Deborah Tukua - Making and Using a Flower Press

Deborah Tukua

Pressing and drying flowers is one of the oldest, simplest, and best ways to preserve the beauty of the garden. During the Victorian era, ladies transformed the pressing of flowers into an art form, creating personalized floral embellishments on stationery and other decorative household articles. The Victorians passion for gardens and their love of elaborate decorative arts found the perfect outlet in flower pressing. Since then the art has continued to thrive, and with new methods and materials available, it continues to grow in simplicity and popularity.

In Japan, where the art of pressing and using pressed flowers is called oshibana, practitioners create lovely objects ranging from intricate landscape paintings of dried botanicals to simple chopstick holders decorated with dried flowers.

Although we might not recognize it, most of us have had some experience in pressing flowers. Remember the first time you received flowers from someone you loved? Did you select one of the flowers and press it between the pages of a thick book? You might have reopened the book years later and rediscovered the faintly fragrant flower, now dry and brittle but still lovely. Pressed flowers preserve the beauty of flowers and foliage long after that special bouquet is gone, and long after the brilliant blooms of spring and summer have passed.

But pressing flowers is only part of the process. Once you have pressed a few flowers, you will discover that there are hundreds of ways to use them. From picture frames and cards to stationery, place mats, wall hangings, greeting cards, and even bookmarks, you will delight in creating beautiful things with your pressed flowers.

Whether you are about to press your very first flower or are ready for advanced design ideas, this bulletin offers something for you. I will begin by presenting plans for building the flower press, and then move on to gathering the flowers. Ill discuss the best plants for picking and pressing, and the best methods for using and storing your pressed flowers. Then I will offer some pressed-flower projects to delight you. I trust that you will find the entire process to be thoroughly relaxing, enjoyable, and rewarding.

A flower press is a simple tool used to flatten and dry flowers and foliage. As I noted, in a pinch you can just tuck a blossom or two into a thick book. But presses are very easy and inexpensive to make, and, because they apply even pressure, you will get better results than you will by using a book. All flower presses work the same way: They flatten the botanical materials in them, and they use paper or other absorbent material to help dry the flowers you are trying to preserve. Once the flowers are dried, you will be able to remove them from the press and store them for use in your projects.

You can purchase a flower press from a craft store. But commercially available presses tend to be quite small and lightweight, which limits the types and numbers of botanicals you can press. You might want to use a purchased press as your portable field press, and build one of the models here for your main press.

Plans by Lowell Tukua

This is a reasonably large and very sturdy flower press. It is versatile, with lots of space for pressing many flowers.

1. On one of the 12 12 pieces of plywood, measure in along each side of the board 1 and mark with a pencil. Using a straightedge and your measurements, draw a line along each side of the board at your 1 markings.

Tools

Pencil
Straightedge or metal ruler
Drill
Hammer
Nails or screws
Small brush
Polyurethane

2. Place and align the marked board on top of the other 12 plywood board. Drill a 5/16 hole at the four intersections of your drawn lines. Drill through both boards, then set aside the unmarked one.

3. Insert two of the bolts through the holes in the marked board. When only the head of the bolt is visible, use a hammer to drive the head into the wood until it is flush with the board. Repeat with the other two bolts.

4. Nail or screw (predrill the holes for screws) the 1 2 pieces of wood over these bolts to hold them in place. This will serve as the base of the flower press.

5. Turn over the baseboard with the bolts facing up and place the unmarked 12 12 board over the holes. Put on the flat washers and wing nuts, and your flower press is built. Brush on a coat of polyurethane and let it dry completely before using. carriage bolts

Plans by Lowell Tukua

Heres an easy variation of the previous flower press. Using C-clamps instead of bolts and screws allows you to use every inch of space in the press.

Tools

Wood glue
Screwdriver
Ruler
Pencil
Polyurethane
Brush

1. Cut the plywood and boards according to the specifications on the materials list. The two pieces of plywood will serve as the top and bottom of the press.

2. Glue and, after the glue has set, screw the four pieces of the 2 4 to the bottom of one of the pieces of plywood (see illustration). These will serve as legs, while also providing gaps where the C-clamps will be positioned. Set the first 2 4 strip about from the edge. Set the second strip parallel to the first, but about away from it. The third strip will fit tight up against the second, with no space between. Then leave another space between the third and final strips, which should be about from the edge of the board.

3. Apply at least one coat of polyurethane to protect the wood of your flower press. Let this dry completely before using.

4. When you use the press, the C-clamps will fit in the two gaps between the legs of the press.

With a few tips to help you get started and some basic supplies, you can begin using your new flower press immediately.

Blotting paper or newsprint. The easiest and least expensive paper to use in your press is newsprint. In fact, many people begin pressing using newspapers or pages from an old phone book. While this kind of recycling is always a great idea, you many run into problems with the ink staining your flowers. Instead of using printed paper, call or visit your local newspaper. They often have roll-ends of unprinted newsprint that are too short to use on the press. They sell or give these away (our local paper gives them away for educational use and otherwise sells them for a very reasonable fee). If you do get a roll, you will have to trim or fold the paper to the size of your press. But even a short roll will last you for many seasons of flower pressing. You can also buy newsprint pads in craft, hobby, and office supply stores. If you buy pads, you can get the size you need and save yourself the task of trimming. If you are eager to start, try using the old telephone book until you get unprinted paper. You will need to change the paper in your press frequently, so an ample supply of paper is a very good idea.