Cutting Crepe Paper for Making Crepe Paper Flowers
How to Cut Strips of Crepe Paper
When cutting a strip for petals or for wrapping stems, it will be helpful to cut the desired width through the entire fold of crepe paper so as to have ready when needed.
How to Cut Crepe Paper Evenly
In cutting crepe paper, whether a straight line or curved, start as far away from the point of the scissor a possible, and cut long swath without changing the position of the scissors. In this way, you will have a much smoother edge than when short cuts are made.
How to Cut Several Thicknesses of Crepe Paper
You can save time by cutting several leaves or petal at a time. A strip of crepe paper may be cut through the entire fold, but to cut petals or leaves accurately, eight thicknesses at one time are as many as can be handled satisfactorily. The paper is apt to slip with more than eight, and the cutting may not be true.
How To Cut a Straight Strip of Crepe Paper
Slip it partly out of the packet, mark the desired width, and, using the edge of the packet a a guide, cut through the entire thickness. (see first picture above).
How To Cut Crepe Paper Using a Pattern
First cut a strip across the grain (unless otherwise directed) the desired width, and through the entire fold, or less. It is advisable to cut the strip from 1/2 to 1 inch wider than the pattern, so as to allow for any necessary trimming of the edges, when the strip is refolded. Unfold the strip, cut a desired length and stretch slightly. Fold the strip, double, with the grain, and redouble until there are eight thicknesses or less depending upon the length of the strip and the size of the pattern.
Place cardboard pattern on the folded thickness, from top to base, with the grain (unless otherwise directed) and cut around all edges.
How To Cut Strips of Petals for Crepe Paper Flowers
Strips of petals may be cut, without a pattern, when you know the width
and length of the petal. Cut and fold the paper as directed in the paragraph above so that the last fold will make a length that will cut a full number of petals.
Make straight cuts, with the grain, the required width and length of the petals, and down the folded ends, leaving 1/2 inch or more along the opposite edge uncut so that when the paper is unfolded, the petals will be held together in a strip. Before unfolding the strip, round off, or point petal divisions at the cut ends, as required.
How To Cut Double Petals for Crepe Paper Flowers
When double petals are required, as in the apple blossom, tulip, and other flowers, the better way is, after cutting the two strips the desired width and length, to lay one of the strips on a flat surface, and paste along one long edge about 1/4 inch in, applying the paste by drawing the brush with the grain, not across it. Then place the second strip evenly on top of the first and press the two edges together. Fold to four double or eight single thick nesses, place the cardboard pattern so that the top of the petal will be at the pasted edge, and cut out.
The double petals may also be pasted after they have been cut. Follow above instructions exactly except the pasting of the strip. After the petals have been cut and while they are still in several thicknesses, start with the two lower ones and paste the top edges together. Paste the next two, and so on until all are pasted in twos.
How To Fringe Crepe Paper for Crepe Paper Flowers
Fringe for flower centers is made by cutting a strip of crepe paper across the grain the desired width, stretching it fully for a very fine fringe and less for a coarser fringe. Fold the strip in half, with the grain, and repeat until you have not exceeding eight thicknesses.
Cut with the grain inward from the edge along the strip, making as close and as deep cuts, as desired, leaving 1/2 inch or more uncut along the opposite edge.
How To Picot an Edge for Crepe Paper Flowers
Here are two methods of picotting an edge:
Method A: Several thicknesses of the crepe paper should be picoted at one time ( preferably eight.)
Hold the several thicknesses together evenly. Beginning at the extreme left, cut into the edge, diagonally, not more than 1/16 of an inch, and without removing the scis ors, turn them around and cut outward. (as pictured) Do not make too wide a cut. The depth and width of the cut governs the size of the picot. For a very fine picot, make the next cut close up to the end of the first, and for a wider picot, place the scissors a little away from the end of the previous cut. Repeat until the entire edge is picoted.
Method B: Another way to picot an edge is to make very short diagonal cuts with the points of the scissors, first to the left end then to the right, starting from the last cut on the edge for each adjoining cut.