My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Craft a wreath chain to link a few bud vases together

Weaving a twig wreath is without a doubt one of my foundation techniques- I can't craft my work without it! You can read more about my foundation techniques in my book The Effortless Floral Craftsman

Fill a few bud vases with water and place it on your display surface

Fill a few bud vases with water and place it on your display surface.

Design note: if you want to move the display remember to place the vases in a tray. Even though the design is linked with the chain it is not bound together.

Weave a small wreath  from a twig or stem

Weave a small wreath from a twig or stem.

I have a lot more information about this in my book. But like... a lot, a lot. To get you started I have also included a wreath weaving Tutorial for you below this post.

To make it easier start by weaving a few wreaths before linking them

To make it easier start by weaving a few wreaths before linking them.

It is important that all the wreaths are the same size. I discuss how I did that in our email this week. Make sure you are signed up to receive the bonus tip email each Wednesday morning the moment the design is ready for you.

Thread two wreaths on a weaving stem to link them

Thread two wreaths on a weaving stem to link them. Secure it by knotting the stem.

Weave the stems into a wreath

Weave the stems into a wreath...

To start crafting a wreath chain

To start crafting a wreath chain.

Catch the last wreath in your chain

Catch the last wreath in your chain with a weaving stem, add a new wreath and start weaving the weaving stem into a wreath.

Keep adding wreath links to build up the chain

Keep adding wreath links to build up the chain.

Connect the top wreath link and the bottom wreath link with a new wreath

Connect the top wreath link and the bottom wreath link with a new wreath.

To craft a fun twig wreath for your design

To craft a fun twig wreath for your design.

Design note: here is something that I have learned... do not be too perfect in your crafting. I used to work unbelievably hard to get everything just right only to have my work look shop bought. I often had to explain when I say here is my "basket design" I don't mean here is a basket and I placed a design in it I mean here is a basket that I have designed. Nothing in my work was bought ready made. Frustrating lesson to learn. But I now believe people look for the artist's hand in design work. Don't make it too perfect.
I would love to hear your opinion on this. Do you look for the artists touch in hand made items? You are welcome to reply to our weekly email .

Slip the wreaths around the bud vases

Slip the wreath chain around the bud vases.

I have a bonus tip for you this week on making sure the wreaths stay in place.

Place the flower stems in the water filled vases

Place the flower stems in the water filled vases.

Making sure each flower head is displayed

Making sure each flower head is displayed.

Adjust the vases if needed to keep the chain perfectly level

Adjust the vases if needed to keep the chain perfectly level.

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...

23 June 2021 Submerged vine wreath armature to beat the summer heat

Water... lots of water- that is the answer to designing flower arrangements that survive the summer heat.

11 September 2019 Weave a small wreath in the side twig of a willow branch to keep a flower in place in your design

This is both a decorative and functional design solution. But most importantly, I think, there is absolutely zero waste.

11 February 2015 Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

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

18 April 2018 Clematis Vine Swing

Weave a delicate nest for a small spring design.

11 March 2020 Impossibly delicate Dancing Lady orchid wreath

Weave a wreath around a cardboard circle to create an almost lace effect... perfect to capture those first signs of Spring!

5 September 2018 Wisteria Wreath Vine

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

4 May 2016 Loosened Wreath Armature

Snip a dried twig wreath to undo the spirals to hang around a glass container

16 September 2020 Peg a wreath to the edge of a container

Another version of a design idea I showed you last month... A vine wreath armature to balance a dramatic single stem anthurium. Only this time I take it a bit further.

24 June 2020 Building up a wreath panel

Connect six wreaths to build up a hanging panel to display your flowers on.

27 September 2017 Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

Reshape a vine wreath into smaller wreaths to combine as a pumpkin

Favourite Flowers

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum or "mums"

Related Designs

28 July 2021 Linked This Way

A fun way to elevate a few bud vases into a display.

23 June 2021 Over Easy

A cooling design to celebrate the summer solstice.

11 September 2019 Transition into Fall

A sustainable, absolutely no waste floral design using willow to suspend your flower head in your arrangement.

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

18 April 2018 Swing Vine

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

11 March 2020 On-Spring-dium

A almost impossibly delicate oncidium (dancing lady) orchid wreath.

5 September 2018 Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines

4 May 2016 Ring-a-round

Open a vine wreath to create a spiral twig armature around a glass container

16 September 2020 The circle of making new things:

A wreath armature design for early Autumn... this takes the split armature Tutorial I showed you last month a little bit further.

24 June 2020 End Up

Connect small wreaths to create a pretty summer armature to arrange your flowers on.

10 April 2011 Feeling Funky

I wove vine wreaths to form a pyramid, one just slightly larger than the next. In the natural cavities between the wreaths I placed the roses and lisianthus in plastic covered...

20 January 2011 The last Vine Wreath

Every designer knows how to stretch their supplies. We use and re-use our dried plant material until our fellow designers feel like hiding it from us. I formed such an...

11 April 2011 Veiled Sunshine:50th Anniversary of the South African Orchid Society at the Cape Town Convention Centre.

Bright and sunny cymbidium orchids and roses, lilies, lisianthus and pincushions

4 December 2013 Red, Redder, Reddest!

My article and flower girl net basket design featured in the Red! issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

19 October 2016 There are Octobers

Autumn wreath

27 September 2017 As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin