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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