Paper Daffodils

Wales

The daffodil is the national flower of Wales. These instructions show you one way of making paper daffodils. You could use them as a table decoration or wear one on your lapel on St. David's Day.
Before attempting to make any flower read the general instruction sheet.

Equipment

  • Crepe Paper: dark & light yellow, and green
  • Wire (no. 18/20)
  • Fine wire for binding (fuse wire)
  • Glue
  • Yellow/Green crayon (optional)
  • Scissors + wire cutters
  • Tracing paper
  • Pencil
  • cardboard

Instructions

  1. Make patterns: trace and cut patterns (read general instruction sheet first) of tube, petal, sheath and leaves. Note that only part of leaf pattern is shown. Make complete leaf 24cm (9") long using top and bottom sections draw connecting lines as in fig.A Patterns to Cut Out
  2. Cut out and prepare tube, petals, leaves, stamen centre & sheath. Tube: cut 1 for each flower, flute top uneven edge, & cup about 2.5cm (1") from base. Overlap straight edge and glue to form tube.
    Petals: cut 6 petals for each flower, curl edges very slightly.
    Leaves: cut 2 or 3 for each flower.
    Sheath: cut 1 for each flower, crush tightly between fingers then partly smooth out.
    Stamen centre: stretch & twist between thumb and forefinger a 0.65cm (½") wide strip of yellow crepe paper into a threadlike roll, see fig.C. Cut 5cm (2") length for each centre. Cut strips of yellow crepe 4.5cm (1¾") wide. Make 2.5cm (1") deep cuts 0.20cm (1/8") apart on one edge, round off top corners. Cut into strips of 5 divisions, see fig.D. Place round rolled centre, making tops even and paste to hold together.
    Figures A to F
  3. To Assemble:
    a. Put a little glue at the base of the stamen centre and drop into tube, tip approx. 1.9cm (¾")below fluted edge
    b. Gather just below cupping and hold tightly.
    c. Paste 3 petals, evenly spaced around tube, see fig.E.
    d. Paste another three petals, spacing just between those already fixed.
    e. Fasten with 24cm (9") piece of binding wire, allowing double strand for the stem.
    f. Cut off surplus paper close to binding, see fig.F.
    g. Wrap stem with 2.5cm (1") wide strip of green crepe paper, starting below flower, then 2.5cm (1") down add a 30.5cm (12") piece of No.18 wire and continue the wrapping.
    h. Wrap a second time to make stem as thick as a small pencil, at the same time adding the sheath 4cm (1½") below the flower AND the leaves on opposite sides of stem 5-8cm (2-3") from bottom of stem.
    i. Shape flower by bending the six petals back and cupping them very slightly near the base. Put finger carefully into tube to round the base and if necessary, re-flute the top.
    j. Bend flowers slightly forward on stem just above the sheath and shape leaves away from stem to give a natural look.
Photo of finished example