My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Phormium - Flax, New Zealand flax

Phormium

Flax Christmas tree "cake" for the Floral Trends Design Group end of the year function. "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtle doves"

Common name

Flax, New Zealand flax

Origin

New Zealand and Norfolk Island

Varieties

Cultivated varieties range from green through pink to deep russet bronze. Also variegated cultivars with leaves marked by contrasted stripes of green, red, bronze, pink and yellow

Colors

Grey green or coloured edges and central ribs. Dries to a light green or stone

Vase life

Eight to ten days. Dries to a light grey green

Scent

Sweet nectar produced by the flowers

Uses

Flax leaves are very versatile. Use the leaves as accents or line in a design or wrap oasis. Mostly I weave and plait with the fibers or strips.

Conditioning

Hydrate the long leaves by bathing them in a bath of cold water. Wipe the leaf clean and if needed treat with leaf-shine. Do not condition the leaves before ripping

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Related Designs

20 March 2019 Hanging dangling eggshells with a twig and some ripped grass

Pierce eggshells to string it up for a delicate Spring design element.

20 March 2019 It’s all ===> right

Hang a dangling eggshell in a Spring blossom design.

7 November 2018 Book Launch Day!

Oh yes! Today is officially my book launch day!

7 November 2018 Ripped Flax Mittens

Knot delicate floral mittens from flax.

7 November 2018 Grab your party mittens, flower buds… it’s Book Launch Day!

Celebrating my book launch by knotting floral mittens using the design Tutorial from my book and the template from the free gift template booklet.

20 June 2018 A Bundle of Pretty

A dried bundle of ripped flax hides a secret water source for the orchids

7 March 2018 Phormium bubble frame

Curl and secure a few blades of flax into a bubble to frame your flowers

7 March 2018 Twist of its own

... a quick an easy design. Curl a few flax leaves to frame orchids

22 November 2017 Acorn fork

Wire and glue a few acorns into the fork of a twig to create an Autumn armature

22 November 2017 How do squirrels Cache a tree?

Hoard a few acorns in the fork of a twig to show off a single oncidium orchid.

23 August 2017 Twirl a ripped Phormium pumpkin pod

Rip the New Zealand flax to create a delicate fiber armature

23 August 2017 Almost is still not quite

Weave just a hint of the Autumn to come

2 August 2017 Two vase, two level Phormium snippets

Design in two levels by using two vases, the smaller slipped into a bigger one.

2 August 2017 Grace

Use snips and snippets and leftovers to create a design of it's own

1 June 2016 Binding a lily bud

Binding the bud to let it open in an exaggerated trumpet shape

1 June 2016 The ties that Bind

Bind a lily to create a trumpet shape as it opens

17 June 2015 Weaving Zori-inspired slip-on Sandals

Sandals made from bamboo, grass and sisal and a bit of satin ribbon for luxury

5 June 2013 Just not Flowers!

My article and woven ring-box design featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine

27 March 2013 In one basket

Weave a nest for an Easter design

27 February 2013 Just Meshing About

create a mesh to drape over the design to create a soft veil.

24 December 2012 Please have snow… and presents under the tree

Wire a Tiny Twig Treasure Trunk for small Christmas gifts

4 December 2012 'Tis the Season

My article looking at contrasts and 6 winter lantern designs featured in the DIY Wedding Magazine

26 June 2012 Diamond Jubilee Waterfall

To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee and the 20th Anniversary of Friends of Government House Gardens Society a Horticultural event was hosted in the gardens and...

16 May 2012 On the first warm day in May

A ripped flax, Ranunculus and Mikado Reed drop shaped nest

20 December 2011 Weaving a gift box with a lid from palm leaves

A great all natural gift decorating alternative

12 April 2011 Forest Experience

This was a Flower Fantasy Competition Design staged by the Helderberg Flower Club, Western Cape Association of Flower Arrangers

12 April 2011 "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... two turtle doves"

Flax Christmas tree "cake" for the Floral Trends Design Group end of the year function.

8 June 2011 Foliage Weaving

For this tutorial I focus on a simple weave pattern that does not require you to soften or prepare the leaves to be more durable or flexible. This is the starting point in...

11 April 2011 Flower Festival: Methodist Church Hall, Durbanville, South Africa

Six wall designs staged for the Durbanville Flower Club Flower Festival.

2 April 2011 Easter Parade Demonstration and Accessory Workshop

Advanced level Workshop: For my Easter Parade Demonstration I made 6 hand-tied designs within armatures. The concept was to pick up the design while demonstrating and to literally...

5 April 2011 Floral Carpet

Durbanville Flower Club: Nature's Treasures, A Floral Art Exhibition at D'Ville Shopping Center Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa

7 April 2011 Weaving with Flax

Here are a few more examples of woven flax. I also use Typha, palm, iris leaves, Kyogi paper, boat orchid leaves and aspidistra to weave with.

18 March 2011 SHAPE

Chrysanthemum Hourglass

14 January 2011 Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips

5 January 2011 Palm leaf Hopper-flies (grasshoppers and butterflies)

Weave grasshoppers or butterflies (or fireflies) from palm leaves

14 January 2011 Inspired by Nature

Flax leaves are ripped with a kenzan and wrapped with copper wire and small blue beads to create a rope to weave into a delicate spider web.