Do you want to preserve some of your flowers without dragging out thick books to press them in? Then you’ll be excited to learn about microwave flower pressing! This quick and easy pressed flower method preserves blooms in minutes.
In this blog post, I’ll show you this quick & easy method to press and dry flowers in a microwave in just two minutes. I’ll also share some tips for choosing the right flowers and a fun DIY project using them.
How to Press Flowers in the Microwave
OK, I saw this on Pinterest and thought to myself…no way that works!! I’ve had a few Pinterest fails in my time!! I’m still not over a few of them!! What I liked about this one is that it wouldn’t cost me a dime to give it a try…perfect!!!
01. Gather Flowers to Press
It’s Springtime now, so I went outside and picked the flowers that I had available right now which were mostly violas, pansies, geum, & lavender.
I figured I would try smaller flowers that would press well if I was doing it the old-school way…in a big book.
Common flowers that you can press:
- Daisies
- Pansies
- Roses (small)
- Marigolds
- Petunias
- Larkspur
- Zinnias
- Cosmos
- Verbena
- Ferns
02. Prepare the Flowers
First, remove all excess leaves from the flowers that you are going to use. Line a dinner plate with a paper towel. Place the flowers on the paper towel. Make sure that they aren’t touching.
I gave the flowers a gentle press to slightly flatten them without damaging the delicate faces.
Once I had the flowers set on the paper towel I used a second paper towel to cover them.
Then I topped the paper towel with another one of my dinner plates to weigh down on the flowers. This helps with the quick microwave pressing of the flowers.
03. Microwave the Flowers
Now I am not going to lie…this just felt plain weird taking the plate of flowers and shoving it into my microwave!!!!!
I checked the flowers every 30 seconds because I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take. Also, I was curious if I would be able to tell when they were “pressed”
It took my microwave 2 minutes to dry the flowers.
The cooking time will definitely depend on how powerful your microwave is and what flowers you are trying to press.
Just check every 30 seconds when you are trying this…you will be able to tell when they are ready ( they have the feel of dried, pressed flowers)
The picture below was at 1 1/2 minutes. They weren’t quite down yet!!
One thing that was quite impressive about using the microwave pressing method was just how vibrant the flowers stayed!! Usually with the traditional method of pressing flowers some of the colors fade away.
Microwave Pressed Flower DIY Project Idea
Now the fun part, making a pretty piece of artwork with the pressed flowers!
Any piece of cardstock or even a thick sheet of drawing paper would work for this; I used a natural cardstock that I had on hand.
I didn’t really have a plan in mind for how I wanted to arrange the pressed flowers…I just went with it and played around with the flowers until I glued them in place.
To secure the flowers to the paper I used a small ( I mean teeny!!) amount of white craft glue on the back of each flower and then pressed it into place on the sheet of paper. A toothpick with glue on the end works for the really small flowers
Making a Frame
This pressed flower art would look beautiful in a floating frame or regular frame. I wanted to try something a little different though.
First, I grabbed a Dollar Tree canvas, flipped it over, and separated the canvas from the staples using a small flathead screwdriver.
Once the canvas was separated from the frame I grabbed a pencil and traced the shape of the frame onto the canvas. Then I cut the excess canvas off.
To attach the pressed flower sheet to the canvas I used spray adhesive. Just a light coat of adhesive over the canvas and then I placed the paper on top and gently smoothed the sheet without disturbing the pressed flowers.
Staining The Frame
Instead of painting or staining the unfinished wood frame from the canvas, I used one of my absolute favorite crafting tricks…RIT fabric dye!!
You heard that right, you can use dark brown Rit fabric dye to “stain” unfinished wood!! It is soooo easy and only takes a few minutes! Bonus, no stinky stain smell to deal with.
In a container big enough to place the frame I added hot water (deep enough to cover the frame) and a few tablespoons of the dye.
Then I stirred the solution and added the frame, I had to use a heavy bowl to weigh the frame down and keep it underwater.
It took about 10 minutes to get the frame to the color that I was going for, then I did a quick rinse of the excess dye and wiped it dry with a paper towel.
You can see how I used this trick on other projects: Wood Bead Wreath and these Christmas Ornaments
Microwave Pressed Flower Art
To attach the frame to the pressed flower canvas I added a strong craft glue to the back of the frame (the side with the staples) and pressed the frame down onto the canvas.
