These tissue paper flowers are made from toilet paper. Ordinary toilet paper, the roll sitting in your bathroom right now. I know how that sounds, and then you see the finished rose with its soft ruffled edges and colored petals and it is genuinely hard to tell what it started as. Soft paper is actually better than craft paper for this, because it crumples into petals instead of creasing, and it drinks up marker color beautifully when you mist it with water. Everything else you need is a paper cup, a marker and a bottle of white glue. It costs almost nothing, it takes an afternoon, and the flowers last for years.
To make toilet paper flowers, you stack several sheets of toilet paper, trace a circle around a paper cup, cut the layers out, color the edges with a marker and mist them with water, then crumple the layers up inside the cup to shape a rose. Each flower takes about ten minutes, and the only supplies are toilet paper, a marker, a cup and glue.
Table of Contents
Try this easy paper craft:
How to Make Paper Flowers With a Glass
If you’ve seen my past crafts, you probably already know that I’ve been using this glass/cup trick for quite a while now. I’ve already tried it with crepe paper and denim, and a lot of people loved it. So, I thought, what material should I try next? I wanted something that’s available in almost every household, and then it hit me: toilet paper. I’ve seen a lot of crafts using paper towels, but toilet paper? Not so much. So if you’re also curious if toilet paper works for crafts, the answer is yes, it absolutely does! In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to turn TP into a beautiful paper rose using just a paper cup.
Why Use Toilet Paper?
Like crepe paper, toilet paper has this nice texture that adds character to the paper flowers. It’s also available in most homes and can be colored in different ways.
The only disadvantage of using toilet paper is that it is delicate. I suggest when you try this paper craft, use a thick toilet paper. You can look for 5-ply toilet papes or paper towel for durability.
Have you seen our TikTok & Instagram yet?
Our viral videos are super popular and fun to watch. Here’s the toilet paper flower on Instagram, but the YouTube video is also at the bottom of this post so you can watch the full tutorial. Links below for all our socials. Follow and be the first to see our latest crafts. ⬇️
This tissue paper art is a budget-friendly DIY and one of the best kids craft ideas to try at home or in school. Markers are used to color the petals, giving the kids a fun chance to experiment with different colors and patterns.
Supply List for the Toilet Paper Flowers
- Toilet paper
- Markers
- Small paper cup
- Glue
Shop the Supplies
Here are the main supplies we used for this toilet paper flower, so you can grab the same ones and get straight to crafting.
Colored Felt Tip Marker Set
People always ask what kind of marker. These paper flowers are colored with water based felt tip markers. Grab this set and make any flower color you want.
Charmin Toilet Paper
What brand is the best for our viral toilet paper flowers? Charmin wins hands down. It’s thicker than most brands of TP, and it doesn’t have a quilted pattern. We think this makes for the best DIY toilet paper flowers.
Elmer’s Glue All
Most people think glue is glue, but I’m sorry, no. I’ve tried some other brands of glue and they either don’t dry clear or they are too watery. Elmer’s is always my top glue to use for making paper flowers with toilet paper.
*Some of the supply links above are affiliate links. If you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How to Make Toilet Paper Roses
Learn how to make toilet paper flowers with this easy tutorial.
Stacking and tracing
Start by stacking a few sheets of toilet paper. Place the paper cup, then trace the bottom.
Cutting and separating
Cut the circle, then separate the sheets. Make 20 pieces (21 pieces if adding a stem).
Coloring
Draw lines around the edges of each circle using a dark-colored felt-tip marker, then 4 to 5 lines in the center using a light-colored one.
Spraying
Place the circles in a single layer on a plastic sheet. Fill a spray bottle with water, then spray each circle until the color spreads. Let them dry completely.
Paper flower making
Take a small paper cup and cut the bottom. You can also use a wine glass is you have one. Now, fold a circle over the rim, apply glue to the edge, then overlap it with another one. Repeat until you cover the whole rim.
Adding the next layers
For the next layers, place each piece between the ones from the previous layer. Repeat until you have one piece left.
