How to Fold a Hankie and Make a Flower

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Whether for wedding favors or for your own personal creative touch to a blouse or scarf, a flower made from a hankie adds a feminine accent. Used as a corsage, or bunched together for a nosegay or bouquet, handkerchief flowers, such as roses, provide a permanent alternative to real flowers. Use a lace-edged, colored or multicolored handkerchief to add an even more interesting visual flare to your design. Try using two handkerchiefs layered together to provide a multi-dimensional look.

Cut a 3-inch to 4-inch length of floral wire and set aside.

Iron your handkerchief to remove any creases. Ideally, use a plain hankie without edging or design.

Place the hankie on a flat surface. Fold it horizontally once, with all edges lining up. Fold the hankie again horizontally, and again, for a total of three folds, each time lining up the edges. You should now have a long narrow hankie.

Measure 2 inches in from the right side end of the hankie and fold this end over itself and down to form a right angle. Lightly iron this turn to help keep it in place. This will make a small stem.

Roll up the hankie from right to left. The tighter you roll up the handkerchief, the tighter the flower or bud. A loose roll will produce a flower and a tighter roll will make a bud.

Wrap the base of the hankie and the stem tightly with the floral wire. Gently spread the flower apart until you have the desired fullness and effect of the flower or bud.

Cut a 3-inch length of floral tape and wrap the flower to hide the wire.