In this tutorial I will explain a step by step how I make pocket boutonnieres.
What you will need
Pocket boutonnieres are really easy to make. All you need is some flowers and leaves, card in the size of you pocket, glue, ribbon and possibly scissors.
My DIY pocket boutonniere kits are available to purchase on Etsy. Bespoke kits are available, please get in touch to discuss.
Things you need to know before you start
As I work with dried and artificial flowers, I use a hot glue gun but I know some people who work with fresh flowers use flower glue.
Other people tend to use cardboard or a thin piece of wood but after experimenting with different materials I found that white card around (300gsm) is the best option. I realised that the thicker materials showed a visible line on the outside of the pocket. A lot of people have asked me about this so I have started to sell pre-cut boutonniere cards and DIY kits.
When choosing your flowers I would recommend including leaves as they work well at the back for covering the card and are great to layer the flowers on top of. I would also choose a filler, like gypsophila, and then a main flower like roses or hydrangea.
Make sure the flowers you choose aren’t too large. I suggest no flower heads bigger than 2-3cm.
Method
1. I recommend measuring the inside of the pocket before cutting the card to size. I use a guillotine for a better finish but this can just be done with scissors if you have a steady hand. The card itself won’t be seen once you’ve finished and it’s placed inside the pocket. Alternatively you can buy pre-cut boutonniere cards.
2. Take some of your leaves (I usually use types of eucalyptus, including parvifolia and populus) and glue them to the top section of the card. As mentioned above I use a hot glue gun for this.
3. Start to build on the leaves with your other flowers. This is a short video showing this. Here I am using a mixture of broom bloom, hydrangea and a few other dried flowers, but then also adding in some more eucalyptus leaves throughout.
4. I finish off with some ribbon. I usually use a white organza approximately 5cm wide. The type and colour of ribbon is completely your choice. Simply glue the ribbon around the back, wrap it around your card a few times, cut the ribbon at the correct length and then glue the end down around the back again. Watch my reel showing this process.
Unless you are planning to make quite a few pocket boutonnieres or other floral accessories it may be more cost effective to buy pre made pocket boutonnieres or one of my DIY kits.
The cost of materials can sometimes be more than you’d expect and may cost you more overall. (This may also apply for other floral accessories such as headband, crowns and corsages).