FAQ for the Dried & Pressed Flowers Forum

21 years ago

The weather is getting colder and we've had some time to get the feel of our Dried and Pressed Flowers Forum. Now it's time to make a Forum FAQ! This will be broken down into 2 steps.

First, what questions should be in the FAQ? Make suggestions for questions here, and we'll take the top 10 or so.

Once we get our questions, we'll post a message for each one asking for suggestions on how it should be answered.

Then, the questions and answers will be compiled into our Forum FAQ.

Thanks for your help!

Anne

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Comments (16)

cindip
21 years ago
I think one FAQ should be on the type of press to use. There are several different ways to press and someone starting out would like other opinions.
gardninlady
21 years ago
How about a list of which flowers press well, and which are best dried whole?

How to store them once pressed and dried?
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JUST MY OPINION... I am not really in favor of leaving someone a favorable comment simply because they followed through in sending an SASBE in order to get seeds. To me, it's like praising someone for coming to the dinner table and eating my food. And if we leave positive feedback for those who send out their SASBE requests, then shouldn't it follow that we leave negative feedback for someone who doesn't follow through? If that was the case, I'd be leaving negative feedback for dozens of people, as I'm sure anyone who has offered seeds for SASBE would as well. Though it's frustrating to hold seeds for someone who doesn't follow through, I don't really think it's an important enough of a matter to leave negative comments over. The whole concept of posting comments regarding SASBEs has other drawbacks. Last spring I offered a lot of seeds for SASBE, and one in particular stuck out. When I had looked at the person's want list, I saw she was looking for hardy geraniums. I found a few odds and ends, small amounts of several varieties, so I packaged them separately and included them as well thinking she'd be happy with the additional surpise. I was quite taken aback when she emailed me after receiving the SASBE and told me that I needed to read the FAQs, that "10 or 12 seeds was not considered a sufficient amount of seeds" and she would be leaving me negative feedback. I was stunned. Fortunately for her, she didn't leave the comments, or I would have responded with words including "ignorant", "selfish", and "ungrateful"... (Can you tell I'm still a tad steamed, LOL...) I think the sample comments for negative reviews are very good ones--Jack Webb of Dragnet would be happy with the "Just the facts, Maam" attitude. However, there are a few gray areas I am wondering about. What do you suggest regarding feedback if the trader sends mismarked seeds (ie, agastache instead of lavender); unviable seeds (such as sunflower seeds that were flat, white, and bendy, obviously underdeveloped); or a trader who waits until he/she has received the other person's seeds to tell them that he/she is out of several of the seeds they wanted and that they need to pick substitutes. I've always handled these matters privately. I know honest mistakes happen as in the first two cases--but the third example has happened to me a few times now (twice with the same trader--not going to trade with her again) and is starting to bother me as I feel it may be a bait and switch tactic. Still I'm not sure I'm comfortable about leaving negative feedback even in that situation. I'm sure it sounds as though I am focusing on the bad side of trading/SASBEs, which I am, but it's only because good trades and positive feedback are pretty self-evident. Kate
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Hi matriarchy, I have been pressing flowers for a while now and can help you a bit. Using a phone book certainly works with a number of flowers and leaves. If using paper towels, make sure to only use Viva brand as they are the only ones without an embossed design on them (that could show up on thin petals. I usually use computer paper to dry petals like hydrangeas, pansies, leaves, etc. Rosebuds should be sliced in half first as they are too bulky whole, and you get 2 buds for the price of one! With full petaled roses, I take the petals off and press each one individually, then reassemble some to look the the original. The point is that the flowers must be pressed under weights until completely dry. Never press a damp or wet flower or leaf. Know that some flowers will change color during pressing. The fresher the petals, the better. Some people use microwave presses, solar presses,or air presses, but all presses require wiights of some kind to flatten out the piece. I have pressed many fall leaves, and most are just as bright several years later. Storage- you can store most dried petals in the phone books themselves, in baggies, between sheets of computer paper. At Michael's or AC Moore, you can buy cans of silica which can be reactivated as needed. Put some in the bottom of a bin, lay on the layers of computer paper with flowers, then put on a tight sealing lid. Moisture and light cause deterioration. I started making cards with pressed flowers, and still do, but also, I now use the petals and leaves as paint, and do many scenes. I will try to upload some later. There are several processes to seal pictures to keep out moisture and sun, but that's too complicated to explain now! What kind of projects are you interested in doing? jpressed
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Hi Kate. Best for pressing are what I'd call "flat-faced, single-ply" flowers like Violets, Pansies, Geraniums, or ferns, leaves, etc. You can experiment with others as you mentioned with your Cat's Whiskers (lovely photo), but I don't think there would be any way to press Coneflower. I've no experience with fruit except for Pomegranate which will dry on its own unsliced. Well, I've had limes dry whole but it was unintended...and they turned a dark greenish-black...not pretty! I only grow the Hibiscus coccineus which is easily pressed but it is one of those flatfaced singleply fkowers...I think the others would do better dried in silica gel. Check out a couple of library books...just to get a good basic understanding of the different methods of preserving flowers. Then experiment...you have access to so many lovely plants that may not be found in books(like your Cats Whiskers). Good luck. josh
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Dianne42
21 years ago
I would like to see pictures made up of pressed flowers so I could get some ideas.
Violetrose
21 years ago
I am very new to this craft. So, I have many questions. Here are a couple I have at the moment.

