Pressed Flowers
Tutorial developed by Kayla Matthew
Digital design by Indiana Humniski
An example of pressed flower artwork (Kayla Matthew, 2024).
Nineteenth-century botanists pressed flowers and other specimens in order to preserve and examine them. The process allowed botanists to study the anatomy of plants closely, without having the plants decompose and shrivel up. Additionally, people would press flowers to include them in arts and crafts projects. The process of pressing flowers results in flat, preserved flowers which can be incorporated into a larger crafting project. In the Victorian era, people would collect flowers and other plants from their own gardens, or the natural spaces they visited. They would then press these specimens to use in their scrapbooks, letters to loved ones, and family albums.
As the practice grew increasingly popular and widespread, people created specialized wooden block presses. While these presses are convenient, it is just as easy to press flowers in a book weighed down by some heavy household items (and cheaper too!).
This tutorial will teach you how to press your own flowers. It also shares information about how Victorian-era amateur botanists would have used pressed flowers in crafting projects. Do you want to learn more about this craft, the history of pressed flowers, and contemporary flower pressing practices? Click here for a list of scholarly sources, websites, and blogs.
A close-up image of Kayla’s pressed flowers (2024).
You Will Need…
Flowers (thinner flowers, with less bulk, will be easier to press)
Paper (any kind of paper will work for this project)
Scissors (used to cut flowers and trim paper)
Mod Podge or watered-down school glue
A plastic cup or container
A picture frame (optional)
A paint brush (any size)
Paper towel (optional)
A heavy book
Water
Step 1: Gathering your Flowers
To begin this project, find flowers to press!
Our Top Tip:
Flowers that are more bulbous, such as roses, carnations, or peonies, will be harder to press because they will not flatten easily and will take much longer to dry. We recommend thinner flowers, such as pansies, geraniums, daisies, and wild roses, because they will press evenly and will dry in two weeks or less.
Our Other Tips:
Plants other than flowers can be pressed easily, especially ferns and thin leaves. Some additional greenery can help to fill out pressed flower art and can add additional texture to the piece!
In the Victorian era, people would collect the flora from their local area, whether from their own garden or from patches of wildflowers. If you do not have access to such flowers, a store-bought bouquet will do the trick.
An assortment of red and pink petunias.
A pot filled with purple pansies.
Step 2: Cutting your Flowers
Cut the stems of your flowers to your desired length. The stems can also be pressed, so if you are looking to create a pressed flower bouquet such as this one, leave longer stems on your flowers.
If you want to create pressed flower art without long stems, as shown in this tutorial, trim the stems close to the heads of the flowers.
Kayla’s gathered flowers and leaves, ready to be pressed!
Step 3: Preparing your Flower Press
Once your flowers (and other plants) have been trimmed, the pressing process begins. Find a heavy book to use as a press.
Our Top Tip:
Choose a book that you are comfortable potentially staining or damaging, as pigment from flower petals can seep out during the drying process. We recommend using sheets of paper towels and extra pieces of paper to protect the pages of your book from staining, as can be seen in our photos. While paper towels are an excellent option for absorbing moisture, keep in mind that the pattern of the paper towel will leave an imprint on thinner petals.
Kayla’s atlas, prepped with a lining of paper towels and ready to press her gathered flora.
Step 4: Pressing the Flowers
Arrange your flowers for pressing by spreading them out. The flowers will expand as they are pressed flatter, and any overlapping petals will stick together as they dry.
Once your flowers have been arranged and pressed between the pages of your book, stack some heavier household items on top of the book. Leave the flowers undisturbed for two weeks in a dark, dry place.
Step 5: Checking on your Flowers and Removing them from the Press
Your flowers should be dry after two weeks, although thicker flowers may take an additional week to dry. Dried flowers will be delicate, so use caution as you remove them from the book or protective paper that you are using as a press. If the flowers stick to the paper, they are not completely dry yet. Return them to your press and check them again after another week.
Kayla’s pressed flowers after two weeks of drying.
Step 6: Making Pressed Flower Art
Dried flowers are versatile. They can be used in many sorts of craft, including collages, scrapbooks, and framed artworks.
In this tutorial, we use the dried flowers in a framed project.
Regardless of what kind of craft you make, you will likely want to affix your flowers to a surface. We recommend using a thin glue mixture made by combining Mod Podge with water. Paint your glue mixture onto the surface you are using as a base, and then place your flowers on top. You can also paint this mixture over the top of your flowers in order to firmly fix them in place. Painting your glue mixture over the flowers will help preserve them, but note that your flowers may appear white or extra shiny at first. As the mixture dries, your flowers will return to their original appearance.
Step 7: Displaying your Flowers
Once the glue has dried on your craft project, it is time to display your pressed flower work. These crafts make great gifts and home decor, so be sure to share with your friends. We recommend placing your craft project in a frame, as shown here.
Kayla’s two finished pressed flower art pieces.
An Excerpt from Kayla Matthew’s Reflection on Pressed Flower Art:
“It is important to note that much of my research stressed the importance of the connection between pressed flowers as a scientific practice, not just an artistic or romantic one. While my work with pressed flowers began as a form of academic inquiry, much like the scientific practices of earlier flower pressers, it became an independent passion project that I look forward to continuing throughout the years as I create more projects to share with those around me.”
Read Kayla’s full reflection by clicking here!
If you decide to try out this tutorial for yourself, send us pictures of your results on Instagram @crafty_victorians!
Historical Image Citations
“Queen Victoria’s Pressed Flowers.” Royal Collection Trust, 2024, www.rct.uk/resources/queen-victorias-pressed-flowers.
Marr, George. Collection of Pressed Flowers. 1917. Garden Museum, https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/collection/collection-of-pressed-flowers/.
Click here for additional resources!
Contributors
Kayla Matthew
Kayla Matthew is a fourth-year student in Creativity and Culture at the University of Alberta's Augustana Campus, with a focus on text and theory courses. Apart from her work as a research assistant, Kayla enjoys volunteering with the Augustana Students Association and taking part in Augustana's weekly Crafternoons. Her other interests include swimming, camping, cheesy romance novels, and watching history documentaries.
Indiana Humniski
Indiana Humniski is an R.A. for Crafting Communities, entering her fourth year in the Honours English program at the University of Manitoba. She is known for her love for literature (and Taylor Swift). This is the third crafting tutorial she has designed. She is excited to try out Kayla’s instructions and make some pressed flower art in the future!