How to Press Flowers

Pick fresh blooms from your garden, a park, the side of the road, or grab a small bouquet from the grocery store. Look for flowers in vibrant colors - bright reds, pinks, yellows, and purples press the best.

Clip a few leaves and ferns too. They make great filler around the main flowers in any pressed-flower project. Pick more than you think you'll need; some inevitably won't press perfectly on the first try.

Cut each flower close to the bottom of the bloom so very little stem is left. The stems take longer to dry than the petals, and any moisture trapped in stem tissue can stain the petals during pressing.

For thick, bulky flowers like roses, gently push out the center petals with your fingers so the flower can lay completely flat under the weight. Without this step, the dense center stays dome-shaped and won't press evenly.

Place one paper towel on a flat microwave-safe plate or directly on a counter. Lay the flowers flat on top with space between each one - don't let petals overlap or they'll stick together as they dry.

Add a second paper towel on top of the flowers. Multiple flowers in one batch is fine as long as none of them touch each other. Smaller blooms can go in the same batch as larger ones.

Set a microwave-safe casserole dish, ceramic tile, or microwave-safe brick on top of the paper towels. The weight is what flattens the flowers as they dry - without it, the flowers will simply curl up.

Don't press down with your hand - just rest the weight gently on top. The flower needs to be supported flat, not crushed. If the weight is small, make sure all the flowers are underneath it before microwaving.

Switch the microwave to its defrost setting (low power) so the heat is less intense and won't scorch the petals. Set the timer for one minute and start it. The first minute does most of the drying work for thin-petaled flowers.

The exact time depends on your microwave's wattage. Stronger microwaves may need less time even on defrost; older or weaker ones may need slightly longer initial bursts.

Open the microwave and gently feel each flower. They should feel dry to the touch and look completely flat against the paper towel. If any flowers are still soft or damp, microwave for another 30 seconds, check again, and repeat.

Most flowers take 1-4 minutes total. Smaller blooms need less time; thicker flowers like roses need the most. Once they're done, you can use them right away or store them between sheets of wax paper inside a heavy book to keep them flat until you're ready to craft.