DIY: Paper Parade Float Flowers

DIY paper tissue parade float flowersIf you’re constructing your own custom parade float–building with wood or chicken wire–you’ll need something to cover up unsightly pieces of construction. With this simple guide, you can create paper parade float flowers in any color or pattern you want. Get a group of friends together, get some supplies, and get those flowers blooming!

What You’ll Need:


    1. Stack a few sheets of tissue paper. The tissue paper is going to form the petals of the flower, so decide if you want a solid color or multicolored flowers.
    1. Cut the stacks of paper into squares–larger squares means larger flowers. You’ll want to make a few test flowers.
    1. “Fan-fold” the square of paper sheets into an accordion. Fold on side up about an inch, then turn the paper and fold the same distance in the other direction. Continue folding the whole square this way until the whole square is folded neatly and forms a long, narrow rectangle.
    1. Shape the short ends of the rectangle with scissors to make the petals into interesting shapes, such as points, scallops, or fringes. This step is optional.
    1. Cut a small notch in the middle of one of the long sides by cutting a small triangle from the side. Do not cut through the rectangle.
    1. Wrap a twist tie securely around the middle of the paper at this point. This forms the stem of the flower and the part used to tie it onto the float frame.
    1. Hold the flower by the twist ties and gently pull up each layer of tissue paper toward the middle. This separates the paper into petals. Arrange the petals to look natural.
  1. Use pipe cleaners instead of twist ties if the stems will show, or if you need longer stems. If the parade will take place in an extremely humid or moist location, you should find a more waterproof material than tissue paper to use for your flowers.

Good luck making your float look perfect! We hope these instructions help you make exactly what you’re picturing. We have tissue paper and other parade float supplies – everything you need from start to finish.