How To Make A Crown Flower Lei? The 127 Detailed Answer

Braiding simple crowns out of wildflowers is such a healthy memory from my childhood and something I still enjoy doing.

Flower wreaths are actually traditional headdresses from ancient Greek and were worn to honor the gods on special occasions.

During midsummer in Sweden, many Swedes like to wear wreaths of flowers and braided garlands of flowers, which are placed on the maypole.

It’s such an easy and beautiful DIY, but often requires tools like wires and scissors that you don’t typically carry around on a summer stroll through the field.

Read on to find out how you can quickly make your own flower crown without wire.

DIY flower crown without wire

The easiest way to make this gorgeous headpiece is to make a looped flower crown (as I like to call it).

It’s a simple technique that anyone can learn after a few tries.

1. Choose your flowers

Dandelions are most commonly used for flower crowns, but you can use virtually any flower as long as the stems are at least a few inches long.

Herbs such as lavender can also be braided into a crown and make for a great, fragrant decoration in your home.

With a little practice, you can even select multiple flowers and herbs to use in the same crown.

2. Prepare the flowers

You can remove any stems longer than 3 inches to avoid bulking in the crown, but this step is optional.

Use a flower as the starting flower.

This flower should still have a very long stem to make it easier to grind.

3. Start braiding

Take the starting flower in one hand and place another flower directly under the starting flower.

Wrap the stem of your second flower behind and over the starting flower, aligning the stems on top of each other.

Continue with the next flower in the same way as with the other.

Place it just below the second flower, wrapping the stem back and over so the three stems line up on top of each other.

Keep grinding until you reach your desired length.

4. Complete the crown

To connect the end and start points of your flower crown, overlap the two ends and place another flower on top.

Using the same technique as before, wrap the stem around both ends several times and tuck the end into the corolla.

Repeat this step a few more times with different flowers to properly secure both ends.

5. Decorate your crown

If your crown has a few awkward gaps, you can use the loops to slot in extra flowers and simply tie the stems around the crown.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to use different types of flowers to make the crown more interesting and colorful.

Braided Flower Crown

Flower crowns can also be braided much like a traditional three strand braid you would use in your hair.

Pick three flowers and braid them together, placing the right flower in the center, then the left flower and repeating this until you have created a braid about 1 inch long.

Add a fourth flower to the middle stem and continue braiding until there is room for another flower head.

When you reach the length you want, tuck the end into the first braid to secure it.

If you have floral wire or tape handy, you can use them to secure different sections of the braid along the way.

Even if you’re not sure what kukui means to Hawaiian culture and history, you’ve probably already spotted the deep dark brown/black glossy kukui nuts.

strung into a lei and available at most gift shops on Maui. Once upon a time, wearing a kukui lei was reserved for royalty, but today it is given heartily to everyone to show appreciation and serves as a popular keepsake and reminder of a special Hawaiian vacation.

The truth is, the kukui nut tree means so much more to Hawaii.

“The seed has been sown. It budded; it flourished. It spread and budded again, connecting line to line, like the candlenut strung on a stem. It’s lit. It burns brightly and casts its light across the land.”

The kukui nut tree was brought to Hawaii by Polynesians who migrated to the Hawaiian Islands. Highly revered by ancient Hawaiians for its many uses, the kukui became an essential part of life, providing raw materials for medicine and healing, dyes, canoe building, and most commonly, light (both literal and spiritual). The word “kukui” means light or torch; its English name is “candle nut”.

To serve as a light source, kukui nuts were shelled, then skewered on a coconut frond and lit from top to bottom. The oil in the grains provided enough fuel to burn for several minutes. The oil, juice, and crushed flesh of the nut have also been used to soothe mouth sores, skin rashes, and act as a laxative. Other parts of the plant were used to make dye for tattoos and kapa clothing, and the trunk of the tree was used to build canoes. The kukui nut tree was a symbol of enlightenment, protection, guidance, and peace, and its spiritual powers are still believed to flow through Hawaiian culture and its ceremonies. In 1959, the kukui tree itself became the official tree emblem of the state of Hawaii.

