Iron Craft Challenge #7--Tissue Flowers

The classic flower

This challenge was dedicated to Ethnic Crafting which translates to crafts inspired by, or dedicated to, a country other than your own. I remember my grandmother making these tissue paper flowers several times throughout the year. She used to make them to replace bows for presents but more importantly, I remember her making these for the Annual Church Bazaar that would happen around Memorial Day.

The flower she would make is similar to the one above. It is made from 8 layers of tissue paper that is cut in half on the long side. In other words, if you lay out the tissue paper left to right where the fold is on the right (long edge in front of you before you fold it) you can cut the paper at the fold.

I then decided to start playing around with dimensions.

The next flower is eight sheets of quarter cut paper. So cut the paper in half as described above. The fold the paper again left to right with the fold on the right and cut lengthwise again.

Smaller, but fuller version

Then I decided to change the number of layers and decided to hand paint the tissue. The next flower is cut from six sheets of paper but cut in 1/8ths. So after cutting the paper in quarters, bring the top edge towards you and crease. Rotate the crease to the right and cut.

6 layers of hand colored tissue

Finally, I decided to cut the layers in different widths. So, using 1/8th sheets discussed above, I decided to cut 2 sheets 1.5 inches shorter in width. I then cut two additional sheets 1 in shorter in width. For the shortest    layer, I cut fringe so that the inside of the flower would look like stamens.

6 layers of hand colored tissue with
layers of different widths.

 I will definitely play with these dimensions and other factors in the future and will share the results with you. I am really happy with the way the flowers turned out.