Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Coiled Grass Armature
- 22 February 2012
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The wire is covered with wild field grass using a combination between the technique used by farmers to tie bales of wheat and traditional African coiled grass carpets.
Make wire rings for the armature. To create a coiled effect I made each ring slightly larger than the one before.
Cover the wire rings with blades and reeds of wild field grass.
Continue to make more grass covered rings.
Tie any loose end with fishing line to create very neat rings. Start connecting the grass rings with reed sections.
The reed sections not only connects the rings but also gives it stability. Simply press the reed through the grass ring and through the next grass ring.
Give the armature extra strength by adding longer reeds at places where it will carry more load.
Add a few long sections of grass to create a natural looking effect. Let the grasses trail over and around the coil to emphasize the spiral shape.
Add wire coils to mimic the natural coils of the dried grass and add a shiny contrast to the dull grass.
I also pressed a few straight wire sections through the rings to contrast with the reeds.
Once the armature is secure and keeps it's shape when held upright I attached wires to the back to create a stand.
The middle section lifts the entire coil from the table and the back section allows the armature to lean slightly back and stay perfectly upright.
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