Heat water and ¼ cup sugar to dissolve sugar. About 2 minutes on high in microwave.

Holding the violets by the stem duck them in the syrup and transfer them to a sheet of parchment paper on a plate.

When all the violets are coated with the syrup and are on the parchment, sprinkle half the remaining sugar liberally over the violets. With tweezers turn the violets over and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.

Allow the sheet to sit in a dark, cool place for at least 24 hours. The fridge is good. When they are dried, trim the stem as close to the blossom as possible. Store, sealed air tight in a cool dark place for up to a day or two.