Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Midolino heart armature standing on Hana-Kubari legs
- 15 January 2014
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Secure two long pieces of Midolino with bind wire
Knot the Midolino and bring one leg down and secure with bind wire
Fold the other leg down and secure
Glue in a few cross cane pieces to create a smaller open surface inside. These cross pieces help support the flowers and keep it from dropping into the water below the armature. I use butterfly hair-clips to hold the cane while the glue dries. See the Tutorial below
Set aside the heart shaped armature for the glue to dry completely
Cut a few cane legs. They should be as long as you want the armature to be lifted out of the water. Split the cane at one end to create the Hana Kubari inspired legs.
Splitting the cane creates a natural clamp. This traditional Ikebana technique is called Hana-Kubari (pioneered by the Japanese Artist Keita Kawasaki).
Open up the split in the cane to slip over the cane in the heart shape armature
Clamp the armature with the cane legs
Clamp another leg.
Place a small drop of glue on each clamp and set aside to dry
Place the armature in a shallow container...
... fill the container with water
Cut the flower stems short and place it in the armature
Make sure the stems are in the water
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Tutorials
Butterfly hair clips are the perfect little claws to help you hold tiny items in place while you wait for glue to dry
Related Designs
This is my article that I wrote for the Valentine's Design Issue of Canadian Florist Magazine
A delicate... but robust armature framing a heart space.