Paper Rosettes Made Easy
 

I just figured out a way to make the shaping of rosettes easier. You know how after you accordion fold a long strip and attach the two ends, you have a big floppy circle of slinky-like paper? And you are supposed to push it down flat in the center and then glue a base of cardstock to it to stablize it? Well, I always have trouble with the pleats being nice and uniform, and maintaining that nice circle shape, while also reaching for the glue AND the base. Seems to require three hands!

I discovered for large rosettes, my Creative Memories circle cutting template (plastic) or a roll of Sookwang tape works well as a "holder" for the rosette. For smaller rosettes, a roll of Scotch tape works fine. Just plunk the rosette into the "hole" inside the tape roll to hold it in place. You can position your pleats just so, then attach the base.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1QBw3F_S8l...0/IMG_0737.jpg

More photos on my blog post here: Tweedcurtain Productions: Rosette Tip and Christmas Cards

and a variation here:
Tweedcurtain Productions: New Beginnings

Hope this helps someone else.

Charmaine in Victoria BC

How clever!

Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

Very good and simple idea. Thank you. I've had problems with mine wiggling around when I attached the centers, too.

excellent idea, tfs

Vanessa

What a great idea! I had never considered that you could make the center bigger. Definately trying this. Thanks for sharing.

I've found a salsa jar lid or a pickle jar lid work very well too!

Excellent ideas!!

subbing!

trying this one!! thanks!!

Just what I was looking for. THANKS!!!! Diana

very cool. thanks for sharing!

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing your tip!

Well, that's just about the most handiest idea I've seen in a long time! Just goes to show that sometimes using the most simplist things around your stamp room work the best. Thanks for your great idea. I love it!

Thanks for sharing such a cool idea.

I use "bottle covers" of various sizes, depending on the size of my rosette.

Awesome solution to the three handed problem. Thanks for sharing. :-)

Thank you SO much for the tip on dropping the rosette into something circular to give you/me another "hand". Probably one of the most valuable tips I've gained and will use alot!!!

I will try this. Thanks for sharing.

You are a genius! I was going to give up on making them because that drove me crazy..I just couldn't seem to coordinate all those moves with only two hands! Thank you!

Thanks for sharing that wonderful tip.

What a brilliant idea! Going to try it straight away.

I'm new to rosettes. Would someone please tell me the dimensions of the paper you accordion-fold (length & width), and also how big are the accordion folds? Thanks!

The strip of paper is usually 12". Then you score every 1/4" or sometimes 1/8".

The width of the paper strip changes the size of the rosette.Most people make their strips 3/4" to 1" wide.

Here is a wonderful tutorial showing how to make the paper rosettes.

How to Make and Decorate Paper Rosettes - YouTube

Thank you so much for the information, buggainok! I'm looking forward to trying to make some! :)

Great suggestion! TFS

There's another tutorial here on SCS:
Handmade Paper Flowers Tutorial for Cards Using a Fan Fold Flower Technique by Bonnie Szwalkiewicz
Bonnie's advice is that the finished rosette is twice the width of your strip (including a punched border if you've gone that route). I use that as my guideline if I'm trying to figure out what size to cut. For a large one I find I need more than 12", so I just cut two strips, glue them together and just work out what looks best.

Thanks for posting the tutorial, cook22! Seeing always makes it easier to do. :)

Thanks for sharing, just knew there had to be an easier method then growing an extra hand LOL!!