Unless you're also OCD like me about collecting flowers and even petals to use for potpouri (I make sachets for linens & unmentionable drawers), please save your 'dead' flowers for me. I can get them from you at the Spring RU, whenever that might be. I've just finished a batch and need to start collecting and drying again. The flowers do not have to have scents b/c I use essential oils and a fixative when I mix up a batch.
If I knew how to sew I could make some really nice sachets out of old lace this and thats. As it is, I use little organza pouches.
Thanks!
Save me your flowers
Sewing isn't difficult. If you want a basic sewing class, go to JoAnn Fabrics - lessons are $50 and teach you how to make something simple like an apron or a potholder.
Or use lace and ribbon - tho that might let a lot of petals escape
You can buy Tuille buy the yard or may get your tuille bags cheaper on eBay
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=wedding+favor+bags&_frs=1
OK, I have the roses DH got me for Valentine's Day--shall I put the whole things in a bag or do you just need the dried wrinkled petals? I was trting to save you Amaryllis petals, but I think someone thought they were trash.
Carrie - how nice that you got roses! Just do whatever is easiest for you. Ultimately I only use the petals, but if it's easier, just stick the whole bunch in a paper bag. Thanks!
What about irises? Mine are starting to bloom, are they too big a petal? I have tons of antique roses that bloom like crazy so I could easily save you some of those. But what do I need to do to keep them from molding till you get them?
Roux - Irises won't dry well as far as I know. With roses there are a lot of things you can do. Just depends on time, space and energy. Here's what I do. (Mostly) If the roses are still 'fresh', I might put them in a vase w/o water. Then in a week, give or take, when they look pretty dry, I spread them out in baskets that I try to place in a sunny spot. The petals are going to prob. get crinkly but that doesn't matter because the finished product will only used crushed petals (and other stuff). I've dried them by leaving the heads intact and also by pulling the petals off.
Some people tie the stems and then hang them somewhere to dry. I've tried this but don't have a lot of places to hang them from.
I think you can put them, stems and all, in a paper bag that you should keep in a warm dry place.
Once I have enough really dry petals then I begin to mix things up. I was surprised to find that I had some jars full of petals in the back of one of my cabinets. Who knows what I did to dry them, etc.
I know this is a long answer to your question. Partly I'm just reminding myself of what I need to do. DG has some discussion but not much. If you google potpourri you'll get a variety of answers. Thus I say do what's ever easiest. And THANKS!
OK, the Amaryllis petals that I thought got trashed actually were saved in a baggie! Can you use those?
Carrie - As long as you have the amaryllis petals, it won't hurt to give them a try. I'm often amazed by what can dry nicely. In the jars of petals that I previously mentioned I saw some very bright yellow petals. Turns out that they were from freesia, one of my favorite flowers. Knowing the way I tend to operate, I probably had them in a vase and eventually let them dry by just not refilling or replacing any water in the vase. I'm still surprised at how well they kept their color.