Preserve a few memories of this summer's garden or create gifts to share with family and friends. Pounding flowers onto fabric or paper is a fun and easy way to create art and preserve the beauty of garden flowers.
Use watercolour or other rough-surface paper when pounding on paper. Purchase ready-to-dye (RTD) or prepared-for-dyeing (PFD) fabric or prepare the fabric yourself. You'll find supplies and directions at most craft stores.
Choose a space for pounding flowers onto paper or fabric. A large cutting board or piece of wood will protect the furniture below. Or better yet move this project outside onto a sidewalk or other surface that can't be damaged by the pounding.
Cover the surface with wax paper and secure with masking tape to prevent the flower colour from soaking through onto the cutting board. Cut the fabric to size and secure it or the paper to the board with masking tape.
Gather a few of your favourite leaves and flowers. You will have great results from thin, brightly coloured petals and leaves. Consider starting with rose, daisy, geranium, petunia and pansy petals, although any flowers and leaves can work.
Remove or reduce the size of the large centre of coneflowers, black-eyed Susans and similar blooms so they lie flat on the fabric. Or remove the petals, discard the centre and arrange as desired.
Remove any stems, sepals or other plant parts you do not want to transfer. Then place the desired parts face down on the paper or fabric.
Once your design is set, cover with several layers of paper towel or another sheet of watercolour paper. Taping leaves and petals in place on fabric helps reduce the risk of petals moving during the pounding process.
Gently tap the leaves and flowers in place using the flat side of a hammer. Next, evenly hammer from one side of the design to the other, making sure to hit every part of each plant.
Lift the paper covering and remove the crushed flowers and leaves from the paper along with the tape from the fabric. Allow your design to dry and carefully brush off any remaining plant pieces.
Set the design on fabric using an iron set on the hottest setting without steam. This sets the colours but will not make it washable. Preserve the bright colours of your works of art on paper with a UV protective acrylic spray. Be sure to read and follow label directions and apply in a well ventilated area. – By MELINDA MYERS/Star Tribune (Minneapolis)/Tribune News Service
