Caring For Spring Flowers

Spring brings us an endless number of blooms. Whether we decorate our homes with favourites such as tulips, daffodils, lilies and irises, or a more exotic variety like bird of paradise or anthurium, we relish their charm and beauty. But there’s nothing worse than seeing one of your exquisite arrangements fade before its time, so we’ve found some great tips to help you make the most of them.

Once you separate a flower from its plant you need to give it a new source of food and water. As soon as you make this initial cut, put the bloom in water to prevent the stem sealing itself while you find the perfect vase.

Clean any vase you use thoroughly with warm soapy water as any contamination in it shortens the flower’s life span. Use good clean tap water and add some ‘flower food’ – it’s a combination of nutrients for plants and you can pick some up at your local florist. Follow the instructions carefully and you’re on the right track to extending their vibrancy.

Cut the ends of the stems a minimum of one inch before you put them in the vase, plus whatever else needs to come off for it to fit into it. Make it a clean cut at a 45-degree angle with a sharp knife – the smoother the cut, the more water travels through the flower. Be sure to take off any leaves below the water line – this not only improves the overall presentation but also prevents any bacterial growth in the water. If the water becomes grey and murky over time, change it and cut the stems again.

Keep in mind the positioning of flowers in your home – they don’t like extremes so don’t pick a spot that is overly warm or too cool. Also, keep them away from wind and bright light. Some flowers such as tulips tend to grow towards the sun so be aware of this when putting them near windows in strong sunlight.

Remember that certain varieties of flowers last longer than others – carnations for example have a long vase life whereas roses don’t. To find out which flowers are best for your home, talk to the florist next time you buy a stunning spring bouquet.

Extra Tips

- Lukewarm water – not hot – helps your blooms open faster.

- Lily pollen stains. Be careful when you’re handling lilies or displaying this favourite spring flower on tablecloths. Trimming the pollen stem once the flower has opened prevents this.

- If your flowers seem a bit tired when you get them – don’t worry, they’re probably just thirsty.

Tip

Rotary cutters: These are very dangerous items and need to be handled with care. You should always keep them out of reach and away from children, and also adults, as some people do not realise what they are unless they have had the opportunity to use them. The blades are razor-sharp and can give a nasty cut. If it is not cutting properly, or running smoothly, it’s time for a new one.
When changing the blade save yourself a lot of time by noting how you have taken it apart. Lay the pieces down in the order you have taken them off and clean any lint from the section that sits behind the blade. You can put a tiny drop of machine sewing oil on this part to prevent rusting - it also allows the blade to work smoothly.

Technique

There really is a technique to using a rotary cutter. Before starting, open the safety catch and position the blade so it’s in front of the fabric. Hold the cutter at a 45-degree angle and always push it away from you, not towards you, and make long cuts rather than short ones to give a cleaner cut. Fabric can be cut in a single or multiple layers. If you are using a ruler to cut specific widths, lay it flat on the fabric and run the cutter against the edge, moving you hand along the ruler as you go. If you leave it at the start, the ruler will move and then your strips will not be straight and accurate.

Tip

Before starting appliqué draw the design on the background fabric with a fine-lead mechanical pencil marking the lines just inside the design lines to avoid them showing once you have completed the appliqué. If you are not able to see the design you are applying through the background fabric put both on a lightbox, or tape the design to a well-lit window with the background fabric taped over the top. Another method is place a lamp under a glass-top table with the design and fabric on the top.

Technique

There are many techniques to choose from when appliquéing. If you choose to hand appliqué always choose a fine needle. The eye should allow the thread to pass through it without having to pull it and it should also match the fabric you are applying, not the background fabric.

For needle-turn appliqué the seam allowance is drawn on the right side of the fabric and should only be 3/16in to eliminate any bumps in it when it is pressed. Pin the pieces in place matching the pencil lines with the ones on the background square. This can be done by putting a pin through the line of the piece to be appliquéd, then through the same spot on the background square. You will need to do this a couple of times to be accurate. Turn under the seam allowance with the point of the needle and hold it in place with your thumb. Working from the right to the left sew small stitches close together.

Tip

Use a very fine sandpaper board and mechanical pen to mark your fabrics. The board prevents the fabric slipping when drawing around your templates, and if you start drawing from one corner of the template towards the centre of it, then start at the opposite one and draw in the other direction, this will also prevents the same thing happening.

Technique

When making half-square triangles using the template-free method, cut two squares 7/8in larger than the finished size required. Place them right sides together and draw a line from corner to corner across one of the diagonals. Next, stitch 1/4in either side of it, then cut on the drawn line. Open the pieces out and press the seams towards the darker fabric.
For quarter-square triangles add 1 1/4in to the finished size, draw across both diagonals and cut on the drawn lines and press the same as before.