My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Knot a Lavender chain link necklace or floral crown

Pick a bunch of lavender

Pick a bunch of lavender...

Remove the foliage so that you have a clean flower stems

Remove the foliage so that you have a clean flower stems.

Set the stems on your working surface and let them dehydrate for a few minutes

Set the stems on your working surface and let them dehydrate for a few minutes. When the flower stems are just slightly droopy it is ready to knot.

If you are interested in reading why I dehydrate the stems to work with it you will find so much more information in my book.

Loop the stem around

Loop the stem around into a circle.

Push the flower head through the circle to knot

Push the flower head through the circle to knot.

If the stem is short make the knot catch in the flower

If the stem is short make the knot catch in the flower.

Design note: This is not ideal but you don't always have long stems to design with so it will work. I will show you an even better way to loop the stem if you have a more generous stem allowance.

Push the next stem through the circle

Push the next stem through the circle

Note... this stem is much longer...

Knot the stem and continue to weave it around the circle

Knot the stem and continue to weave it around the circle... as many times as you can creating a mini lavender wreath.

See the detailed instructions on how to weave a wreath in the Tutorial below.

Add the next lavender flower and knot

Add the next lavender flower and knot...

Crafting a long and continuous lavender garland.

... crafting a long and continuous lavender garland.

Knot the two ends together with a lavender flower

Knot the two ends together with a lavender flower.

By pressing the flower stem through both of the end lavender knots

By pressing the flower stem through both of the end lavender knots and securing it by weaving it into a tiny wreath.

Your garland is now ready to wear

Your garland is now ready to wear...

Design note: adjust the length...

Add more lavender knots to make the strand for a necklace

Add more lavender knots to make the strand for a necklace...

And less for a flower crown

And less for a flower crown.

Newsletter subscribers: this week I have a special tip for you on how to let a design like this dry... and still look beautiful. Sign up below so that you don't miss out on the bonus tip each week.

And book readers: Turn to page 111 for 2 ways to reshape flowers that are dry. Both techniques work really well.

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

1 November 2011 Weaving a twig wreath

For my design I wanted the wreath to look wind blown so I added a few loosely woven twigs into the weave. I also wanted to emphasize the autumn colours so I added a twirling...

11 February 2015 Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

23 July 2014 Twig Chain Garlands

Knot stems into decorative swinging chains

19 February 2013 Manipulating stems: Snapping at an angle, Bending, Spiraling, Curling and Straightening

Most stems, twigs and even sturdier branches can be bend into shapes. It takes practice and more than a bit of patience. The main idea is to slowly manipulate the branch without...

24 February 2016 Willow Spring

Set willow tips into a spiral to create a spring design

24 February 2016 Wire Wrapped Willow Garland

Make a continues length of flexible willow to weave or design with by wrapping the delicate stems with thin wire

8 July 2015 Overgrown Willow web inspired by a traditional Dream-catcher

I wanted my willow armature to hint of a web-like dreamcatcher that grows in the wild rather than being a precise replica of the traditional craft technique. But I did weave it...

24 May 2017 Chain link wreath weaving

Weave a few small wreaths to connect

5 September 2018 Wisteria Wreath Vine

Weave tiny vine wreaths on the leave stems of a stripped Wisteria vine

18 April 2018 Clematis Vine Swing

Weave a delicate nest for a small spring design.

7 September 2016 Willow flower crown

Loosely weave willow tips to create an ethereal crown

Related Designs

13 May 2020 be MINDFUL of the invisible stuff you add

Left over flowers and off-cuts are ideal to transform into a quick floral crown or necklace. This is the absolute easiest design, yet!

23 July 2014 Chain of Thought

Knot small stems into decorative chain garlands

24 February 2016 How to make an early Spring

Roll and set willow twigs into a spring

8 July 2015 How To Catch A Dream

Take inspiration from a traditional Dream-catcher design to create a floral armature

24 May 2017 Link

weave a few wreaths to link

25 January 2012 Three Drops of Floral Chocolate

The design drips down in three tiers each celebrating life, love and connection.

5 September 2018 Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines

18 April 2018 Swing Vine

Weave a delicate vine swing to nestle a small vase with spring flowers in

7 September 2016 You are all invited!

My article and Willow Crown design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine