How to Make Paper Daffodils and Narcissi!

I love daffodils and narcissi. So I made some paper flowers a while ago that will last much longer (although they will get a bit dusty!) Here's how I made them:

For the daffodil you will need

Pale yellow crepe paper for petals
deeper yellow for the center trumpet
brown crepe paper to encase the bud
olive green crepe paper for stem and leaf
very pale green or white tissue (or crepe) paper for center
plastic covered garden/floral wire
Elmers type glue
stick glue
scissors to cut paper (not your mother's best sewing scissors!)
something to cut the garden wire

Step 1: Let's Make It!

Stem and center

Cut a 12 inch length of garden wire and twist a one inch square of pale green or white tissue (or crepe paper) round one end.
Spread glue from center of the paper to a corner (a).
Lay the tip of the wire in it (b).
Fold the upper half diagonally over. (c)
Fold the right hand half over to the left hand side and glue (d),
Then twist and glue round wire (e).

Step 2: Fold and Frill!

Cut a piece of light yellow crepe with the grain as arrowed in the top diagram below. Fold in half and then "frill" the cut edges as lower diagram. Glue round center and keep the yellow frilled edge level with the tissue covered tip of the stem!

Step 3: Blow Your Own Trumpet!

Trumpet
Cut a piece of darker yellow (with the grain of paper as arrowed in 4).
Fold in half and trim the cut edges level and curve round to form a tube.
Overlap the side edges and join all four layers with glue. Frill the top.

Gather the folded edge tightly, and with your fingertips form a bell shape. Open the lower edge and put glue behind the gathers. Lower the stem through the trumpet so that the lower edges of the trumpet and yellow center are level. Re gather and press very tightly to stick. (Re-shape the trumpet, as you have probably squashed it!).

Step 4: Make the Petals and Leaves

Petals
copy the pattern below and make a petal template (about 8 inches long). Cut five (or six if you like) DOUBLE petals in the darker yellow paper, see note. (I used five)

(Note: As crepe paper stretches very easily out of shape it's best to make double petals. This is done by sticking two petals totgether with a glue stick) Let them dry.

When you have made the 5 or 6 double petals, spread some glue down the right side of one petal and stick it to the next petal, making sure you overlap it (see diagram below) and continue until you have glued and overlapped all the petals in a circle. Glue the first and last petal together and overlap them as well.

Make a template of the bud case in brown crepe paper 9 inches long by about 5/8 inch at the widest part. Taper it to a point at the top. Glue the base and wrap round the step so that it stands along side it.

Cup* the back of each petal so that they curve round and back. Bend the stem just behind the bud case to turn the flower head sideways.

(*cupping is achieved by holding the crepe paper petal in both hands. Place thumbs in center and gently stretch the paper to form a curved "cup" - be careful not to tear the petal)

Step 5: Now Make a Narcissus!

To make a narcissus follow the instructions for the daffodil, using white crepe paper for the petals, and orange or dark yellow crepe paper for the trumpet.

Special instructions for the narcissus trumpet!

Cut a piece of orange crepe paper, (same as instructions for the daffodil trumpet.) Then dip a paint brush into scarlet ink or paint and gently touch the cut edges of the trumpet only, until the edges are slightly scarlet (don't sog them!) Let this ink or paint dry before continuing to make the narcissus.

Make several daffodils and narcissi and put them in a nice pot or copper kettle, and you can keep spring with you for longer (or until the dust brings on your allergies!) They never need watering either~!