How to Make Paper Baby’s Breath Flowers (Easy DIY Tutorial)

A cloud of baby’s breath is the fastest way to make any bunch of paper flowers look finished, and the paper version costs you a few strips of crepe rather than a trip to the florist.

You’ll end up with a full stem of paper baby’s breath, made from crepe paper and craft wire in about twenty minutes, ready to tuck into a bouquet, wreath, or gift wrap.

I like pairing these with a bunch of crepe paper roses, the airy white fringe gives the bigger blooms somewhere to breathe. Once you have the wrapping motion down, you can make a full bunch in one sitting.

Paper Baby’s Breath at a Glance

• Difficulty: Beginner
• Time: About 20 minutes per stem
• Cost: Under $5, crepe paper and wire go a long way
• Ages: 8 and up, with adult help for the wire cutters
• Best for: Wedding bouquets, gift wrapping, and filler for other paper flowers

What You Need to Make Paper Baby’s Breath

Materials

• White crepe paper, for the fringed petals that puff into the blooms
• Green crepe paper, to wrap the stems and cover the twisted joins
• Craft wire, 18 or 20 gauge, forms the flexible stem; 20 gauge bends more easily by hand, 18 gauge holds its shape better once bundled
• Craft glue, to secure the fringed paper and the wire wrap

Tools

• Cutting pliers, to snip the wire cleanly to length
• Scissors, to cut the crepe paper strips and fringe

How to Make Paper Baby’s Breath

Step 1: Cut the Craft Wire Into Stems

Snip the craft wire into pieces about five inches long, one for every flower you want to make. Shorter stems work fine too if you’re filling in a smaller arrangement.

Step 2: Wrap Each Wire With Green Crepe Paper

Cut a narrow strip from the green crepe paper and wind it around a wire stem, covering the metal completely as you go. Dab glue at the very start and the very end of the wrap so it doesn’t unravel later. A little tension while you wrap keeps the paper from bunching.

Step 3: Cut and Fringe the White Crepe Strip

Cut a strip of white crepe paper about 1.5 cm by 6 cm. Snip small, even fringes along one long edge, leaving the opposite edge uncut so the strip holds together as one piece.

Step 4: Glue the Fringe to the Stem and Start Wrapping

Add a drop of glue to one open end of the fringed strip and press it against the top of a wrapped stem, fringe facing outward. Wind the strip around the stem as tightly and neatly as you can. The tighter your first few wraps are, the denser the bloom looks once it opens up.

Step 5: Keep Wrapping Until the Strip Runs Out

Keep winding the fringed strip around the stem until you reach its end, then dab a small amount of glue on that last edge to hold the wrap in place.

Step 6: Fluff the Fringe Into a Bloom

Run your fingertip lightly over the fringed part to loosen and separate the strands, opening the wrapped paper into that soft, blooming look real baby’s breath has. Repeat steps one through six until you have as many individual stems as you want in your bunch.

Step 7: Twist Two Stems Together

Take two of your finished stems and twist the bare wire ends together a few turns, joining them into one piece. This is where your bunch starts taking shape.

Step 8: Add More Stems One at a Time

Grab another stem and twist it into the joined pair the same way. Keep adding stems this way, checking the shape of the bunch as you go so the blooms sit at slightly different heights rather than in one flat line.

Step 9: Wrap the Joined Stems in Green Crepe Paper

Cut a strip of green crepe paper, glue one end, and wind it around the twisted wire to hide the joins. Once it’s wrapped and glued off, your paper baby’s breath bunch is ready to use.

Tips for Paper Baby’s Breath

• Mix a few stems into a bunch of other paper flowers instead of using them alone. The airy white fringe reads as filler, not the main event, which is exactly the job real baby’s breath does in a bouquet.
• Vary the wire length by an inch or two across stems so the blooms sit at different heights once bundled. Real baby’s breath never lines up in one flat row.
• Store finished stems flat in a box rather than upright in a jar. Crepe paper flattens if it’s pressed under weight for very long, and it softens in humid rooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does paper baby’s breath look realistic?

Yes, from normal bouquet distance the fringed and fluffed crepe paper reads as real baby’s breath. It works best as a filler flower alongside other paper blooms rather than as a close-up focal piece.

What gauge wire should I use for the stems?

Either 18 or 20 gauge craft wire works. 20 gauge is easier to bend and twist by hand, while 18 gauge holds its shape better once you bundle several stems into a bunch.

Can I make paper baby’s breath in colors other than white?

Yes, swap the white crepe paper for cream, blush, or pale pink and keep the green for the stem wrap. The same fringe and fluff technique works with any light-colored crepe paper.

How do I store finished paper baby’s breath stems?

Lay the stems flat in a box rather than standing them in a jar, since crepe paper flattens if it’s pressed under weight for very long. Keep them away from humidity, which softens the fringe.

Can I mix paper baby’s breath with real flowers?

Yes, it pairs well in a mixed bouquet since it doesn’t wilt or drop petals. Just keep the paper stems away from direct water if the real flowers are in a vase.

More Paper Flower Tutorials

• Easy Crepe Paper Sunflower for Beginners
• How to Make Crepe Paper Cosmos
• How to Make Paper Daisy Flowers
• DIY Beautiful Paper Flower Wreath

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