How to make a wired flower center

A wired flower center is a vital part to any gumpaste wired flower. The main components of the flower centre is the wire, the gumpaste base and the stamens.

Follow along and I will show you how easy a simple wired flower center is to make. This technique can be used for most flowers using different colours and different colour stamen.

This is what I used:

Black gum paste
22 gauge wire
black stamens
needlenose pliers
gumglue

Step 1: 

Using the needlenose pliers cut the wire into half or one third. The wire should be about 4-5 inches in length.

Step 2:

Again, using the needlenose pliers, curl one end of the wire to create a hook.

Step 3:

Take a quarter sized piece of the black gumpaste. Work the gumpaste so that you warm it up with your hands. Once you have warmed up the gumpaste, roll into a ball.

Step 4:

Place a small dab of gumglue onto the end of the wire that has the hook that you created.  Then place the black gumpaste ball onto the wire.

Step 5: 

Place your index finger and thumb at the bottom of the black ball where it meets the wire.  Begin pinch the black gumpaste to the wire and roll between your fingers while continuing to pinch at the same time.

You will begin to see it taper the gumpaste down the wire, while still having a ball shape on the top. This will help to secure the gumpaste to the wire.

Step 6:

Peal away the extra tapered bottom or leave it on, it doesn’t really matter either way. Here you can see that I pealed it away to make it look clean. Then press the ball part on top flat.

Step 7: 

Take the stamen and cut them into short pieces.

Step 8:

Finally, stick the pieces of stamen into the flat part on top.

And there you go, a simple wired flower center!

Happy Caking!

Diane