My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Over and under weave floral panel armature for inside a vase

Pick out three long blades of lily grass

Pick out three long blades of lily grass from the bunch.

Measure the lily grass for the horizontal weave

Measure the lily grass for the horizontal weave. It should just, just fit in the container.

Weave the first horizontal blade of lily grass

Weave the first horizontal blade of lily grass through the 3 long blades of grass. Fit it in the container to see if it is the right length.

Place the grass on a flat working surface and weave the panel

Place the grass on a flat working surface and weave the panel. If you are concerned that the pieces are not staying in place glue a blade every here and there just to support it while you are working.

It gets easier to keep the grass in place.

If you are new to weaving with grass... don't be put off... it gets easier to keep the grass in place as you build up the panel because every new weave supports the one before.

For a more detailed Tutorial on weaving with grass see below in the Tutorial section.

Book readers... I have loads, and I mean loads of hints on weaving in my book. I consider it one of my personal foundation techniques so I have included many examples for you to see if you want to take this to the next level.

Slip the panel into the container

Slip the panel into the container.

Curl the grass to drape over the front of the design

Curl the grass to drape over the front of the design

The method I am using in the picture is from my book... there is a trick to curling grass this way so that it doesn't damage and unrolls. See page: 289

For another method see the Tutorial below.

Slip the orchid stem through the panel

Slip the orchid stem through the panel and bend the stem back through the weave so that it points down. If the stem is left to dangle at the back the heavy flower head tips to the front and the stem will not be in the water to hydrate.

It also creates a neater back view

It also creates a neater back view that just looks more professional.

Fill the container with water

Fill the container with water...

Make sure the stem is under the water line.

Make sure the stem is under the water line.

Every week I add a new design with related tutorials. Be sure to subscribe to receive an email notification with design inspiration.

Tutorials

8 June 2011 Foliage Weaving

For this tutorial I focus on a simple weave pattern that does not require you to soften or prepare the leaves to be more durable or flexible. This is the starting point in...

2 July 2019 Grass Spiral Wind Spinner

Thread grass into flexi grass to create a spinner that gently turns in the wind.

15 April 2015 Stretching leaves and foliage into a ringlet curl

Most leaves and foliage can be slightly manipulated to curve or curl.

31 July 2013 Ladder-frog

Lash the orchid stems together to create a ladder for the flower to rest on.

16 August 2017 Criss-cross Monstera lace-up

Glue short sections of rosary vine into the natural gaps in the Monstera deliciosa leaf

23 April 2014 Flower catcher

Keep a flower suspended just above water with palm leaves

3 December 2014 Magnetic Twig Bundle Boutonniere

Glue a few twigs into a bundle to hide a corsage magnet

13 January 2016 Stacked Grass Pyramid Armature

Stack snippets of grass on a wire frame to make a floating pyramid armature

25 August 2011 Placing orchids in test tubes

Cut the Phalaenopsis orchid with a bit of green stem attached. This will make them last longer.

13 July 2016 Woven lily grass parachute armature

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature in a way that you can place the stems in two vases to keep it hydrated.

6 September 2017 Contained rose twig stack

Glue the twigs in a container to easily follow the round shape

4 July 2018 Bundle Support

Tie a bundle of lily grass in a bundle to offer support for your flowers.

Favourite Flowers

Phalaenopsis

Phalaenopsis, Moth orchid

Related Designs

15 January 2020 This way we connect

Weave a connected panel to frame a single orchid.

27 January 2021 Knot how it was supposed to go

When you figure out the "how to" tricks of manipulating plant material it is possible to respectfully set them into seemingly impossible new directions.

17 February 2021 From here in out

An all natural, zero waste design using only plant material.

10 March 2021 The way we curve

Tiny minimal design that explores curves.

2 March 2022 The thing!?! Do you remember the thing?!?

A design that visually plays with good proportions to allow the sheltered flower to be the focal point.

6 April 2022 Gaps between those in-between Spring days

Give a minimal design a few grass "whiskers" to feel that Spring breeze.

22 February 2023 Jump out at you

Early iris flowers in a bud vase.

23 August 2023 Note to Self

An easy to weave natural grid for summer floral arrangements.

1 May 2024 Favourite Take-Away

Basket weave container for some Spring floral treasures.

5 June 2024 hang out with.. you know… floristically speaking

Making what makes your floral details unique the focal point of a design

17 July 2024 Refresh-ing

A tall vase for a short orchid stem summer design

3 July 2019 Taking a Breather

A relaxing summer design that spins gently in the wind

31 July 2013 Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer

A tiny orchid stem ladder keeps the orchid suspended just above the water line

16 August 2017 Making Ends Meet

Criss-cross corset style connect the gaps in a Monstera deliciosa leaf

23 April 2014 Bound to Keep

Weave and tie a decorative catcher to suspend flowers

3 December 2014 Finding Common Ground

My article and twig boutonniere design featured in the Winter issue of DIY Weddings Magazine

13 January 2016 Once Upon A Time

Stack and glue a Grass Pyramid Armature

13 July 2016 Woven

Weave a canopy or parachute shaped armature for orchids to perch on

6 September 2017 One of those difficult questions

Glue a bunch of twigs inside a container to create a round stack

4 July 2018 Wonder

Tie a bundle of grass to support your floral details