Look at how pretty it turned out!!! This is one project that I will definitely do again!! It was really easy and I had everything on hand to make it.
xo, Jennifer
More Pressed Flower Ideas
See how to use microwave pressed flowers to create gorgeous pumpkins to decorate your home for Fall.
Featured
Learn 4 Ways to Dry Flowers
easy techniques to try
How To Make Dried Pressed Flowers In The Microwave
Here is a quick and easy way to make dried pressed flowers in minutes!
Materials
- Fresh Flowers
- Paper Towels
- Dinner Plates
- Microwave
Instructions
- Collect the flowers that you want to dry
- Grab a dinner plate and line it with a paper towel.
- Arrange the flowers so they aren't touching on the paper towel
- Cover the flowers with another paper towel
- Top with another plate to press
- Microwave for 30 seconds at a time and check the flowers.
25 DIY Projects Using
flowers & botanicals
Here are our latest projects!
Can You DIY Pottery Barn Style? (This Thrifted Vase Says Yes!)
Have you ever admired a Pottery Barn vase but cringed at the price tag? Don’t fret! Today I’m going…
DIY Decor Delights: Easy Projects for Year-Round Style
Are you tired of constantly redecorating for every season? Year-round style is the answer! Creating a home that feels…
DIY Vintage Butterfly Botanical Wall Art: A Beautiful and Budget-Friendly Project
Are you looking to add a touch of vintage charm and natural beauty to your home decor? Look no…
Spring Into DIY: 29 Easy and Creative Decorating Projects to Welcome the Season
Today I put together some of my favorite pretty Spring decorating project ideas for you to make to get…
Redhead Can Decorate – Milk Glass Fruit & Cheese Appetizer Tower
Our Crafty Mom – Bicycle Tire Sunflower Wreath
I Should Be Mopping the Floor – DIY Bulletin Board with Nailhead Trim
The How to Home – Shabby Chic Decoupage Plant Pot
DIY Beautify – Update Older Exterior Windows with Spray Paint
2 Bees in a Pod – Antique French Hat Boxes
Postcards From the Ridge – How to Decorate on a Budget
The Tattered Pew – How to Create a Simple Hat Wall with Hooks
Cottage on Bunker Hill – How to Press Flowers in the Microwave
Vinyet Etc. – Transform a Vintage Frame into an Antique Mirror
Amy Sadler Designs – How to Paint Flower Pots for the Porch
Songbird – How to Make Lace Napkin Rings Tutorial
What a fantastic idea! I love how easy and quick this method is for preserving flowers. Can’t wait to try it out with blooms from my garden! Thank you for sharing this simple technique!
Jennifer
What a great idea. Can’t wait to share next Sunday.
You are so clever! I can’t wait to try this with some of our flowers. Can you come help me? ha!
I never knew that flowers could be pressed in the microwave. Thanks for the idea 🙂
It’s crazy, right!!
I totally have to try this technique, no flower is safe now! 😉
Such a fun project!! Big Al will think I’m nuts when I start microwaving flowers! 😂
Absolutely beautiful and now I want to microwave every little flower I see lol. I mean it’s just so versatile. We might be selling our home soon so I’m thinking of going out to get a few flowers for a memory frame. Smart idea to use RIT, too!!
Jennifer- this is such a clever idea! I never realized a microwave could be used for this…so clever. And I love how you displayed them all…so pretty! xoxo, kristi
Such a cute project! I didn’t know you could dry flowers this way but I’m glad you showed us how! The colors are so pretty! Pinned!
Jennifer – this looks beautiful! My method is pretty much the same as your! I love how you left some of the stems attached. I’ll need to try that next time.
I will definitely do it again with other flowers…this was my test run to see if it really worked. I can’t wait to see yours!!
I’m trying thus with my Violas. They’re at peak so I know it’s the best time to make this project
What a fun project idea! It turned out so pretty!
You have to try it with some of your flowers! They would look so pretty framed in your house.
What a great project! I had no idea you could dry flowers in the microwave!
I know, I thought it was so cool!!
Do the flowers have to be kind of crispy.
Or after taking them out of the microwave, do you let them sit out for a while?
Hi Jill, no they don’t have to get crispy but you will be able to tell when they go from fresh to dried. They will dry out even more if you leave them out for a little while.