Pressed flowers often fail before the pressing even starts.
Many people focus on pressing techniques, paper types, or pressure, but in practice, the final result is often decided much earlier — at the moment you choose and prepare the flowers.
In this post, I’m sharing three small but critical things to check before pressing flowers. These are details that are easy to overlook, yet they frequently cause uneven bases, shrinkage, or crowded centers in pressed flowers.
Watch the full process in EP23 below👇
1. Avoid Flowers That Aren’t Fully Open
Flowers that are not fully open may look usable, but they often retain natural tension in the petals.
When pressed, these petals tend to shrink back instead of spreading, even if you manually adjust them beforehand. The result is usually a pressed flower that looks tight, crowded, or unfinished.
What to look for:
- Petals that are still slightly folded inward
- Blooms that don’t naturally lie flat when placed on paper
Tip:
For better results, choose flowers that are fully open and relaxed, where the petals naturally spread without resistance.
2. Be Careful With Over-Mature Flowers
A flower can be fully open and still be too old for pressing.
Over-mature flowers often lose moisture unevenly, causing the petals to stiffen. When pressed, this can lead to:
- Visible crease marks
- Petal shrinkage
- Uneven or distorted shapes
How to tell if a flower is over-mature:
- The bloom looks tired or slightly droopy
- Leaves feel weak or lack firmness
- The flower no longer feels fresh or hydrated
These signs are subtle but important. Even with perfect pressing technique, over-mature flowers rarely produce clean results.
3. Let Flowers Rest After Taking Them Out of Water
One common mistake is pressing flowers immediately after removing them from water.
Freshly hydrated flowers contain uneven moisture levels. Pressing them right away often leads to:
- Uneven drying
- Warping
- Thick or uneven bases
Better approach:
After taking flowers out of water, let them rest for 30–60 minutes before pressing. This allows moisture to redistribute naturally, making the flower easier to flatten and dry evenly.
Why These Small Details Matter
When pressed flowers don’t turn out well, it’s tempting to blame tools or technique. But very often, the issue lies in:
- Flower stage
- Freshness
- Timing
By adjusting these factors before pressing, the same method can produce dramatically better results.
A Note on the Process
Pressed flower work is rarely perfect.
It’s a process of trial, adjustment, and quiet discovery. There will be successful pieces, failed attempts, and moments that teach you what to notice next time. Staying calm, observant, and curious is just as important as the technique itself.
Hope you enjoy the process ☀️
Alongside pressed flower notes, I also share dried flower works, DIY pieces, and small handmade gifts.
👉mogutoo.com
I also occasionally offer large, fully pressed sunflower pieces for those looking for finished botanical works.
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