My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Weaving a ball shaped Dew-drop Catcher from grass

Weaving pattern.

Start to weave a few blades of grass. This will be the foundation of the sphere

Continue to add blades of grass.

Continue to add blades of grass weaving in and out of the weave pattern

Move the blades so that the weave pattern is in the middle of the grass.

Adjust the grass strands so that the weave pattern is in the middle of each of the blades of grass.

Fold the loose strands up.

Gather the strands of grass in your hand and fold it up. Do not bend the grass at a sharp angle. Do the same with your other hand, at the other side

Press the longest blades into the weave pattern on the other side.

Combine the bunch in one hand and gently press the shape to slightly bulge out. Tug and pull the longest blades of grass to reach all the way over the shape and start to weave these blades into the foundation weave pattern at the bottom.

Continue to weave the grass to secure

Continue to weave the grass to secure. In contrast to the foundation side the top side of the sphere is loosely woven.

Catch as many of the blades of grass as possible by folding the longer strands over the shape and weaving it over and under any blades that crosses the shape

Fold over the last loose strands and weave into the design.

Continue to pull the strands tight, as you weave, to shape the sphere. Weave in any shorter loose strands to create a neat ball shape

Slip the crystal ball between the grass strands.

Slip the crystal ball between the grass strands to lie on the woven foundation and wiggle the strands to close the opening.

Alternative:

Cut the grass to open the nest.

Wiggle the grass to open up the nest. Set it aside to dry.

Slip a rose into the hollow to display on a vase

so that it keep its shape when you put some weight on it and slip a rose into the hollow to display on a vase

Glue any dangling or loose strands to make sure the sphere shape is secure and add a few dew drop beads or crystals

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...

21 July 2011 Weaving a bird

I wove my bird from shaved wood but you can also use flax, coconut palm (more traditional) or paper or ribbon

1 February 2012 Weaving a diagonal green grass basket

Once you figure out how to do the corners weaving a diagonal shape is actually not that hard to do.

20 December 2011 Weaving a gift box with a lid from palm leaves

A great all natural gift decorating alternative

3 August 2011 Weaving a heart from shaved wood strips

I wove my basic heart shape from shaven wood strips but you can use flax, grape vine, willow or any other flexible plant material

5 May 2011 Wire baubles

Make baubles from wire

25 January 2012 Weaving Willow spheres

I build up the spheres by weaving willow wreaths and then use those to shape the ball

Related Designs

1 October 2012 How to catch a dew drop:

Weave a sphere from grass to catch a precious and exquisite and perfect glistening early autumn dew drop

4 March 2015 Oh!

Wrap and weave grass to create a rose sphere

15 April 2015 Bowled Over

Weave a sphere armature to complement delicate oncidium orchiods

3 June 2015 A watcha call it

Weave a sphere armature

12 October 2016 I found it this way: Bird nest design

This was the fourth design I did in my "I found it this way" floral art demonstration

7 December 2016 Oh! So clever

My article and Bridal basket design featured in DIY Weddings Magazine

25 January 2017 What is in a basket of spectacular?

Weave a basket with dangling edges for a single orchid display

17 May 2017 Nobody move!

Weave a small basket with a lid to keep fluffy treasures in

19 July 2017 Meraki

A grass armature for one perfect slipper orchid

13 June 2018 Eat up!

A woven bubble for a carnivorous plant.

25 July 2018 Lemon Aid

Use a lemon as a stopper to keep floral material in place

27 February 2019 It’s a trap!

Weave a trap to keep your floral details suspended in a square container.

13 March 2019 How to avoid your wedding treasures from becoming “after the event trash”

My article and grass wedding basket design.

29 May 2019 Creative Competition

This week I am so excited to share my article and design that was published in the recent issue of the Floral Art Society of New Zealand's Academy Magazine for NZ qualified...

26 June 2019 “Ok wow”

A design so fine you can easily miss it... if it were not for the interwoven pebbles catching your eye.

29 January 2020 Peekaboo

A light and airy (no floral foam but still long lasting) floral design for those days that you are really, really looking for signs of Spring.

22 April 2020 Yes… but what would she put in it?

Some floral fashion inspiration: weave a pretty clutch purse

9 September 2020 Daffodillily

Weave around the stamens of a lily to create a daffodil like inside.

31 March 2021 Criss-crossed

Hide an egg inside a interwoven nest for a dainty Easter decoration design.

16 June 2021 Dream Rescue

Weave the most delicate grass shelter veil for a gorgeous lily.

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.

23 March 2022 Chockablock!

Luxuriously filled design... filled with flowers... filled with grass. But most fun, for us as designers filled with hidden techniques

13 April 2022 Hop on… it’s Easter!

A cheery Easter basket for a new beginning

6 July 2022 Let’s play ball

Weave a spherical support to place long stemmed flowers into a bud vase.

26 October 2022 Arachnis Phobicus

A fun woven spider for Halloween decorating

4 January 2023 Around and about the new year

A glowing cranberry ball for frosty evening decorating.

5 April 2023 Where do you even start looking?

Easter egg... egg for Easter eggs

25 October 2023 Go on Autumn… glow!

Mixing permanent and fresh design ingredients to celebrate just how clever the glow of Autumn is.

1 May 2024 Favourite Take-Away

Basket weave container for some Spring floral treasures.