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Pipe Cleaner Tulip Step by Step
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DIY Pipe Cleaner Tulip

Have fun making a pipe cleaner tulip! These pipe cleaner flowers are easy to make and only require a couple simple supplies. They look great on display and make a fun Mother's Day gift!
Active Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Yield: 1 pipe cleaner tulip
Author: Debbie Chapman
Cost: $1

Equipment

Materials

Instructions

Step 1: Find what you need

  • Gather your supplies and materials.
    Pipe cleaner tulips supplies

Step 2: Make the petals

  • To make the petals you'll need 8 pipe cleaners of 1 colour.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • You'll also need a ruler -- or you can just guesstimate where the 2 inch mark is on the pipe cleaner.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Bend the pipe cleaner down at the 2 inch mark, bringing it snug against the next part of the pipe cleaner.
    Wrap the remaining pipe cleaner around the outside of this section 3 times, creating a petal made up of 5 sections.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • To secure the petal, bring the remaining part up through the center of the petal. Then pull down gently, keeping the outside edge of the petal nicely shaped.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Adjust the petal so each pipe cleaner part is flat and then pinch the top of the petal so it's a bit pointed.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Now bend the petal so the middle curves outward.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Repeat, making 7 more petals (for a total of 8).
    Pipe cleaner tulips

Step 3: Make leaves

  • To make a leaf for the tulip, hold 2 green pipe cleaners together.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Fold the pipe cleaners in half and twist the pipe cleaners together at the fold mark to keep them together.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Bring the ends of the pipe cleaners together so that the 4 sections lay flat.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Twist the loose ends together about 1/2 inch away from the end.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Then bend the leaf so it's curved in the middle and is pointy at the top, just like the petals.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Repeat, making a second leaf.
    Pipe cleaner tulips

Step 4: Put the flower together

  • For the tulip's stem you'll need 12 gauge floral wire or a wire stem.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Hold a petal against one end of the stem and attach the petal's "stem" to the wire stem with floral tape.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Connect 2 more petals evenly around the stem using floral tape. These will be the center of the flower.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Add a 4th petal so it sits between 2 from the previous row.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Then add the rest of the petals, spacing them evenly and wrapping the tape fully around the stem once in-between each petal.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Then scrunch the petals together so that they bend nicely towards the center of the flower.
    Pipe cleaner tulips

Step 5: Add the leaves

  • Wrap the floral tape around the wire, going down about half way.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Attach a leaf so it curves down and out. Wrap the tape around several times to keep it secure.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Then connect the second leaf so it sits 1 inch or so lower than the first one.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Continue wrapping the tape around the stem until you reach the bottom. You can wrap back up a bit too, to ensure the stem is well covered.
    Cut off the tape and wrap the last bit cleanly around the stem.
    Pipe cleaner tulips
  • Your pipe cleaner tulip is complete!
  • Now have fun making a whole bouquet of colourful pipe cleaner tulips.
    Pipe cleaner tulips

Video

Notes

Looking for more tulip crafts? Here's a few of our favourites:
Coffee Filter Tulips
Origami Tulips
How to Paint Watercolor Tulips