Coffee Filter Roses
Supplies needed per rose:
3 white coffee filters
watercolor paint
water
paint brush
dull pencil and template (found on last page)
scissors
floral tape vsee last page for suggestions on doing this project with children!
floral wire
How to tint filters
1. Tint water with paint.
Make the water a little
brighter than desired
shade.
2. Working with one filter at a time, fold in half, then again, and again.
*If you have the patience to peel apart wet coffee filters, go for it- fold all three
together instead of proceeding one filter at a time.
3. Submerge filter in colored water, then squeeze out excess water.
4. For gradation of color, dip edge of damp filter directly in
paint pan:
a) Lightly dip edge
into water (just add a tiny bit of
water), dip in paint, then…
b) squeeze the color down. Bring the
color at least 1/3 down the filter-
otherwise you’ll cut off all the
gradation in step 8.
5. Gently unfold the wet filter, and lay flat to dry*.
Repeat steps 2-5 to tint all three filters.
*for faster drying, I’ve used a hair dryer, the top of a warm oven, and a hot southern
deck on a windless day. Please protect your drying surface from stains.
Cutting and forming roses
6. Fold dry, tinted filter in half, then in half again, and again.
7. Trace template (see last
page of instructions)
onto folded filter.
8. Cut and unfold.
Cut this shape in half-this will create two strips of four petals.
9. Take one strip of petals and
squeeze a thin line of glue
along the bottom,
starting at the center
and ending at the curved edge
of the petal.
10. Place wire against glue edge, and twirl to create center of rose.
*Keep the roll tight at first to hide the wire inside.
11. Continue to roll along the petals…
…then glue the outer edge to create a “bud”
12. Secure bud onto wire, wrapping tightly
with floral tape.
.
13. a) Lay bud down on petal strip, placing rose on left “petal”.
(b-d) Roll the rose along the petals, pinching the bottom tightly against the wire.
a. b.
c. d.
14. Pinch bottom of rose, and use floral tape to firmly secure petals to wire.
15. Repeat steps 13 and
14 with remaining petal
strips.
The top of the petals should spread out as the flower
builds, but continue to wrap the base of the rose
tightly with each layer.
16. Ta-da!!
If desired, add a light color wash
to the edges of the petals.
Petal template:
Older children could do most of these steps on
their own with a quick lesson on securing petals
with floral tape. Remind them to stretch the tape
as they wrap so the tape will stick.
Small children can:
tint filters
fold filters
trace template
cut petal shape
***they will need help with making the bud!
roll petals onto bud
wrap floral tape
Hint: Once the bud is begun, teach the child to roll
the petals with the bottom tight, and the top
loose (lay bud down on left petal and roll in an arch
or rainbow shape- children tend to wrap the petals, which
will make the rose too tight instead of open and “bloomy”)
Begin wrapping with floral tape, letting child complete the wrapping.
vIf working with a group of young children, pre-tinting and forming the buds is very
helpful. Then the children can:
- Fold the filters one at a time (step 6)
-Trace the template and cut petal shapes (steps 7 and 8)
-Unfold, cut in half (step 8)
-Follow steps 13 and 14. An adult can begin securing petals to the wire with floral
tape, and allow the children to finish wrapping.
I have seen a group of 5-9 year olds make these roses, and they were beautiful!
