My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Knot a vine wreath and ripped grass bug net

Use a corsage pin to rip grass into sections

Use a corsage pin to rip grass into sections.

Cross over four ripped grass sections

Cross over four ripped grass sections.

Knot the grass in the middle

Knot the grass in the middle.

Split the grass into pairs

Split the grass into new pairs...

And knot the new grass pairs

And knot the new grass pairs about a finger width down the grass section.

Split the next new pair and give it a knot

Split the next new pair and give it a knot...

Move all the way around and knot the grass into pairs

Move all the way around and knot the grass into pairs.

Split the grass again and knot new pairs above the previous knot

Split the grass again and knot new pairs above the previous knots.

Move all the way around to knot and shape the net pairing the ripped grass with a knot

Move all the way around to knot and shape the net pairing the ripped grass with a knot.

Knot the last pair to close the side of the basket of the net

Knot the last pair to close the side of the basket of the net.

Gather the ripped grass together to attach to the wreath vine handle

Gather the ripped grass together to attach to the wreath vine handle

Design note: make the basket and the handle while the plant material is still fresh and pliable. Once the grass dries the shape of the net will be set.

Curve a vine into the round size you want the opening of the net to be

Curve a vine into the round size you want the opening of the net to be.

Weave a wreath using the vine tip

Weave a wreath using the more pliable vine tip to secure the wreath opening.

Adjust the handle by weaving in the cut end of the vine through the wreath

Adjust the length of the handle by weaving in the cut end of the vine through the wreath.

Book readers turn to page 284 where I show you more about manipulating stems and weaving it into small design details.
For more information about my book: The Effortless Floral Craftsman

Each net-wreath sits slightly different on the vine

Each net-wreath sits slightly different on the vine. This gives it a more natural look when styling the design... but it is also harder to get it just right for the look of your design. I do like the more organic look that the woven stems give to the nets. It is a bug net, after all. I wanted the design to look like it was created outside to catch... inspect... and release these curiously shiny bug that we spotted. Maybe on our Canada Day picnic? Made right there between the flowers, the grasses and the loveliest crystal bugs (more about those in the rest of the Tutorial)

I also needed a way to adjust the nets slightly to set them into a more pleasing position once done. You can manipulate the stems slightly to make them less bendy and more upright. See the Tutorial below. And you can also adjust the net. I wanted to show you how to do that in more detail so I added the picture to our email for this week. As always you are welcome to reply to the email if you have any questions or comments... or to say hi. The sign up is below this post if you are not yet receiving your Wednesday morning (Vancouver time) email from me.

Split the pair of grass open at a knot and tie it over the wreath part of the handle

Split the pair of grass open at a knot and tie it over the wreath part of the handle.

Secure the grass net to the wreath handle with a double knot

Secure the grass net to the wreath handle with a double knot.

Flair the net open and space the pairs out

Flair the rest of the net open and space the pairs out to fit around the wreath handle.

Knot the nets to the wreath handles

Knot the nets to the wreath handles.

Snip away all the dangling bits of grass to tidy up the net

Snip away all the dangling bits of grass to tidy up the net.

Place a collection of bud vases on your design surface

Place a collection of bud vases on your design surface. I am using a glass bowl as a tray to transfer the glass vases to our Canada Day lunch table. But you can also display the vases like this.

Book readers turn to page 194 where I tell you about all kinds of creative water sources. Basically any water tight container (I even have a tip for you on how to make things that are not water tight to begin with... watertight) can be used to display your cut flowers. Tiny perfume bottles looks amazing as a contrast for wild field flowers.

Add water to the tiny vases so that your flowers can remain hydrated even on a hot summer day

Add water to the tiny vases so that your flowers can remain hydrated even on a hot summer's day.

Place the bug nets in the vases

Place the bug nets in the vases.

If you find one leans "all wrong" you can adjust it now... see this week's email.

Add in the cut flowers

Add in the cut flowers... I grew the Baby's breath stems in my balcony garden. They look as delicate as a puffy cloud but last forever!

And a few grasses

And add a few grasses...

And finish the design with those shiny bugs I mentioned earlier

And finish the design with those shiny bugs I mentioned earlier.

Crystal bug body and bug head

Simply place a smaller dew drop crystal just above a bigger one (bug body and bug head) to hint at a few bugs frolicking in the design. You can find the Tutorial for placing crystals with a pin below this post.

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...

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...

8 July 2015 Using a pin to place tiny dew drop crystals

It's sometimes difficult to place a tiny crystal or bead exactly where you want it.

20 March 2011 Butterfly Net

You will need wire, a short stick, twig, dowel or bamboo and net.

11 February 2015 Stripping foliage from weaving stems

Remove foliage from stems to weave with

11 February 2015 Willow Heart Wand

10 January 2018 Long lasting flower wand

Create a long lasting wand with Kalachoe.

16 March 2016 Willow Parasol

Weave willow stems into a decorative parasol

3 August 2016 Hanging Willow Nest

Bend and weave a nest shape from fresh willow stems

7 September 2016 Willow flower crown

Loosely weave willow tips to create an ethereal crown

11 April 2017 A little nest for Easter chocolates that naturally hooks over the edge of a container

Weave a tiny nest with a twig hook so that you can hang it in a design

29 May 2013 Tiny Rattan Basket

Weave a thin and delicate rattan basket

27 September 2017 Tendril vine Wreath Pumpkin

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

18 April 2018 Clematis Vine Swing

Weave a delicate nest for a small spring design.

5 September 2018 Wisteria Wreath Vine

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

21 March 2018 Craft a Spring basket from a wreath

A wide gap nearly basket for nearly spring

24 May 2017 Designing an odd one out wreath

Adding floral material to a wreath design

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.

1 March 2023 Glue an early Spring basket from leftover cherry blossom twigs

After the last petal drops cut the blossom twigs into snippets to craft a basket with.

19 April 2023 Willow and Vine tiny stem Gathering Basket

Tiny stems are often also delicate stems... place your cut flowers directly in a small glass of water. A perfect fit for this basket.

Favourite Flowers

Gypsophila

Baby’s breath, soap wort, Gyp, Gypsophila

Related Designs

28 June 2023 Catch and Release

Ah... yes summer time designing. Anyone else seeing more insects hiding between the petals this year?

5 June 2012 Flower Girl’s Butterfly Net and Ring Bearer Bug Box

Two fairy tale design details that will capture the imagination of even the youngest members of your wedding party. A tiny bug box to carry your rings in for the ring bearer and...

11 February 2015 Love Spell

Weave willow to create a heart shaped wand design

10 January 2018 Let some magic find you

My article and floral wand design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

16 March 2016 Creative Expectations

My article and a floral parasol design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

3 August 2016 Practice

Weave a willow bird nest

7 September 2016 You are all invited!

My article and Willow Crown design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

11 April 2017 Well… we did it again!

Blossoms and chocolates for Easter

24 May 2017 Link

weave a few wreaths to link

27 September 2017 As tendrils tend to do

Curl a wreath with tendrils to create a twig-pumpkin

18 April 2018 Swing Vine

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

5 September 2018 Wreath Vine Season!

Weave tiny wreaths on the stems of Wisteria vines

21 March 2018 Bring some Spring

Just like the weather is only hinting at spring, so is this design only hinting at being a basket

11 September 2019 Transition into Fall

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

1 March 2023 … ish

An early... ish Spring basket glued from blossom twigs

19 April 2023 Short Cut

A tiny carry basket to gather the shortest stems from your cutting garden... with a place for water and your cutters.