20, 2018 at 6:18pm
@Dmitri
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Karla
September 17, 2017 at 6:40pm
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Lia
September 18, 2017 at 10:41am
@Karla
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Ianthie
September 1, 2017 at 11:12am
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Lia
September 1, 2017 at 11:59am
@Ianthie
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Ianthie
September 1, 2017 at 4:43pm
@Lia
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cynthia
June 18, 2017 at 7:10pm
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Lia
June 19, 2017 at 8:39am
@cynthia
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Kat
June 5, 2017 at 3:17pm
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Lia
June 6, 2017 at 10:56am
@Kat
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Brenda
April 25, 2017 at 11:06am
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Lia
April 26, 2017 at 7:46am
@Brenda
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Adrea
April 9, 2017 at 2:17pm
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Lia
April 10, 2017 at 10:08am
@Adrea
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Lola
March 23, 2017 at 7:37pm
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Lia
March 24, 2017 at 3:33pm
@Lola
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Liz
March 23, 2017 at 5:01am
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Lia
March 23, 2017 at 8:38am
@Liz
Leave a Commenthi, Lia, we don”t have double sided crepe paper in Brazil, do you believe I’ll obtain similar result if I use 180gr. italian crepe paper Rossi?
Now we can buy 90gr of the same Rossi crepe paper, but I”ve tried to glue two different colours, or to use brazilian parchment paper and iron, but I wasn”t well succeeded.
What do you advise me to do to try to achieve a good result?
I’m a huge fan of you and your work for a long time.
Thank you very much
Tonia
I would love to see our paper in Brazil. Honestly, you will not get the same results with the Italian crepe paper. The German paper is much more refined. Maybe you can contact your source for the Italian crepe and see if they are interested in carrying our paper?
Hi Lia – I’ve been working on the crepe paper gardenias which I love! You do such a great job with your videos making it easy to make the flowers. Since I’m a beginner, I have almost gone thru all of my white/vanilla crepe paper. It appears that you are the only source of that color which you sell with another color, vanilla/chiffon. I would like to buy just white/vanilla. I hope you will consider selling single colors in the future.
Hi Laura! Welcome to crepe paper flower making. We just placed an order from Germany with single colors of the double-sided. We will be letting everyone know when it is in stock!
Hi Lia: I was looking at this compared with the frosted paper gardenia from the master class that I made this week. I want to try the crepe paper version as well, to see which I prefer (although will make the buds using the double-sided white/vanilla crepe paper, as I think I prefer that). I really do like the effect of the pan pastel on the frosted gardenia blooms and buds. Have you tried adding that to the crepe paper version or do you find the variation with the double-sided paper adds sufficient variation in contrast? You have such a great color and design sense, I am curious as to your opinion. Thanks!
Hi Kathryn! Yes adding PanPastels to crepe or frosted paper is always a lovely idea 🙂
Hi Lea, Thanks for all of your beautiful designs! I have made many of your flowers with great success, but this one is a complete mystery. I have been trying for hours to figure out how to make the center of the flower, and I’ve finally given up. The video really doesn’t show how to “tuck in the petals”, it is just suddenly finished. I have tried everything to tuck things in and nothing works. Would you consider making another video of just the center of the flower where you tuck in the petals? The written explanations you’ve given people don’t help me at all. Thanks very much! This is such a beautiful flower, I’d love to be able to make it. Thanks very much.
Hi Linda. I made that video quite a while ago so I had to go back and watch it again. Once you have your 5 spiraled petals over the center and have stretched the exposed edge of the petal, you will want to gently take the other edge of the petal and push it into the crease. You can use a bit of white glue to help it stay. This will cause the petal to close up at the top to make the formation.
I am trying my first gardenia. I have two questions. The first is that even from reading the answer to another persons question I do not understand which petal has to be tucked and turned back. Can you elaborate any more on that? The second is on the final 12 petals do you reverse to the white side to do the cupping since those petals lay back and will be showing more of the top side. I appreciate your help. Many thanks.
Hi Rosemary!
