Paper flowers not balloons

Party decorations are notoriously plastic heavy and short lived. Do we really need balloons and party poppers used briefly and thrown in the bin?  A couple of years ago I made strings of bunting from old race vests https://stitchedinsilver.blogspot.com/2018/03/  . This has been re-used several times and I've made more for our local parkrun and junior parkrun for them to use in the finish funnel instead of plastic tape. They seem to have gone down well.

After my running club annual awards night last year I challenged the use of plastic party decorations and offered my help for this year. I've made more bunting (four strings, total length 3 and a half double-decker busses.). In the place of balloons I am getting a group together to make these tissue paper flowers to decorate the tables.

If you would like to make some for your next party, there are lots of instructions to be found on google and you tube but here is how I made mine.

Using two colours of tissue paper, I've used club colours of yellow and black, Cut sheets of the main colour into quarters and the colour for the middle of the flower into six. Take four sheets of main and two of the middle colour.

You will also need a pair of sissors and a 30cm length of cotton string.

Fold the two colours in half lengthwise and make a crease to mark the centre line and open out again.

Put the two sheets of middle colour on top of the four sheets of main colour matching the middle creases.

Start folding along the short edge, accordion style, as if you were making a fan. The folds should be about 2cm depth.

Continue until you have folded the whole set and open up again.

Separate the two colours.

Holding the middle colour closed cut a fringe on each end of about 2cm depth

Cut a 'U' shape off each end of the main colour to shape the petals.

Fit the two colours back together again, matching the centre creases.

Close up your accordion and tie the string reasonably tightly around the middle. Not so tightly that you squish the paper.

Fold in half and strongly press the middle crease.

Lay the flower flat on the table.

Carefully, starting at one edge, ease the first layer of middle colour apart and pull upwards. Work your way around until the whole of the first layer is standing up. Take care not to tear the paper pulling up from the middle is best.

After the first layer, move on to the second and then the first main colour layer.

Continue fluffing one layer at a time until you have your flower.

Perfect to put on the tables, string as garlands or put on bamboo stems and arrange in a vase. No more plastic balloons!