Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman
Winter Woodland Chandelier
- 27 November 2012
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I wanted my design to look natural and shaped all the curves by hand (following a template) so that they are similar but not exactly the same. You will need to make a jig if you want all the wire curves and curls to be exactly the same.
Book launch gift: Download your free template booklet
Curl a heavy duty wire with pliers
Make the curls big enough to weave twigs around
Bend the wire down and to the right
Curl a second wire.
Shape the wire to look similar than the first wire
Shape a third wire.
and another and another. I made five curls for the small chandelier
Bend the wire round to point up.
Do the same with all five wires
Curve the wire again to the right
Do the same with all five wires
Curl the top of the first wire with pliers.
Match the second wire to the first
Curl the top.
Curl all the wires.
For the top handle to hang the chandelier from:
Curl the end of a long wire.
Keep the curl open to make it easy to hang
Give the wire a neat bend to lie flat.
Place the wire on a flat surface
Curl the other end.
This wire will hang in the middle of the chandelier
Match the curled wire to the long wire
Secure with wire
Cut the wire short and fold any sharp ends in
Secure the other end
Match and secure the next wire
Cut the wire short and fold back any sharp edges
Rest the wire on the mid-curl and space it out
Wire in the third wire.
Tie the other end
Secure the fourth wire.
Wire the other end.
Wire the last wire and bend the wires to space out and shape the chandelier
Spiral wire nest for the candles, tea-lights or flameless candles:
Spiral curl the wire.
Make the spiral just big enough for the tea-light or candle to rest on
Bend the wire up and around the candle
Shape the wire with your hand
The candle should rest flat on the bottom spiral
Bend the wire out.
Curve the wire
Curl the end in
Match the another wire to the first and follow the curves
Spiral and curve a wire for each candle
Wire the candle nest wire to the middle wire
and to the bottom curve
Bend the wire to shape
Wire in the rest of the candle nests
Design note: or weave a twig basket for the battery operated candles after adding the twigs.
Add a few more wire curls
The wire structure is ready to design with.
Weave in twigs. I used hazel branches, willow stems and seeded eucalyptus
Press the twigs to catch between the wires and wrap around the structure
Keep adding twigs. Don't follow the wires but rather create a filigree as plants do on a climbing structure
Wrap the twigs around the wire candle nest.
Use longer willow twigs to secure the other twigs
Let these twigs dry on the wire structure before adding the fresh plant material.
Weave in seeded eucalyptus stems, glue in the crystals, water filled test tubes and orchids
or add rosary vines and oncidium orchids...
Place the design on a glass vase to keep it stable while working on it
The glories of Christmases long, long ago Floral art Chandelier design ready to hang
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Tutorials
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Favourite Flowers
Curly Willow, Chinese Willow, Tortured Willow, Globe Willow, Dragon's Claw, Hankow Willow
Dancing lady
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