You can enjoy flowers from your garden all year! You can press your flowers and then get creative and use them in projects like greeting cards, bookmarks, scrapbooks, framed prints, or candles.
Traditionally, to press flowers you placed them in heavy books and then you had to wait weeks or months for the flowers to dry out. Now you can press them in the microwave in a matter of minutes and have much more vibrant colors than the traditional method. You can pick your flowers, press and dry them and use them in a project on the same day!
I have tried several microwave methods, but the one I like the best is using the Microfleur microwave flower press. It is available from Amazon in 5″ or 9″. I have the 9″, I think the 5″ would really limit what you could do and it would take much longer to press multiple flowers.
https://www.amazon.com/Microfleur-Microwave-Max-Flower-Press/dp/B0050GWV9C
You can experiment with the flowers in your garden, some press much better than others. Drift roses and blanket flowers are my favorites. Both retain their color well. Snapdragons look creative, but they do loose some color in the microwave pressing process.
I have not had good luck with large blooms – like regular size roses, delicate flowers like begonias, or flowers with large centers like coneflowers.
After the flowers are picked, you will usually remove the stem, getting the back as flat as possible.
This kit comes with 2 platens and clips, along with pads and fabric sheets. Place one of the pads on top of a platen with the ribbed side down. Then put one of the sheets on top of the pad. Lay the flowers upside down on the fabric sheet, making sure they sit as flat as possible and do not overlap one another.
Carefully place the second sheet on top of the flowers.
Cover the sheet with the remaining pad.
Place the platen on top of all of these, with the ribbed side out. Use the clips to hold all layers together. It is now ready to put in the microwave.
I have found that times vary with the types of flowers, and of course, with the wattage of your microwave. You will have to experiment with your flowers and your microwave. I usually start out with a minute, then check the flowers. Normally it takes an additional 30-60 seconds.
The flowers should feel similar to tissue paper and feel dry. When I think they are dry, I move them to a piece of copy paper and make a note of how long they were in the microwave, so I can use the same times for the next batch.
I have found that sometimes when you think the flowers are completely dry, the centers or thicker areas may still have a bit of moisture in them. So I cover the flowers with a second sheet of paper.
Then I place them under a couple of heavy books for a day or two. If you want to use them immediately, just double check that all parts of the flower are dry.
Experiment with buds, leaves and stems.
Try a variety of flowers, remember the drying time will vary due to size, moisture content, and the wattage of the microwave being used.
Fall leaves and flower petals can also be used. Complete and more detailed instructions come in a booklet with the Microfeur press. More ideas coming!
Be creative and have fun!
