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Compiled by:
Mrs. Sheffield
 Modern
designs come
from many traditions
 Ancient Grecian garlands
and head chaplets
 Polynesian floral leis
 Georgian period formal
gown accents
 Victorian-era hand-held
tussie-mussies
 Infinite
number of design patterns
 Worn head to toe
 Many special occasions associated with
wearing flowers:
o Weddings, proms, homecomings, Mother’s
Day
 Worn
by women on special occasions
o Weddings, proms, other formal and semiformal
events
 Popular
gift during holidays
o Mother’s Day & Easter
 Sets
the wearer apart
 Show
appreciation and distinguish wearer
 Worn on shoulder or wrist
 Smaller corsages worn in hair, at the waist,
or pinned on an evening purse
 Style, fabric of the dress, current fashion
trends, occasion, and personal preference
all dictate type of corsage preferred
 Floral
piece worn by a man
 Generally worn on lapel of a formal jacket or less
formal suit coat
 Most often worn on left lapel in or near buttonhole
o Hence the name “boutonniere”
 Original
purpose of buttonhole was to fasten the
top button on the opposite lapel to shield neck
from wind and protect body from cold
o Became an ideal flower holder
 Weddings,
proms, banquets, other formal events
 Special holiday or sentimental occasions
o Father’s Day, anniversary, birthday
 Single
flower or small cluster of flowers
 Can
be worn in hair, attached to hat, pinned
to purse, worn as a lei, worn on the gown
o Add beauty, perfume, accent
 Special
holders made throughout time to
hold flowers and keep them fresh
 Bosom bottles
o Specially made holders
o Keep flowers fresh when worn at
décolletage of a gown
5th per. 4/20
 Armbands:
need to remain lightweight and
designed with appropriate shape, size, and
style for wearing around the upper arm
 Pocket square: worn as alternative to
boutonniere
o Placed in pocket of suit coat instead of on lapel
 Many
principles followed in arrangements in
vases applied to corsages, boutonnieres,
headwreaths and other floral pieces
 Additional guidelines necessary for floral
arrangements to be worn (personal
flowers/body flowers)
 Color
and style of gown, suit, hat, purse, or
hair to which flowers will be attached is
important in determining style and color of
floral piece
 Occasion or event must also be considered
 Knowledge of environment helps select
parts
o Formal black-tie dinner-dance different than
luncheon honoring volunteers at a hospital
2nd & 3rd per.
4/20
 “Parts”:
flowers, foliage, ribbon, other accessory
fillers
o Must be harmonious in color, texture, and style
o Flowers and foliage must blend together
o Ribbon and fabric materials should complement flowers
 Textures,
colors, patterns of ribbon should be
considered when adding loops or bows to corsages
o Delicate lace ribbon suggests different texture and style
than shimmering metallic gold or silver ribbon
 Filler
accessories such as jewels, pearls,
hearts, and other tiny novelties, when used,
should be in harmony with flowers and fit
style
 Size
of completed design should be in proportion to
person wearing it
 Especially true with small children or petite women
who can be smothered and frustrated by large
floral pieces
 Consider sizes and amounts of flowers, foliage, and
accessories of corsage
 All tangible parts must be in proportion to one
another
o Corsage with too much ribbon, netting, or other
accessories does not allow flowers and foliage to be
seen
 Sizes
of corsages vary with trends and styles
o Not always small/compact
 Consider
where it will be worn on the body
o Example: hair style determines size of hair piece
 Become
a nuisance when wrong shape
 Should
be designed securely
 Well constructed to retain original shape
throughout wear
o Nothing should fall out of the design
 When
flower petals shed or parts drop off all
together, it’s embarrassing for the wearer as
well as designer and gift giver
 Must
be lightweight and easy to wear
 Heavy corsages put a strain on clothing
 Bulky corsage results in discomfort and selfconsciousness
 Heavy wrist corsages undesirable, burden to
wear
 Minimum of stems, wires, tape, and other
construction materials keep the design less
weighty
5th per.
