Corsage, buttonhole, boutonniere? Call them what you wish, these diminutive floral accents are one of my favorite things to make, and whether for a winter wedding, a party or just for the fun of it, they work really well with dried flowers.
There is something very special about creating an everlasting floral keepsake. But one problem I've come across as a floral designer is the damage the pins can do when attaching corsages to your clothes. Well, I have a handy (and super easy) trick to avoiding this – by using a tiny yet mightily strong magnet.
In the latest Petals & Roots episode, I show you my tried-and-tested technique for creating a dried flower corsage and fixing it with a magnet fastening. Hopefully this will inspire you to try one with your own favorite home-grown or foraged stems for some dried flower decorating. Here, I go into more depth about how to make it and choose the ideal ingredients for yours.
What you need to create a dried flower corsage
- A selection of dried flower stems
- Floristry scissors
- Corsage magnets, such as these from Amazon
- Paper-based floral tape; this type from Amazon is the one I use
- A thin floral wire (30 gauge)
- Natural jute twine, just like this, available from Amazon
- Silk or velvet ribbon
How to make your own dried flower corsage
Start by selecting your stems and laying them all out in front of you, so you have easy access to everything.
I opted for a small sprigs of white limonium; a billy button or craspedia; natural phalaris (canary grass) and bunny tail grasses; a poppy seed pod; lavender statice; and pink globe amaranth.
There are so many wonderful flowers you can grow that are great for drying, or alternatively it's easy to get hold of beautiful dried selections, such as this dried grass, boho-style bundle from Walmart.
Cut each stem to approximately 6 inches in length to make them easier to work with.
To arrange these in your hand, start with the larger stems to get a basic shape. Pinch the stem ends in your fingers to hold them in place.
You'll make the corsage by layering each stem on top and to the side of each other, so that it ends up having a nice flat back, with lots of lovely detail and texture at the front.
Once you have moved things about a bit, as I do in the video, secure the stems by taking a small silver rose wire, which you can find at Amazon, and wrap this around your stems. Cut them to tidy them up and make them all the same length.
Now to add your magnet. Take the thin part and attach this to your stems by wrapping floral tape around it. You can then add a small piece of ribbon to cover the tape, and when you put the other side of the magnet under your shirt, jacket or hat, the corsage will attach securely.
How you can modify this design
Dried flowers are naturally (usually) a lot smaller than fresh flowers, meaning they lend themselves perfectly to these kinds of delicate designs. You could opt for all kinds of other lovely ingredients, such as lavender, scabious pods, straw flowers, spray roses, globe thistles, or small larkspur.
There are other types of magnet corsage fastenings you can use. This magnet fastening in particular, available from Amazon, looks super secure, but you would need to attach the entire corsage to the plastic back.
If you'd rather not use plastic in your design, a single magnet how I attached it should always be strong enough. But you could always add a second under the first one if you wanted to be completely sure!
Dried flower corsage making essentials
This gorgeous green velvet ribbon is double sided and is so narrow it is perfect for small corsages and buttonholes. I am snapping this one up!
I love the colors within this beautiful bunch of dried bamboo. You would only need to snip of one or two stems for a corsage, leaving the rest as seasonal décor for your home.
These are my go-to floristry scissors for all different kinds of arrangements. They are incredibly sharp and comfortable to use. I have had mine for more than six years and they are just as good as when they were brand new.
Petals & Roots is a weekly video series fronted by me, Rachel Bull, Head of Gardens at Homes & Gardens. Every weekend on social, I share my seasonal gardening and flower arranging expertise and advice.