Adding the bottom cover
Apply glue to the bottom of the flower, then place the remaining circle.
Removing the paper rose
Flip the cup, and gently remove the flower.
Crafting Tip
Explore different color combinations!
How to Add a Stem to Toilet Paper Roses
A lot of people have been asking, “how do you add a stem to paper flowers?” It can be tricky with this specific style, but I found a way to make it work. Here’s what you need.
Materials
- paper cup
- 2 floral wires
- pencil
- scissors
- hot glue and glue gun
- colored toilet paper circle
- cardstock
DIY Flower Stem Tutorial
Step 1:
Bend the floral wires in half, just like in the photo below.
Step 2:
Twist the wires together forming a Y shape.
Step 3:
Trace the bottom of the paper cup onto the cardstock and cut.
Step 4:
Fold the circle in half to find the center. Cut it halfway through, then cut a very small triangle in the center.
Step 5:
Slide the wire into the center of the circle, then glue the opening closed to form a cone. Apply a generous amount of hot glue to the wire.
Step 6:
Apply hot glue to the edges of the cone, then quickly attach to the bottom of the flower. You might need to press the center a little bit.
Step 7:
The last step is to cover the cardstock. Take the colored toilet paper circle, cut it the same way as the cardstock, then glue it in place.
Creative Ideas and Variations
- Add leaves. Make leaves using toilet paper and green markers. Cut two leaves of the same size and shape. Take one, glue a floral wire in the center, then top it with the other leaf. Bend it a little bit, then glue it to the stem.
- Make a bouquet. Create toilet paper flowers in different sizes and colors to make a paper flower bouquet.
- Gift topper. Decorate your gifts with these paper roses.
- DIY Home decor. Glue it to a wreath to make a lovely paper craft.
Make rainbow toilet paper flowers!
If you are a fan of rainbow-themed crafts, try making this colorful toilet paper flower! You will be using four markers in different colors, just follow the tutorial below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do toilet paper flowers hold up over time?
They hold up well as long as they stay dry. Once the glue has set and the damp tissue has dried fully, the petals stiffen slightly and the rose keeps its shape for years indoors. Humidity and direct sun are the two enemies: sun fades the marker color over a few months, and damp air softens the petals. Store spares flat in a lidded box.
How many sheets does one flower take?
Roughly six to ten sheets per rose, stacked and cut as one. Fewer layers give you a small, tight bud and more give you a full open bloom, so vary the count deliberately across a batch and the finished arrangement looks far more natural. A single roll will make dozens of flowers, which means practice runs cost you nothing worth counting.
What glue works on toilet paper without tearing it?
White school glue like Elmers is the one to use. It is thin enough to soak in slightly without soaking through, and it dries clear and stays flexible so the petals still move. Hot glue melts straight through tissue and thick craft glue sits on top in a visible lump. Use a small dab at the base and let it tack before you keep shaping.
How do you color toilet paper flowers?
Draw around the outer edges of the stacked petals with a washable felt tip marker, then mist lightly with water and let the color bleed inward on its own. That bleed is what gives the graded look of a real petal. Test each color on a scrap sheet first, because tissue takes ink much more strongly than ordinary paper and a heavy hand goes muddy fast.
Can you make a stem for a toilet paper rose?
Yes, and the post includes a full stem tutorial further down. The short version is that a wire or a thin wooden skewer wrapped in green paper pushes up into the base of the rose and glues in place under the bottom cover layer. Add the stem after the flower has dried, not while the petals are still damp and fragile.
After cutting the stack of circles, do not separate the sheets. Color the edges with a marker, then spray them with water. Let them dry for a few hours. Keep in mind that the drying process will take longer if the sheets are stacked. Once they’re completely dried, you can start assembling the flower in a paper cup or glass. Make sure to alternate the colors for a rainbow effect. For this paper flower, I used 21 circles–5 of each color, plus one for the bottom.
More Paper Flower Tutorials
Paper Flowers
Paper Crafts
Paper Crafts
How to Make Toilet Paper Flowers | YouTube Video Tutorial