4/22
 Visual
and physical balance important
 Choose asymmetrical or symmetrical before
construction
 For stability, heaviest portion should be at
the point where stems are physically bound
together
o Also point of attachment to wristlet or barrette,
or wherever the pins hold floral piece to clothing
 Center
of interest
 Draws attention, provides visual and physical
area where all lines converge, like
arrangements
 Created in various ways
 Larger or more unique flower easily creates
focal point
 Color also used for emphasis
2nd per. 4/22
Placed
at center of gravity
Never place focal point at design edges
o Results in lopsided design (visually and
physically)
 Fresh
flowers / foliage must be conditioned,
fully hydrated, and made ready to go into
design
 Cut flowers short and wire and tape, or ready
to glue into design
 Make accessories such as ribbon loops,
bows, and tulle fans
 Makes you more efficient when constructing
 Conditioning:
technique that allows flowers
and foliage to fully hydrate with water and
preservative before using in designs
 Most newly cut flowers absorb maximum
amount of preservative solution in 1-2
hours
o Some need extended conditioning overnight
3rd per. 4/22
 Fully
firm flowers/leaves hold up better in
corsages and boutonnieres and other
designs with no water supply
 Important to condition blossoms/leaves
harvested from blooming and green potted
plants
 Do not use at the last minute
o Give time to fully hydrate before use
 Replaces
most of natural stems
 If entire stem left on, would be too
bulky/heavy
 Wire allows more freedom in design
o Easier to maneuver stems and keep flowers in
position while worn
 Wire
strengthens and also provides new
stems
 Not
every addition to a floral piece must be
wired and taped in
 Many floral adhesives and low-temperature
glues available for adding lightweight flowers,
leaves, accents of ribbon, and other
accessories
 Saves time and effort
o Must be glued firmly onto solid structure (secure
bow foundation, firm tulle base, foliage “bed”
structure
 Ribbon
loops, bows, netting tufts, jewels,
other novelties
 Enhance theme
 Create unified design
 Not required, some look better without
extras
 Main
purpose – accent and give importance
to flowers
 Keep entire design lightweight, choose
extras that are not heavy
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 Several
techniques used in corsage work
 Method used depends on shape of flower head
or cluster of flowers
 Thickness or gauge of wire used determined by
weight of flower head and where in design it will
be placed
 Large/heavy flowers closer to binding area
require thicker wires
 Small, delicate flowers require thinner wire
 Most
useful wire gauges are medium to fine
 #22, #24, #26, and #28 most common
gauges for corsage work
 Use lightest possible to do the job
 Trim out excess wire during construction to
keep pieces lightweight and stems less bulky
5th per. 4/24
 After
individual pieces wired, taped for
added security
 Floral tape (aka green tape and stem wrap):
used to hide wire and conceal mechanics
o Paraffin-coated paper that clings to itself when
stretched
 Available
in variety of hues and other colors
 Choose floral tape similar to color of natural
stem color or occasionally to match floret
2nd per. 4/24
 Most
common method for roses, carnations, other
similarly shaped flowers with rounded head and
visible calyx
 Straight wire is pierced/poked through stem
 Individual
rose petals may be used to form
tiny rose buds for accents and contrast
 Carnation petals used to make smaller
flowers
o New stems made using wire and tape for both
 Feathering:
process of splitting a carnation apart
 Feathering large, standard carnations takes time
and effort
o Allows for more versatility in design
o Beneficial if miniature carnations needed and not
available
o Secure petals with tape, wrap wire around new “calyx”
and tape like normal
 Usually
used for chrysanthemums, asters,
daisies, gerberas, and other flowers with
flattened heads lacking a visible calyx
 Hook or shepherd’s crook formed on one end of
a wire
 Straight end poked into center of the disc
portion of the flower head
 Pull downward through the top of the floret
o Hook will catch itself inside flower to help support it
and strengthen the stem
 Similar
to hook-wiring
 Uses fine wire to support fragile and tiny florets
that cannot be wired with any other method
 Straight wire shaped into a U-shape, like a hairpin
 Both ends of U-shaped, fine wire inserted into top
center of floret to support and make new stem
 Also placed around Alstroemeria floret for gentle
support
 Allows
more versatility
 Highly efficient in wiring other plant
materials
o Example: place around main stem portion of
compound leaf (Leatherleaf) or placed through