Kukui nut trees are fairly easy to spot. Their canopy of silvery green leaves often glistens in the early morning light and provides a shady retreat from the hot midday sun.

Destination Residences Hawaii recently added a graphic symbol of the kukui leaf as a design element to the corporate branding as it represents Hawaiian culture – the essence of home, light, renewal and celebration, the very traits that draw visitors to our island home, year after year Year.

This instructable is for anyone who wants to learn how to do a lei po’o.

Lei Po’o are traditional Hawaiian jewelry worn around the head. They can be made of feathers, leaves, flowers or raffia. The lei in this instructable is made of simple raffia and can be used as an ornament for traditional hula kahiko (ancient hula dancing).

I love that lei po’o is viewed with reverence among hula dancers – it’s an honor to be able to make and wear a lei and be part of a tradition that stretches back to ancient times. Although this lei is incredibly simple, it takes a lot of time and patience (ahonui) to create. Ahonui is a virtue in hula dancing, and taking the time to create a lei po’o can be seen as an easy way to practice and celebrate this virtue.

– They can be worn on the back like a clasp on a necklace.

– They are usually worn sideways. When worn sideways, it should be on the right side when single and on the left side when married or engaged.

If you can string beads, you can make a lei! If you are lucky enough to live where plumerias grow, pick about 80 flowers early in the morning. Otherwise, you can use carnations, marigolds, orchids, roses or other medium-sized flowers. You can order loose flowers from Hawaii or buy professionally made flower leis from Hawaii Flower Lei

How to Make the Basic Hawaiian Lei

Hawaiian lei makers use a special lei needle that is about 10 inches long (you can order a lei making kit online), but you can also use a large sewing needle. Cut a 45 inch piece of dental floss or carpet thread. You will make a finished lei that is 36 inches long and that will leave you enough to tie the ends together.

Gently thread the flowers together by going front to back through the center of the flowers and, in pairs or threes, slide them along the string.

When you’re done, store your lei in a dampened plastic bag in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

How to make a Haku Lei

The haku style of lei is popular to be worn as a head lei. Small ferns, leaves and flowers of all kinds are beautifully woven together to create a stunning, colorful headpiece that can be worn around a hat or on the bare head.

In Hawaii we start with a base about 1 inch wide and 28 inches made from the pliable base of a banana leaf. You can use thick, soft cotton string or a piece of fabric.

You will need a length of sturdy twine to wrap the leaves and flowers onto the base.

Gather some fern, leaves and some flowers. Lay it on the ground and wrap the twine around it twice. Repeat this process, layering the groupings along the base until the lei fits comfortably around your head. Tie and done!

Lei photos courtesy of Hawaii Flower Lei.

Wreaths of flowers are the biggest trend right now and at this point it’s safe to say they’re not going away!

Although floral wreaths are highly coveted today for weddings and special occasions, they are actually a floral trend of the past, having started in ancient Greece where they were worn to pay tribute to gods and much later to represent peace, love and harmony .

Today we welcome the flower crown that represents celebration, some say fertility, plus there’s no doubt everyone looks so attractive in a flower crown.

Most florists know how to make a flower crown, but for those who are new to the flower business, this blog will show you the easiest way to make a simple flower crown.

Deliveries:

You will need wire, wire cutters or flower scissors, stem wrapping tape and crowning.

Floral Wire – You will need 22 inch and 26 inch wire. If you only have 26 inch wire, simply double it over to make the wire stronger when making the crown shape.

Floral Stem Wrap – This is the same tape used for boutonniere and boutonniere, self-adhesive wraps that stick to themselves and flower stems.

Wire Cutters/Flower Shears – Whatever your preference, you may find it easier and faster to work with both.

Crowning Glory – Slows decay and browning of flowers, vegetables and plants.

floral green:

There are so many variations of shades of green that you can use in a flower crown. If you are making a dainty flower crown, you can opt for smaller leafy greens. We encourage you to try many variations of green in your flower crowns.