In making greeting cards out of pressed flowers, what are good paper choices?

Is white glue an appropriate adhesive in making greeting cards? If not what would be good?
annemarie
Original Author
19 years ago
The Dried & Pressed Flowers Forum was somewhat new when I first brought this topic up. We had fewer posters and there wasn't much input. Now we've had some time to get a feel for what this forum is all about.

So, what are the basic questions that should go into our FAQ to help out the newbies and just plain curious? What type of information does everyone want at their fingertips?

We need to choose our general FAQ topics and then we can talk about how they should be answered. Lets have some discussion and suggestions!

Who wants to start?
led_zep_rules
19 years ago
Hi, I don't want to press flowers. I want to dry them to use in making grapevine wreaths and such. I read some books about drying flowers, and had a hard time finding the right kind of sand to use. I went to nurseries and garden centers all over. So advice for people on where to get the silica sand (Menard's had it in WI, I think Frank's Nurseries also carry it) might be helpful. Also, advice on what things dry well by hanging up vs. by drying in sand or silica gel would be helpful to many of us.
sunshinedmb
19 years ago
I would like to know how to preserve flowers by using glycerin.
Posie
19 years ago
Yes, more about using glycerin. And standing flowers in a dye solution, what are some of the flowers that would absorb the dye?
suzannie
19 years ago
How long can pressed flowers be stored?

What kinds of things can be made with pressed flowers?

Which flowers come out the best?
tellme
19 years ago
Do these interest anyone?

At what stage should various things be cut to forestall shattering as they dry?

Is there a best point in the drying period to work your material into a finished product? If you work while it is still a little flexible will it shrink? mold? bend?

How do you handle things like eryngium that keep an interesting shape but lose their beautiful color? And, are there plant-specific ways of maximizing color retention?
stefoodie
19 years ago
What flowers are best for drying, period?
For a wreath?
Actually would be interested in ANYTHING that can be dried for a wreath, even if they're not flowers. e.g., millet, etc. I hope this is still the right forum for the information I'm requesting:-)

thanks
CarinaLobel
19 years ago
I have some great pictures of my trays decorated with pressed fruits.. how can I post them here?
flowersandthings
19 years ago
What is the best way to dry flowers?
Answer : As well as which plants are best for each method:
glycerin method and instructions
Microwave method and instructions
silica gel method and instructions
air drying method and instructions
other methods?
What is the best method to press flowers?
Answers
Info on flower presses
Info on pressing in books
Other methods?
Info on which paper to press with.... blotting paper etc.
Info on how to seal pressed flowers, wax laminate etc.
What are some of the most popular flowers for drying?
Info on how to preserve your dried pressed flowers the longest..... i.e. keep away from light etc.
HU-588082702
2 years ago
I would like to know how creatives preserve the pressed flowers and foliage to keep colour and constituency. e.g what they lay the dried flowers on and then what and where they storage them?

Any suggestion would be awesome and gratefully appreciated.
callirhoe123
2 years ago
If interested in pressed flowers, join the World Wide Pressed Flower Guild. Their website offers members and index of wonderful articles covering all aspects of pressed flower preservation and use and their online member forum has experienced people who can answer all of your questions/
HU-721442726
last year
Microfleur has a course on how to preserve the color of framed pressed flower art. Vacuum sealing maximizes the preservation of the color of pressed flowers by sealing out oxygen and moisture. There are other resources at Microfleur, as well.

FAQ for the Dried & Pressed Flowers Forum

Comments (16)

cindip

gardninlady

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FAQ for the Dried & Pressed Flowers Forum

Comments (16)

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