How to Make Cornhusk Flowers

Do you have a supply of cornhusks youd like to use? Have you already made all the cornhusks dolls your child can stand? Maybe you dont even have any cornhusks but youd love to work with them sometime. If you dont have your own cornhusks they can be purchased at most large craft stores. The husks are not expensive, and dont look too impressive, but youll see just how beautiful they are when you turn them into fake flowers.

Its necessary to soak cornhusks before working with them to soften them. Place them in a sink or pot of water for two or three minutes. Remove the husks from the water, set them on paper towels, then cover them with the toweling to keep them damp. If you are going to dye the cornhusks, soak them once again, this time in a liquid dye bath. Use powdered dye, according to package instructions, or use liquid dye which is ready to use when you open it. Use disposable bowls or bowls that wont stain. Make a different color in several bowls to dye the cornhusks a variety of colors.

After dying the cornhusks remove them from the liquid and set them on paper towels once again. Pat them nearly dry with the toweling. Place a cloth over an ironing board and set several cornhusks on it. Cover them with yet another towel. Iron the husks until theyre flat and completely dry. If you dont have any dye you can also use markers, colored pencils, pens and other implements to cover the husks. Make one type of flower by cutting rectangles. At the short ends of the rectangles cut the husks with pinking shears. Make a different type of flower by cutting long, narrow ovals. Assemble the flowers like this: set two cornhusks on a table so that they form an "x" shape. Place another husk shape on top of the "x" so that it runs vertically through the center. Now youll have an asterisk shape. Bend a length of wire in half and slide one of the husk shapes into the bend of the wire. Twist it around the middle of the husk. Now glue the other two shapes on top of that one. Follow this technique to assemble many different shapes. Create flowers that have 6 petals by using 3 rectangles, 4 petals by using 2 ovals, or other designs. Make a center for the flower by gluing on a pom-pom or a tiny, dried flower. Wrap green florist tape around the wires, positioning fake leaves on the wire, and wrapping it from one end to the other. The cornhusks make some of the most beautiful dried flowers; use them to make baskets, vases and other flower arrangements for pennies each!