My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Hana-Kubari chopsticks

Splitting the chopsticks or a wooden branch, such as a willow twig creates a natural (and glue-less!) clamp.

This traditional Ikebana technique is called Hana-Kubari (pioneered by the Japanese Artist Keita Kawasaki).

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Tutorials
Ripping Flax
14 January 2011
Ripping Flax

Flax can be ripped into fibres creating long and versatile strips
Making a parasol
19 October 2011
Making a parasol

I glued wooden slats into a frame and then wove flax string to create the floral parasol
Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place
3 January 2018
Using a fork in a twig to “peg” a stem in place

A easy to use Hana Kubari technique
Hana-Kubari twig
26 April 2017
Hana-Kubari twig

Slip a twig over the side of a container to keep an elegant flower stem upright
T-connect twigs to shadow a design
18 January 2017
T-connect twigs to shadow a design

Split a twig to create a t connection to hover a twig over the design
Leaning Sunflowers to stay just so
27 July 2016
Leaning Sunflowers to stay just so

The trick to any freestanding design is to get your first three stems standing stable and secure in the water. Once you have that you can build the design around it.
Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source
20 April 2016
Free standing Willow twig armature with a hidden water source

Cut a few willow twigs to split to create legs for the armature
Hana-kubari Bamboo
1 April 2015
Hana-kubari Bamboo

Hana-Kubari is an Ikebana flower mechanic. Only natural materials such as pebbles, sticks and branches can be seen to support the flowers. Traditionally no twine or wire, nails, or screws or any other man made materials are used
Making a parasol
19 October 2011
Making a parasol

I glued wooden slats into a frame and then wove flax string to create the floral parasol
Related Designs
Happy Coincidence!
3 January 2018
Happy Coincidence!

Some designs really do just make themselves. I received this tiny vase for Christmas from Marius (thank you, Marius!) and while cleaning out my design room I found this little twig with a fork in it. Add a ranunculus with a ridiculously gorgeous curve in it's stem... done.
Sparkler
12 July 2017
Sparkler

A radiating twig design
Just A Bit
5 July 2017
Just A Bit

Glue a bit of grass snippets to suspend over the design
In no time at all
26 April 2017
In no time at all

Hana-Kubari twig armature
Look at you!
18 January 2017
Look at you!

Tie twigs to shape a hanging armature
Too Hot!
27 July 2016
Too Hot!

Leaning floral stems to stand on their own in a shallow container
That Will Be
20 April 2016
That Will Be

Freestanding willow twig armature design
Happy Dance
2 September 2015
Happy Dance

Split a few bamboo sections to create a happy water source for miniature orchids
In an Oriental Manner
19 October 2011
In an Oriental Manner

I wanted my parasol design to be thoroughly me, and thoroughly contemporary yet respectful of the guiding rules and methods shared by the different schools of Ikebana.