flower pressing? quick question...

[MathsMadMummy]

do I need a special kind of paper?

(DH thought I'd need something very absorbent)

thought DD would like to do some flower pressing soon, we have heavy books and access to plenty of flowers. what's the best paper to put the flowers between?

and also how long do you have to leave the flowers?

When I did it as a kid I had a set [saddo] with green blotting paper (i think) though I think some kitchen towel would probably work just as well

oh, I also used to put the press in the airing cupboard as it helped them dry out quickly.

are they really delicate when they're pressed, would we be able to glue them on card and stuff?

They're OK if you're careful with them . Taking off the paper is the tricky bit, which is why blotting paper is easier than something like kitchen towel, but yes (i used to anyway)

would oven/greaseproof paper be good?

Not sure it's absorbent enough. Have you got an cheap colouring paper (you know the rough grainy kind you get in pads)? That would work well.

Fabric also an option, but make sure it's not too rough

I'd actually just make a stack of them first, with lots of different kinds of paper and see what works best.

Looking at presses on amazon I remembered that you layer it like this

top (books)
corrugated card
blotting paper
flowers
blotting paper
corrugated card
blotting paper
flowers
blotting paper
corrugated card
base

HTH

ooh thank you we'll probably have a go next week!

oh - you know what's perfect? Green paper towels from work public bathrooms. Would be ideal.

genius. have asked DH to steal some

fanks

let me know how you get on?

(I might have to dig out my old press now - like I said: saddo )