Eucalyptus – is a great choice for foliage. There are several variations of eucalyptus that can be used to achieve this floral crown look as cute as it is bohemian.

Tip: Don’t limit yourself, experiment with different variations of floral greens when making your flower crown and try mixing greens together, it looks amazing.

Flower/Filling Stems:

Select your desired flower stems, think about what you want to achieve with the flower crown. For a one-sided raceme, the main flower stalk, referred to as a “statement flower,” these can be large dahlias or garden roses that look best with smaller surrounding flowers.

For the bohemian corolla so popular with smaller flowers, plenty of greens, berries, and filler flowers work to complete the look and feel.

Filler flowers should be chosen to complement the floral greens and flowers, use small touches here and there that add a lot of whimsy to the flower crown.

Be sure to choose different floral variations when using spray roses, choose buds and open roses to create movement in the corolla.

ranunculus

lisianthus

Julia garden rose

spray roses

wax flower

Hypericum berries

Baby’s Breath and many more – click here for the full list of flowers

Tip: Once you’ve mastered the basics of making a flower crown, there really are no rules when it comes to choosing flowers, greenery, and filler. Use a little of it or no green or more filler, it’s up to your imagination and creation. Just make sure that the flower crown is still composed of the basic principles of flower design, balance, harmony, proportion, movement and unity.

How to make a simple flower crown:

We promise it’s easier than it looks.

Cut your foliage to about 4 to 6 inches and set aside without having to wire your foliage ahead of time. Cut your berries now if you like, or you can cut later as you go. Cut your statement flower and flowers by picking the heads you need, remember to mix and match and use different sizes of the same flower. Trim flowers to about 1/2 inch to 1″ below the head of the flower. Cut your 26 inch wire into a piece that is about 5 inches long. In the main part of the calyx (calyx is also known as the sepal and is the part of the flower that contains the reproductive organs) go ahead and run the wire horizontally in the main part of the calyx just below the flower head. Bring the wire ends together and use your stem wrap to completely cover the wire. Go ahead and do this with all of your flower stems. Wiring is not required when using filler flowers such as wax or other filler flowers. Make a flower crown shape. Take two pieces of 22 inch wire and make sure you use the flower stem wrap to attach the wire on one end to another end to complete a horizontal line. Feel free to wrap the wire around your head at this point and find a starting point slightly in front of the ear, behind or even just in front of the ear. We find it easier to work with the crown open so you can maneuver later as needed. Take your little pieces of green, start one at a time, and place it on the wire using stem wrap to secure the green to the wire at the end of the stem. As you do so, be sure to overlap the greens to hide the stem wrap and pull on the stem wrap that is stretched around the wire. Add about 2-3 green stems cut off and then a bit of your fill flower of choice, use your flower stem wrapper to attach the fill flower. Make sure your stems are pointing outwards from the crown in the right direction. Add your flowers and berries the same way you added your greenery and filler. Be sure to look at the crown to make sure it looks balanced. Keeping in mind that most crowns have flower clusters that don’t go all the way around the crown, decide what look you’re going for. Be sure to treat the corolla with Crowning Glory, spray directly onto the corolla to slow down wilting. Wreaths of flowers can be made two days in advance and stored in a cooler in a sealed container, much like a gut or boutonniere.

Tip: Make sure to always use 100% Crowning Glory. Do not dilute it with water. Adding water will not fully develop Crowning Glory and has little effect on extending the life of your flowers.

Florist We’d love to share your flower crown masterpiece!

Submit your flower crown pictures and be featured in the August blog with appreciation for you and your flower shop! For all flower crown image submissions, email [email protected]. Don’t forget to add your name, business name and the designer of the flower crown.

Florists have a Flower Crown tip? Please share your feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions, please post below!

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If you love the boho look or just want a gorgeous cascade of flowers framing your face, we’ll show you how to make your very own flower crown! This tutorial is suitable for fresh, dried or preserved flowers and greenery (note: some dried products may be too brittle to form the shape you want). With a little time and creativity, you’ll soon have a custom DIY flower crown!