How to Make a Corsage

Corsages made with fresh flowers are gorgeous, but they can be expensive to purchase. Making them yourself from freshly cut flowers from your garden provides an alternative that is inexpensive to make and will rival those found at florists.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Freshly cut flowers (roses, carnations)
• Fillers (baby's breath, forget-me-nots)
• Florist wire
• Florist tape
• Rose leaves
• Ferns
• Corsage pin

1. Choose an odd number of flowers for the main corsage. Use one, three, or five flowers for best results. Choose filler flowers to add to the background of the corsage. Forget-me-nots or baby's breath are a good choice. Store cut flowers in cool water until ready to make the corsage.

2. Using florist wire, or stem wire, hold the wire close to the stem of the flower with the end just reaching the bloom.

3. Wrap the stem and the wire with florist tape beginning at the top. Wrap tightly, twirling the base of the flower as you go down. Stretch and pull tape downward as you go making a tight wrap that is free of buckles.

4. Add additional wired flower heads as you go and set them at varying heights. Wrap securely being sure that there are no gaps. Fasten off near the end of the wires by pulling the tape taut and squeezing together.

5. Wire rose buds by piercing the bottom of the rose at the thickest part with the wire. Wrap the wire around the base of the rose and then down the stem.

6. Wrap the wire and stem with florist tape, beginning at the base of the rose covering the wire and the stem. Wrap securely and tie off at the end of the stem.

7. Add sprigs of filler between the flowers. Forget-me-nots and baby's breath are traditional fillers, but any delicate flowers that complement your main flower is fine.

8. Add rose leaves, or any other waxy leaf that will complement you arrangement. Add a fern spray to the background and wire everything securely together.

9. Wrap the stems with ribbon and add a corsage pin to the back of the stems.