My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Mossy Twig handbag

Cardboard template to cut the twigs to the right size

Draw a large round template for the twig handbag.

Cut and pack the twigs on the template

Cut a few moss covered twigs to fit in the template and pack them according to size

Cut the twigs.

Start a second layer of twigs

You will need two layers of twigs and a third layer for the bottom of the bag

Add a few green twigs every here and there. Cut a few more twigs all the same length the width of what you want your bag to be. Set these loose twigs aside to incorporate when you wire the outer circle twig holes. These loose twigs will be the bottom of the bag

Drill two holes in each twig

Drill two holes in each twig. One hole about 2cm from the top and one about 2ch from the bottom

Make a hook on one end of the wire to catch the twigs

Make a hook on one end of a wire to catch and secure the twigs

Start to wire the twigs

Wire the inside holes first. Start at the middle point of the smallest twigs and work your way around. Press the first small first twig all the way through the length of the wire to lay securely next to the hook you made. Continue all the way around

Secure the wire.

When all the inside circle twigs are wired loop the wire around the hook. Pull tight and secure with another hook

Space out all the twigs.

Space out all the twigs and make sure the twigs lie flat. Bend the wire if required

Start wiring the twigs

Start wiring the second circle twigs. Again wire only the inside circle holes. Secure the wire just as with the first circle.

Start wiring the outer circle

Place the two circles on top of each other. Cut two lengths of wire. Again make a hook catch on each wire. Start in the middle of the smallest twigs and thread the wire through a few twigs. Do the same with the top twigs. Continue to work your way down and around the twigs.

When you reach about half way down on the side start to add some of the loose twigs that you kept aside to be the bottom twigs

Add thinner twigs for the bottom.

Wire a bottom twig between the circle twigs.

Do the same with the other side and include the bottom section

Now wire a top circle twig, one of the loose twigs and then a bottom circle twig.

Keep adding twigs and wiring all the way around to the level point on the other side.

Looking into the twig handbag from the top.

Continue to wire the outer circle twigs at the smaller, top side of the handbag. Pull the wire tight. Secure the wire by looping it at the first twig and wire hook.

Add bits of moss to the radiating twigs to soften it up

Add a bit of moss to the radiating twig bag to soften the design.

Mossy twig handbag.

The Mossy twig handbag is now ready to decorate with a few flowers

Cymbidium orchids, hydrangea, rosary vine ( Ceropegia woodii ), moss and hazel twig handbag.

Dusty green Cymbidium orchids, dried hydrangea, rosary vine (Ceropegia woodii), moss and hazel twig handbag.

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Tutorials

18 January 2012 Butterfly hairclip claws to hold twigs in place while glue dries

Butterfly hair clips are the perfect little claws to help you hold tiny items in place while you wait for glue to dry

22 May 2012 Bite and snap a sturdy twig

Break the sturdy twig on the scribe line.

Favourite Flowers

Cymbidium

Cymbidium, Boat Orchid

Related Designs

5 January 2012 Designing Your Way to Profits

Floral Craftsmanship Article in the Canadian Florist Magazine

8 April 2011 Large Open Weave Twig Basket

Easter Basket used in the Durbanville Flower Club Easter Parade Demonstration

15 March 2012 Basket full of BoutStix Floral Magnets

The favors at my Floral Fable design demonstration were BoutStix Floral Magnets

18 November 2015 Autumn is a mosaic of them all

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17 February 2016 Where would you put it!?!

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7 December 2016 Oh! So clever

My article and Bridal basket design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

11 April 2017 Well… we did it again!

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1 March 2023 … ish

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

19 April 2023 Short Cut

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