little stems of hypericum berry cluster
 Method
orchids
also used for flat-headed, delicate
 Similar
to hook, except no hook required
 Also similar to pierce, except no wire pokes
all the way out the other stem
 Straight end of wire lined up parallel to stem
and inserted directly into underside of flower
 Used for single composite blossoms
o Dahlias, gerberas, zinnias, ranunculus blossoms
 Used
to strengthen many types of flowers
 Efficient in giving the flower head support
and lengthening the stem
 Also
known as “clutch wiring” because newly
formed cluster looks like miniature “clutch”
bridal bouquet
 Used for filler flowers and small clusters of tiny
mass flowers
 Group delicate stems and petite flowers
together quickly for use in designs
 Wire wrapped around all the tiny stems to
secure them together and form a new single
cluster
5th per. 4/27
 Also
called “cross-pierce wiring”
 Uses two wires that are inserted into the
stem just below the flower
 Generally, one wire medium gauge (#24) and
offers support for flower and stem
 Second wire poked into stem perpendicular
to first wire
o Can be same gauge or finer to keep moistened
cotton or tissue in place
 Cross-wiring
with moistened cotton on stem end
recommended for many types of orchids, lilies,
and gardenias
 When cross-wiring lilies, remove pollen-covered
anthers to prevent staining
 Gardenias are fragile and easily bruised
o Keep your hands wet
 When
wiring, leave protective collar on gardenias
o Keeps flowers positioned and protects petals
o Use finer gauge wire
2nd per. 4/27
3rd per. 4/27
 Flower
stem thickness and position of flower (in
corsage / floral piece) will determine best method
of wiring
 “Stems” invented to save time and effort
 Example: stephanotis stems manufactured
specifically to provide stem and keep stephanotis
flowers from wilting
 Before using stephanotis, condition them in cool
water to firm them up
 Corsage
pins / jewel pins can be added
down the throat of stephanotis florets to help
support and add color/sparkle to flower and
design
 Used
to lengthen stems and provide support to
individual leaves of camellia, ivy, salal, and other
broad-leaf foliage
 Similar to making a stich with a needle and thread,
but instead fine wire is used
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 Corsages,
boutonnieres, and other floral
pieces to wear often rely on accessories to
enhance theme and create unified design
 Ribbon, jewels, or shiny wire used
 Flowers/designs can be sprayed with
colorful tints and shimmering glitter
 Main purpose is to accent flowers, not
overwhelm
 Multi-looped
bows, ribbon loops popular
 Size of bow or loops determined by design
style, where it will be worn, preferred
construction techniques, and popular trends
 Large bow in corsage can be overpowering
 multi-looped bow creates foundation for
construction if flowers are glued/taped in
 Ribbon
loops accent flowers and add color
and texture throughout entire design
 Unifies design
 Loops and ribbon flags made in multiple
ways
 Provides
background
 Creates fullness without adding weight
 Sold on small bolts, usually 6” wide
 Available in variety of colors, patterns,
textures, and styles
 Choose
ones that are not scratchy and stiff for
corsages
 Can cut into sections, forming fans, butterflies,
or tufts
 Several methods used to make net background
 Smoother appearance: fold netting pieces to
form tuft without cut edges
 Can fold a piece, wire and tape
o Gives softer, fluffier tuft of netting
5th per. 4/28
 Many
manufactured specifically for corsage use
 Range in style
o Cute, youthful such as butterflies and ladybugs or more
elegant such as pearls and rhinestones
 Lightweight
holiday and seasonal novelties made
as well
 Generally have wire attached for ease of use
 Not all need wire or tape
 Low-temperature glues and liquid or spray
adhesives may be used
2nd per. 4/28
 Also
called “glamour leaves”
 Added to corsages and boutonnieres in
addition to fresh foliage
 Available in variety of colors, sizes, textures,
and cluster groupings
 Add color and texture accents throughout
design
 Add touch of elegance
 Bullion
wire
wire: finer gauge wire and crimped
o Available on spools in rainbow of colors and
variety of styles and gauges
 Adds
sparkle and shine
 Useful in intricate design work with corsages
 Decorative and showy
 Fine wire also available with beads and
pearls
 Thicker
gauge and flat wire strong and
malleable
o Ideal for structural work (constructing wristlet
foundation or creating arm band or cuff)
o Adds artistic touches to designs to wear
3rd per. 4/28
 Spray
paints and tints, specialty sprays
 Manufactured specifically for flowers
 Add color and sheen to flowers / designs
 Follow directions on can or bottle
