29 Aug Paper Tulip Flower: Collection of the Best Handmade DIY Tutorials

Tulips are a beautiful, fragrant herald of spring, with many crafters striving to emulate the simple blooms by making a paper tulip. For many people, the appearance of tulips in the flower bed means that the harsh frost of winter is over.  While their origins are from Turkey, they were transported to Europe during the 1500s. The word “tulip” is actually similar to the Turkish word for the fabric used in their turbans. The tulip became so popular in Europe, and especially the Netherlands, that the value soared to the point of crashing the economy. The phenomenon was called “tulip mania.”

The red tulip is said to represent perfect love. Legend has it that a prince, heartbroken that his true love had died, rode his horse off of a cliff. A red tulip grew in every place a drop of his blood touched. Now, the tulip is the flower for the eleventh anniversary, with the dark center representing the lover’s heart.

Paper Tulip Tutorials

I have summarized 3 very simple tulip tutorials below.  I couldn't find the templates for 2 of them so I created them myself.  The tutorials are easy to follow.  You can make a paper tulip bouquet in no time.

Simple Paper Tulips

One of the most fun things about this paper tulip pattern is that it’s so basic! The general outline of the tulip bloom is simple, as is the leaf. Use this template I created to cut out 4 flower heads and 2 leaves.

Now, you will glue the petals of the paper tulip together. Fold each of the 4 sections in half. Place the “wrong side” one petal against the “wrong side” of a second petal section, and glue them together. Do the same with the other two sets of petals.

Now, you will take a skewer that you have colored green, either with a marker or food coloring. Layer the pieces of the tulip in this order:

• One set of glued petals, face down
• The skewer with 1” of the end in the crease between the petal sections
• The other set of glued petals, face up
• Glue it all together as you layer it

Attach the leaves to the lower part of the skewer, and you have a complete handmade tulip! You can see the full instructions at Craftideas.  Make several of these and place them into a flowerpot with decorative stones, and you have a pot of paper tulips!

Image from Craftideas.info

3D Paper Tulips

To make these 3D Paper Tulips from CoolCreativity, you can use this template I created. When you cut out the different sized discs with the petals, be sure to leave the center uncut. This will be about the size of a quarter or dime, depending on the size of the tulip you are making. You will also need a small circle of matching paper the same size as the center of the disc.

Make a hole in the center of the small disc of petals, and push your florist wire through it. Bend the wire at an angle, and glue the small circle of paper over the wire, attaching it to the inside of the small petal disc. Now, you will begin folding the petals upward, overlapping them and gluing them together. The basic shape will be a small tulip. You can either leave it this way, or keep going.

To make a bigger tulip, thread the large disc of petals onto the florist wire and slide it up to the smaller tulip bud. Start folding those petals up, as well, and glue them.  Leave them a little looser than the previous set. This will create your 3D tulip flower! Now, glue paper leaves to the stem, and you have your lovely tulip ready for decorating or as a gift!

Image from Coolcreativity.com

Free Standing Paper Tulips

Lindi Haws has a cute paper tulip tutorial with a free printable template at Love The Day.   This paper tulip is free-standing! All you need to make this adorable craft tulip is a pair of scissors and glue. Once you cut it out, fold it in half. Since the pattern is only printed on one side, you have a pretty clear indication of which one is the right side, and which is the wrong side. Each page of templates makes one tulip.

• First, glue leave from stem 1 to leaf on stem 2.
• Then glue other leaf from stem 2 to leaf on stem 3.
• Finally, glue other leaf from stem 3 to other leaf on stem 1.
• Make sure the stems themselves are glued together

Now, follow the same process with the tulip bloom. Leave a section in the center free of glue so that you can slide the stem into it, then glue it into place. Always remember to glue the unprinted sides together, leaving the print pattern to the outside.  Once you have the blooms cut out, take the brush pen in hand. Approach the paper from the WRONG side. This way if the pen slips, it will only leave marks on the back of the flower. Lay the edge of the paper against the side of the brush pen, and outline the perimeter of the bloom. Do the same thing with the stem. This will add a finishing touch to the raw, cut edges of the paper. Now, when you glue it together, the edges will blend together and look tailored!

Image from Love The Day

These paper tulips make a great project for kids.  If you get a chance to make any, please let me know how they turned out in the comments below.

I reviewed the best tutorials for 10 other types of flowers.   Click on the links below to check out the other flower tutorials.

• Roses: Roses symbolize love and are perfect for Valentine’s day, Mother’s day, weddings and birthdays for that special someone.
• Daisy: Daisies signify innocence and are simple to make with kids.
• Sunflower: Sunflowers can brighten anyone’s day and reminds us of the warmth of summer.
• Orchids: Orchids are delicate and denote beauty and luxury.  They make wonderful decorations for gifts and hair accessories.
• Calla Lilly: Calla Lilies are elegant and simple and work well for modern decorations. If you want to make a lot of flowers for an event or party, then calla lilies are great to make.
• Stargazer Lily: Stargazer lilies are great for bouquets and work well with other flowers.
• Iris: Iris’ suggest purity and are one of the most beautiful blue or violet flowers.
• Bird of Paradise: If you want to make a tropical themed flower, the Bird of Paradise is your best bet.
• Carnation: Carnations are easily recognized, fun to make and are also great for Mother’s day and Valentine’s day.
• Lotus: Lotus flowers imply compassion, love, purity and rebirth. They are the most spiritual flower.