A practical record from trial to result
In this episode, I tried something that looks simple but is actually quite challenging: pressing a whole sunflower.
Sunflowers are thick, full of moisture, and often pressed by separating the petals first.
This time, I chose to press the flower as a whole, knowing it would take more time, patience, and adjustment along the way.
This article is not meant to be the “only correct way,” but rather a clear and practical record of what worked for me after watching many tutorials and doing several test runs myself.
Why press a sunflower whole?
There are many valid ways to press a sunflower.
Some people prefer to separate the petals and reassemble them later, which can be more stable in the early stages.
I chose to press the flower whole for a simple reason:
I wanted to keep the structure intact and avoid reattaching petals afterward.
This approach shifts the difficulty to the beginning of the process, but the result is a thin, complete sunflower that feels very satisfying once finished.
🎥See the full video:
Preparation steps (before pressing)
Before placing the sunflower into the press, preparation is crucial.
- Trim the green base of the flower, keeping only two layers
- Thin the hard base until about 50% of the white center is exposed
- Pierce the base and sides thoroughly with a needle or sharp tool to allow moisture to escape
If small petals fall off during preparation, they can be pressed separately and reattached later. This is completely normal.
Pressing setup
To stabilize the flower during pressing:
- Cover the petals with four layers of tissue to prevent shrinkage
- Place two foam sheets on top to apply even pressure
This setup helps maintain the shape during the most critical phase.
✅Pressing schedule (important)
Managing moisture is the key to success when pressing thick flowers like sunflowers.
Days 1–2 · Critical stage
- Tissue: 4 layers
- Foam: 2 sheets
- Change blotting paper every 12 hours
During this stage, you can gently adjust the petals by hand to help them stay open.
Days 3–10 · Normal pressing
- Tissue: 2 layers
- Foam: 1 sheet
- Change blotting paper every 2 days
After the first few days, the process becomes much more stable.
Final result
After 8–12 days, the sunflower becomes thin, dry, and fully preserved.
Every flower behaves a little differently, so this timeline is a reference rather than a strict rule.
Pressing flowers always involves a bit of observation and adjustment along the way.
A final note
Many of the techniques used here can be found online.
What matters is not memorizing steps, but actually trying, adjusting, and learning through the process.
This episode is simply my way of organizing what I learned into a clearer, more practical path — and sharing it openly for anyone who might find it useful.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little more patience than usual 🌻
For more tutorials, materials, and small gifts, you can visit the homepage of my website.
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