How to Make Silk Arrangements

Set the silk flowers, the container and other supplies on a counter or other work surface at a convenient height. To make multiple arrangements for a wedding or event, line up the vases to make them all together. Repeat each step for each arrangement.

Create a vertical arrangement with silk flowers such as rosebuds, daisies, peonies, lilies or orchids. Florists usually suggest an odd number of each flower, such as three or five, is the most pleasing. Look at photos of floral arrangements in books and on websites for inspiration.

Pick a silk flower you want to use for the tallest one in the vertical arrangement. Hold the flower next to the vase. Cut the stem the wire cutters so that the flower is twice the height of the vase. Cut three more flowers 2 inches shorter than the first flower. Cut the other silk flower 3 inches shorter than the first one.

Cut three stems of filler flowers--the ones with clusters of tiny flowers--so that they will be an inch shorter than the medium-length silk flowers.

Hold a fern frond up next to the vase. Use the wire cutters to cut the stems of the three silk fern fronds so that the bottom inch or more of the frond will be inside of the vase---so there won't be any visible stems showing.

Hold the tallest flower stem and bend it slightly to one side to give it a more natural look. Repeat with the others flowers, bending some blooms forward on their stems and some to one side and adding some curve to the stems. With clean hands, pull the flower petals slightly open and make the blooms more irregular, like natural flowers.

Place a 2-inch layer of marbles or stones carefully to the bottom of the vase or floral container. These help to hold the stems and keep the lightweight silk flower arrangement stable.

Put the tallest silk flower into the vase at the center. Push the stem down into the glass or rock weights gently and firmly.

Add the second tallest flower an inch to the right. Position the other three flowers on the left--one at a time. Set one toward the back of the vase with the flower facing toward the back. Place one a little closer toward the front of the vase. Place the last one closest to the front bending forward and leaning toward the right. Use photographs of arrangements as a guide to placing silk flowers so that they resemble natural flowers; copy the curves in the stems by bending the wires in the silk flower stems.

Place one stem of filler flowers on each side of the center flower between silk flowers to fill in the arrangement. Place a third one to the right of the central flower toward the front.

Insert the fern fronds behind the flowers in a fan shape at the back of the vase. Put the first one about an inch to the left of the center flower. Place one fern frond to the left of the first fern frond and the last fern frond to the right of the first fern frond.

Create your own design. Make an unstructured, country-style bouquet by displaying flowers loosely in a vase in the style of freshly picked flowers. For a dome arrangement, place the tallest flowers at the center and add shorter flowers around them, with the shortest flowers at the outer edges, creating an arrangement with a rounded top. Use small filler flowers in the spaces.