 Don’t hold aerosol can too close to flowers
while spraying
 Tipping: technique where edges of carnations
and other flowers can be lightly sprayed to add
color
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 Can
be made with single flower or multiple flowers and
various combinations and styles
 Learn how to make a single flower design then build
from there
 Can cluster smaller flowers together to form a
boutonniere
 Avoid making boutonnieres that are large and excessive
 Corsages/boutonnieres are secured to clothing with
pins
o Pins available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors
 Corsages
and boutonnieres usually have
several small flowers grouped together,
accented with filler flowers and foliage
 Corsages differ from boutonnieres with the
addition of bows and other accessories
 Constructing
corsages is similar to making
several boutonnieres and putting them
together
 Boutonnieres often made with single flower
such as a rose
 Multiple flowers can be used to form a larger
or more elegant boutonniere that gives
additional color and styling
 Boutonnieres
with multiple flowers and
leaves can have decorative ribbon or wire
added
o Gives visual weight and visual balance
 Large,
single flowers used to create simple,
elegant corsages
 Most common corsage design made with
multiple small flowers or tiny clusters of
flowers in infinite combinations and styles
2nd per. 4/29
 Settled
into position that seems comfortable
and safe within a cushion of another flower
 Smaller flowers (sweetheart roses, carnation
buds, tiny clusters) inserted into center of
carnation or other similar type of flower
 Cover
all wires with floral tape on stem ends
since they are visible
 Some twist or turn taped stems
 Can wrap with decorative fine metallic wire
or crimped bullion wire in spiral pattern,
winding down the stem and back up
5th per. 4/29
 Also
called epaulet corsages
 Worn on top of shoulder and cascade down
 Constructed similar to other multiple-flower
corsages
 Smallest flowers on ends wired with fine
gauge wire to let them move freely
o Should be more widely spaced
 Flower
made up of detached petals, leaves, and
other plant parts
 “fantasy flowers”
 Petals from roses, lilies, gladiolus, and
dendrobrium orchids used
 Petals and plant parts wired and taped to one
another or glued together with floral adhesive
o Speeds construction time
 Glamellia
corsage – made of various
gladiolus florets arranged to resemble
camellia
 Once constructed, accessories added
 Must
be lightweight, small, unobstrusive
 Made similar to shoulder corsage, but must
have wristlet of some kind
 Can be elaborate
3rd per. 4/29
 Commercial
wristlets/wristbands available
o Shimmering fabric and elastic, faux-jewel bands, cuffs,
bracelets, latch-type, Velcro
 Wristbands
attached to corsage in several ways
o Metal clamps, wire, ribbon, floral adhesives
 To
speed construction, flowers, foliage, and
accessories can be glued directly onto band or
glued into bow, netting, or foliage foundation
 Can
include live mums instead of artificial
 Be sure to have backing behind mum to protect it
 Can wire in several ways
 Spray with clear glue and attach
 Be sure to not crush petals or touch them a lot, as
they can brown
 Tiny
flowers or filler flower clusters secured in hair
with hairpins
 Small designs similar to boutonniere can be
attached to barrette, comb, or hair clip with wire or
glue
 Also
called a chaplet
 Floral wreath or garland for the head
 Popular for festive occasions and weddings
o Flower girls
 Take
head measurement before designing
 Made with wire, tape, glue, and flower clusters
 Originates
in Hawaii
 Garland or wreath of flowers and leaves
 Generally worn around shoulders about the neck
 Vary greatly according to flowers, foliage, and
manner of assembly
 Simple lei made with carnations
 Handheld
flowers and bouquets for young ladies at
special events
 Sentimental tradition since English Georgian and
Victorian times
 Flowers inserted into wet foam holder or tied
together (hand-tied bouquet)
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2nd per. 4/30
 Also
known as finishing spray
 Used prior to packaging
 Seals porous surfaces of flowers and foliage
 Inhibit water loss
 Help flowers and leaves in corsages, boutonnieres,
and other floral pieces to remain firm for a long
period of time
 Only
apply to firm, healthy flowers and foliage
o Will not help flowers/leaves that are wilted
Allow sealer to dry before packaging
 Package
carefully to prevent moisture loss, protect
floral design, provide attractive presentation for
receiver
 Several types and sizes of boxes, bags, and
packaging materials available
 Floral piece placed on layer of shredded wax paper
or orchid grass
o Cushions and protects design