In regards to your first question tucking and turning back each petal is how you create the spiral pattern with the petals if you tuck the right side of the petal behind the first petal and turn back the left side of that petal you will continue to do the same with all remaining petals to complete the spiral.
To answer your second question, the white side will face outward for the center petals. Then you will flip the petals so the white faces up for the remainder of the flower.
I’ve been making your flowers for some time now and I have a question on this one. When you finish the center you say that you should tuck this pedal in and there is a close-up then your finger goes though to the other side of the flower by mistake , then the camera goes to you and not your hand anymore. I just need to know , what pedal do you tuck in and where do you tuck in ! For the life of me I don’t know what to do ! Please get back to me ! Thank you !
Hi Debra! You want the center to completely spiral, so you’re laying top over bottom until the last petal tucks under. I hope that helps!
Hi, I would LOVE to do these for a wedding bouquet. Have you done one yet?
So pretty! We did a paper version 🙂 https://liagriffith.com/paper-garden-flower-bouquet/
I tried to make these amazing flowers last night, however I found that the printable pattern for some reason or another printed small and so I could not even wrap the foam ball to start the process. I literally had to draw my own petals and my flower didn’t come out as great. 🙁
Oh no! Did you print the pattern on 8.5×11 paper at 100%? I checked the file and it looks fine on my end.
Lia, if I want to make 24 gardenia flowers, would it be enough with one package of double crepe paper? Or how many may I need?
Hi Karla, you should be able to get 4 Gardenia flowers from one pack of double-sided crepe paper.
Please do an SVG file for these Gardenias also. Since the cricut maker has come out, I have been looking through your site all over again, and projects I was not able to make before, I can definitely make now. Thanks for all your lovely work.
Done! We’ll update our crepe paper posts with SVG files as time allows when requests come in 🙂
thank you.
When I try to print instructions a different flower picture shows up instead of the instructions. Would you please fix. Thank you.
Hi Cynthia, the PDF looks fine on my end and we haven’t received any other complaints about this file. If you could send an email to hello@liagriffith.com with a screen shot or the file that you are viewing, we can help you better!
Hi Lia! I am just starting out on your site and I can’t wait to get started on these gardenias. They look beautiful and I can only hope that mine will come close.
I have a question about preserving the paper flowers. I am many months away from the big day and I am not sure if the crepe paper flowers will survive the wait and also the move from my house to the venue. Do you have any tips and tricks you could share so the flowers can keep their shape for a long time?
Welcome!! Just keep the flowers in a cool area and prevent from humidity all you can. For the move, you can wrap them individually or just keep them loose in boxes (try not to cram too many in at a time), and let them sit out and reshape petals as needed. Bring your low temp glue gun and add a few dabs here and there if the petals need a little help keeping their shape. Have fun!!
Gardenias are one of my favorite flowers. I can’t wait until my paper comes in to do some. I always put a drop of flower essence, do you? I know it won’t last but it sure makes my studio smell great.
I’ve never found your paper at JoAnns’ in Baton Rouge or Houston, TX. I sure wish it was available in stores. I’m sometimes impatient. I really love your flowers. They’re so delicate and realistic!
Thanks again!!!
Thank you Brenda for your lovely comment! I wish the paper was available at more JoAnn locations, too.
Hello! How many gardenias does a package of the crepe paper make? Thank you!
Hi! I’m not quite sure how many, but the package contains 6.7 square feet of crepe so you should be able to make lots! 🙂
What an amazing project! The video was terrific as well – thank you for that. It’s time for me to take the plunge and get a glue gun. Can you recommend a specific one, or at least a brand?
So glad you like the video! I have used both Surebonder (this is what I use in the video), and AdTech low temp glue guns. Both are great!
These look like real gardenias! They’re so beautiful! I know that your crepe paper is now sold at Jo-Ann’s, and was wondering if the extra fine crepe paper will be too? If not, I’ll order from your website. Can’t wait to start!
Thank you Liz! JoAnn is only selling a 9-pack of extra fine crepe, no individual rolls (yet :-))
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