I also know the question a lot of you arrive with. There is more crepe paper on the shelves now than there used to be, which is lovely, but it makes the choice confusing. And if you are brand new to this, you may be eyeing the cheap crepe streamers at the party store, wondering if they will do.

They will not, and it is worth knowing why.

Those streamers are crepe paper, yes, but they are thin, have almost no stretch, and are cheaply made to toss out when the party is over.

The whole magic of a crepe paper flower lives in the quality of the handmade paper made in Germany. You feel the difference the moment you pick it up.

That is the whole reason our German-made crepe paper line exists. We wanted a crepe that would bring paper to life with gorgeous handmade blooms, and we wanted it easily available for anyone ready to begin. And that is why we also opened our online shop, Felt Paper Scissors.

Below, I will show you what makes it different, why it works so well for flowers and share photos of paper blooms made from our extra-fine and double-sided crepe paper.


What makes extra-fine crepe paper different

Most of the crepe paper sold in stores has very little give. You stretch it and it tears, or it simply does not move.

My extra-fine crepe is built to move.

A few things set it apart:

  • 130% stretch. This is the quality that matters most. The paper opens and cups under your fingers, which is exactly what a petal needs to do.
  • A fine, fabric-like feel. It is light and slightly translucent, so petals catch the light the way real ones do. We measure it by stretch and workability rather than by weight, because that is what actually matters at the worktable.
  • Made in Germany. It is crafted by Werola, hand-dyed with non-toxic colors, with 80% made from recycled paper.
  • A texture that holds detail. You can curl it, twist it, cut it, and it keeps the shape you give it. Your flowers will last for years.

New to crepe entirely? Here is a deeper dive into the history of crepe paper and the paper we love.

Extra-fine crepe is the foundation of everything I make

Extra-fine sits at the heart of nearly everything I make. Here is the honest truth, though.

We rarely use it on its own anymore. The most delicate petals still call for a single layer, but for most flowers we now reach for double-sided crepe, which is simply two sheets of this same extra fine fused together. I am even going back and remaking some of my favorite older flowers, the ones that began in single-layer, to give them the depth that double-sided brings.

So think of extra-fine as the building block. Lovely on its own for the finest work, and the foundation for almost everything else.

You can see it at work across all of our crepe paper flower projects.

Double-sided crepe, the paper we reach for most now

Double-sided crepe, sometimes called doublette, is two colors of extra-fine fused into one sheet. You get the same soft, velvety hand, with a touch more body so the petals hold their shape, which matters most on larger blooms where a single layer can go flimsy.

And because there can be a different shade on each side, your flowers gain a quiet depth: a lighter tone inside the petal, a deeper one on the back. You can even flip the paper as you build a bloom to shift the color from one petal to the next.

Shop the double-sided crepe colors ›

Make your own double-sided crepe

You will not always find the exact color pairing you have in your head. When that happens, you can make your own.

The secret is fusible web, a fine sheet of heat-activated adhesive. You lay it between two sheets of extra fine crepe, press with an iron, and the two become one custom double-sided sheet in any combination you like. Green on one side, brown on the other. This makes a beautiful mix for the magnolia leaves. A blush paired with a lilac is just right for our newest lilac design.

This is one of our favorite techniques, and it is where the color options really open up. With a stack of single extra fine shades and a roll of fusible web, the combinations are close to endless. You are never limited to the pairings on the shelf.


STUDIO TIP: We have tested many fusible web types, and found what works the best. So we now sell this fusible web in our shop.

I walk you through the steps in the video below. You will just need two colors of extra-fine and a roll of fusible web.

When we still reach for heavy crepe

We use heavy crepe far less than we used to, but it still earns its place.

For the biggest, most sculptural blooms, the extra thickness gives you structure that fine paper cannot. And for tiny stamens that need a fine fringe, it has the strength to hold the cut. So I keep a handful of heavy colors in stock, mostly tucked into the curated 10-packs, for the projects that call for it.

The colors, all inspired by nature

I chose every shade the way I plant a garden. Nothing loud for the sake of it, just rich, natural colors that look like they grew that way.

The extra-fine comes in two curated 10-color collections, and either one is a lovely way to start with a full palette in hand. Secret Garden holds ten soft, romantic shades: Lilac, Cypress, Fern, Camellia, Honeysuckle, Coral, Blush, Chiffon, Vanilla, and Linen. Enchanted Garden brings ten more in brighter, bolder tones. Between the two, you get a wonderful sampling of the range.

If you would rather build your palette one shade at a time, every color is also sold in single color packs at Felt Paper Scissors. And remember, each single shade is a starting point for a double-sided pairing of your own, so the palette is far bigger than what you see on the page.

Shop all crepe paper ›

Where to begin

If you are new to crepe, do not worry about getting it perfect.

Start with a few colors that make you happy, sit down with your hands, and let the paper teach you. The stretch does most of the work.

When you are ready for studio techniques and all our tips and tricks for crepe paper flowers, our foundation series walks you through them, step by step. It is free for everyone, so jump in and see if paper flower making is for you.

And if this craft pulls you in the way I think it will, our newest book, Paper Flower Garden, is a great companion.

Start with the free foundation series ›

Happy crafting! ~ Lia