My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Weave a willow wreath around a minimal pumpkin display

Place a display container on your working surface

Place a display container on your working surface.

Groom your weaving stems

Groom your weaving stems. Any pliable stems will do. You can (of course) cut autumn leaves to display.

Let's have a conversation about these weaving stems. I explain how I prepare them in this week's email and give you a few tips. Make sure you are signed up to join in. The sign up button is below the post.

Book readers turn to page 74 for more details on this kind of design. I actually think the design example you will find there is one of my all time favourite designs.

Prepare the pumpkins

Prepare the pumpkins. If you are using real pumpkins, wash and oil them (if you want) to make them last longer. I used these gorgeous glass pumpkins that I filled with tiny lights.

Cover the cavity with packaging tape so that the lights stay inside without dropping into the water

Design tip: cover the cavity with packaging tape so that the lights stay inside without dropping into the water.

Fill the display container with water and place the heavy pumpkins on top

Fill the display container with water and place the heavy pumpkins on top.

The pumpkins are actually part of the mechanics so choose pumpkins that are not only pretty but also heavy for their size. We are weaving the willow stems that places them under tension and the heavy pumpkins are ideal to place on top of the stems to keep them in place exactly where you want them.

Cover the cord and battery pack to hide it in your display

Cover the cord and battery pack to hide it in your display. Remember to keep the switch open for easy access.

Slip a willow stem below the pumpkin

Slip a willow stem below the pumpkin...

Place another stem on the opposite side

Place another stem on the opposite side...

Add the next stem and weave it into the first two.

... add the next stem and weave it into the first two.

I used the exact same technique that I would have used weaving a wreath. Only instead of hooking the stem end into the weave I hooked it under a pumpkin so that the cut end dangles in the water to remain hydrated.
If you are unsure, or want to brush up on your wreath weaving skills see the Tutorial below.

Keep adding weaving stems

Keep adding weaving stems. Curve them around to the stem next to it and weave them in to create a loose-ish wreath all the way around the pumpkins.

Simply weave each new stem in

Simply weave each new stem in so that the tips are free, the firm bit just below it is woven in...

And the cut ends are well below the water

... and the cut ends are well below the water.

To create a fun and growing wreath design

To create a fun and growing wreath design.

If this is too much green for you for Autumn... prepare the design well in advance. It gets even prettier as it ages. Roots will sprout below and the foliage will turn yellow. Perfect if you want to enjoy the design for a while.

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...

4 October 2017 Display wreath that hover around a big shiny pumpkin

For this design I wanted my wreath to be light and airy so that it just whips around the solid pumpkin like a breeze.

28 October 2020 Vase topped with a Hollow Wreath for Halloween

Create a dimensional wreath by assembling wreath vine to hug around an oblong container.

3 October 2018 Inside Pod Designing

Snip open a Physalis pod to create a cavity for delicate floral details.

1 September 2021 Above and below eucalyptus curve butternut cradle

Suspend a heavy butternut over water in an early Autumn design.

8 October 2011 Pumpkin legs

I wanted my pumpkin to lift its head slightly so that it is easy to see the beautiful sepals inside. Making tiny legs also prevent the pumpkin from rolling.

23 October 2013 Hanging leaves from a Hazel twig top bar

Create a free moving autumn leaf screen

10 June 2020 Overgrown vine tangle to suspend flowers in a clear vase

A zero waste and sustainable floral design solution to keep your flowers exactly where you want them without using floral foam.

7 October 2020 Floral wreath ring stem armature for a cute pumpkin patch in a stem vase design

Use a wreath to keep flower and a heavy little ghost pumpkin in place in a small vase.

Favourite Flowers

Salix matsudana "Tortuosa"

Curly Willow, Chinese Willow, Tortured Willow, Globe Willow, Dragon's Claw, Hankow Willow

Related Designs

13 October 2021 Gratitude

A minimal Thanks Giving design that is a modern take on a wreath

14 September 2022 Overgrown S-Autum-mer Swirl

Designing for somewhere not still summer not yet autumn weather...

12 October 2022 Ahead

Oh my... a corn leaf mummy head for autumn... looking ahead to Halloween styling.

18 September 2024 Finding balance

Balancing dried ribbons of foliage to craft a wind twisted floral display.

9 October 2024 As light as a super thankful pumpkin

Create a almost wreath floral display that is light and airy... looking like it was just harvested.

13 November 2024 Fall-a-la-lah!

Transitioning into the Christmas season... gently

19 October 2016 There are Octobers

Autumn wreath

4 October 2017 Whipped up in the autumn breeze

Give a loosely woven wreath legs to stand on to hover lightly around a pumpkin

28 October 2020 Magic Spell Number 614: How to make absolutely any task you need to do fun

A hint of a wreath table top design for pre-Halloween decorating.

3 October 2018 But what’s inside?

This week we are looking at the contents pages of my book... but more specifically at the sweet little pod design on the content page of my book.

1 September 2021 It’s butter… nuts!

An it's not too early to decorate for Autumn, Autumn design

31 October 2018 Scary stuff!

My Halloween design... with some scary stuff hidden if you can read between the leaves!

28 October 2015 On Pumpkin Coloured Days

Create a besom broom to sweep up those Autumn leaves

10 June 2020 All Out

An all out effective way of keeping a flower stem in the exact spot you want it to be in a clear water vase design.

7 October 2020 Let’s circle around to this one

Create a floral circlet to rest the little pumpkin on... but above the water line.