Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Overgrown Willow web inspired by a traditional Dream-catcher
- 8 July 2015
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I wanted my willow armature to hint of a web-like dreamcatcher that grows in the wild rather than being a precise replica of the traditional craft technique. But I did weave it in a similar way.
Weave a strong wreath
For more detailed instructions on weaving a wreath see the Tutorial below
Soften the overall look of the wreath by filling the gaps with wool
Tie wool to the wreath and secure with a knot
Create a loop in the wool by loosely wrapping the wool around the wreath. I measured the loop to be about four finger width away
Move around the wreath creating wool loops
Moving inward start a second row of loops, this time looping the wool around the middle of the first row of loops
Add loops all the way around the wreath
Add a third row of loops.
Pull the loops to the middle point of the wreath. Because I wanted my design to look more natural and because the mid-point would be the focal point of my design I moved this gathering point slightly off-center.
Secure the loops with a knot
Glue in small clumps of moss
Add glue to the connecting points and sprinkle with moss.
Let the glue dry overnight
Weave in thin willow stems following the wool pattern
Manipulate each stem to make it more pliable.
See the Tutorial below for more detailed instructions on how to manipulate stems and twigs
Gently wrap each stem around the wool to cover the entire armature
Try to let the stems point inward towards the focal point. This creates the impression that the stems grow from the wreath into the design. Let the tip of each stem face inward.
Double up on some of the sections to create a natural feel
Loosely weave a few thicker stems around the armature to break up the wreath lines
Place tiny test tubes as a water source for the fresh flowers
See the detailed Tutorial below for instructions on how I make my own tubes from drinking straws
Glue in dried hydrangea florets.
See the detailed Tutorial below for instructions on how to dry Hydrangeas
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Tutorials
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...
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...
When you need to keep a tiny stem hydrated this is just what you need. If you can't find a suitable drinking straw... I also have an upgrade: tiny food grade pipe water tubes.
Use all three methods to dry hydrangeas to get three very different textures to use in design work.
Hold a dried hydrangea flower in the palm of your hand to smooth out the folds
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