• Rolled-Paper Roses How-To

Rolled-Paper Roses How-To

Rolled-paper roses aren't difficult to learn how to create. After you gain some confidence in creating these pretty paper flowers, you will be able to create them in your sleep. All you need to start is a punched or hand-cut circle of paper, a pair of scissors and a bit of adhesive such as a glue dot or hot glue.

Let's create a basic, rolled-paper rose.

1. To begin, either punch a circle from your favorite paper or hand-cut a circle. It doesn't need to be perfect. After you cut the flower, you won't be able to tell if your circle was a bit lopsided or not. The size of the circle doesn't matter either. A 2- to 3-inch circle is a great size to begin with.
2. With your scissors, start to cut a spiral, starting from the outer edge of the circle. Work your cut so the resulting paper strip is at least 1/4 inch wide. Continue cutting the spiral toward the center of the circle keeping the paper at least 1/4 inch wide. Again, this doesn't need to be perfect either. If you cut more or less than 1/4 inch wide, it is OK! The variation in your cut will lead to a paper rose that has a bit of a wave in its bloom.
3. When you get toward the center of the circle, leave approximately 1/2 inch of the circle intact. This is where you will eventually place your glue to secure the flower, after you roll it in the next step.
4. Now we get to the rolling of the paper rose. Starting with the outer end of the cut spiral, start rolling. I find it easier to do this with the paper lying on my table. Others may like to pick it up and hold the spiral as they roll. The main thing to remember is not to hold the rolled spiral too tight. If you hold the rolled spiral too tight you will end up with a tight rosebud versus a nice open rose. Relax and roll with ease.
5. Keep rolling the spiral until you get to the 1/2-inch center. Place a 1/2-inch glue dot or a bit of hot glue on the center of the circle. Next, press the rolled flower into the center of the glue. The glue will catch the majority of the spiral flower and secure it into place. Note: You can use liquid adhesive instead of hot glue or a glue dot, but know that you will need to hold the flower into place until it dries. 

There are a few other basics to know as you continue to create rolled-paper roses over and over again for your projects. In the sample I gave above, I had you cut a 1/4-inch-wide spiral. The wider the spiral the "taller" the flower, and the narrower the spiral, the "shorter" the flower. Also, the larger the circle the wider the final flower, and the smaller the circle the narrower the final flower.

Now that you know the basics and have managed to master the basic rolled-paper rose, try altering the basic design and see what your end result looks like. If you create wavy spiral cuts, the final rose will have varying heights of "petals." What other variations can you come up with for these fun florals?

In the last couple of years, many companies have come out with products that will aid in creating these flowers. My Little Shoebox and Imaginisce have die-cut sheets of these flowers ready to punch out and roll. Spellbinders makes a die that you can use to cut out the rolled flower instead of cutting them by hand. Also, there are digital files that can be used with a Silhouette or other digital die-cutting machine. Many of these die cuts have fun spiral or other decorative edges on the flowers. These lead to flowers that you can't wait to use on your next paper-crafting project.

Finally, you can embellish the final flowers in many ways such as inking the edges or adding a bit of glitter along the edges. Try adding a gem, pearl, brad or floral stamen in the center of the rose. Add a bit of your own personality to your paper rolled flowers.

Many of you have shared with us that you like the videos that we've started to include in the newsletters. Make sure you don't miss the rolled-paper rose video tutorial on the CardMaker Kit-of-the-Month Club website here.