Pipe cleaner flowers are the craft that keeps giving, and these lilies might be the prettiest ones yet. All it takes is a handful of chenille stems, a few minutes of twisting, and you have a lily that holds its shape forever and never needs water. I have been working my way through different pipe cleaner flowers, and once you have a few kinds down you can gather them into one bouquet that looks like it came from a florist. They are cheap, there is no glue and no mess, and they make a sweet little gift for someone who could use a lift. Kids can help with the easy parts too.
To make pipe cleaner lilies, you shape six petals from chenille stems, add a cluster of thin stamens in the center, then twist everything onto a green stem and bend the petals back into a lily curve. One flower takes about five minutes and only needs pipe cleaners and scissors. Make six and you have a full bouquet of pipe cleaner flowers.
Pipe cleaners are pretty affordable, and you can easily find them in craft stores. Plus, the DIY flowers look absolutely stunning with this fuzzy wire material, and they even look realistic because of their soft, chenille texture. One of the most recent variations of pipe cleaner flowers that I made is this beautiful lily. I combined dark violet, light violet, and pink colors that perfectly complement each other. They look gorgeous in photos, but nothing does them justice as to how they really appear in person. Any color combo works, though, and I bet you come up with handmade flowers in your favorite shades.
RELATED: How to Make Pipe Cleaner Daisies
If you want to learn how to make these pipe cleaner lilies, then you’ve come to the right place, because this step-by-step guide will show you how to do it, and it’s so easy to follow that anyone can do it, even beginners, on their first try! You should give it a try and see for yourself. Gather your supplies now and make a whole bouquet of lilies using only pipe cleaners! We even have a YouTube video below for you to follow along as you make yours.
Here’s another diy pipe cleaner flower idea to try:
How to Make Pipe Cleaner Tulips
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Materials for Pipe Cleaner Lilies
- Pipe Cleaners
- Floral wire
- Floral tape
- Stamen
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun and glue stick
How to Make Pipe Cleaner Lilies
Step 1 (Making the Flowers): Fold 2 pipe cleaners in half, then take 1, and fold it again in half. Insert the other pipe cleaner through the folded one.
Step 2: Twist it twice to lock, then fold down both tails, and twist the bottom to lock in place.
Step 3: Wrap 1 tail tightly around the base. Repeat the steps to make 6 petals. Gather the petals and insert the stamen at the center of the flower and secure them with hot glue.
Step 4 (Making the Leaves): Fold 2 pipe cleaners in half, then insert one into the other pipe cleaner, and twist it twice to lock in place.
Step 5: Fold down both sides, then twist the bottom to lock in place. Repeat the steps to make 2 leaves.
Step 6: Attach the flower to the floral wire using hot glue. Add 2 leaves to the wire, placing them about 10 cm below the flower, then wrap and secure the entire stem using floral tape, and you’re done!
Pro Tip
Cut the stems of the Lilies shorter if you are putting them in a wide-based vase, and only keep them longer if you plan to wrap them with a flower bouquet wrapper.
Other Pipe Cleaner Flowers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pipe cleaners does one lily take?
Plan on about four chenille stems per flower: two or three for the petals, a piece of a thin one cut down for the stamens, and one green stem for the stalk. If you want a taller lily, twist a second green stem onto the first and wrap the join so it disappears. A six-flower bouquet works out to roughly two dozen pipe cleaners, which is one standard craft pack.
What colors look most like a real lily?
White, cream and soft pink read as lily instantly, especially with a yellow or orange center. Tiger lilies work beautifully in bright orange with a darker center, and stargazers go deep pink with white edges if you twist two colors together along the petal. Green belongs on the stem and leaves only. Keep the petals in one family and the bouquet looks intentional rather than rainbow.
How do you make the lily stamens?
Cut a thin pipe cleaner into short pieces, around two inches each, and gather five or six of them into a tight bundle. Twist the bundle at the base so it holds, then fan the tips out and give each one a tiny bend at the end so it looks like pollen sitting on a filament. Fix the bundle into the middle of the petals before you attach the stem.
How do you make pipe cleaner lilies stand up in a vase?
Chenille stems are soft, so a tall narrow vase does most of the work by holding the stalks upright. For a wider vase, twist two green stems together per flower for stiffness, or push the stems into a piece of floral foam in the bottom. A small handful of marbles or dried beans around the base keeps everything from leaning to one side.
Can kids make pipe cleaner lilies?
Yes, and this is a good one for them because there is no glue, no heat and nothing to dry. Younger children can twist the petal loops and pick the colors while an adult cuts the stamens and handles the scissors. Older kids can usually make a whole flower on their own after watching one. Fingers get a little sore from twisting, so take breaks.
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How to Make Pipe Cleaner Flowers – Lilies
