While we’re still waiting for flowers to bloom in the garden, why not make some of your own!
Textile flowers allow you to capture the fleeting beauty of your favourite bloom forever. The example shown in the photo is based on a tulip, but you can create whichever flower, real or imagined, that you wish.
Traditionally a textile hardener would be used to make fabric flowers but, in this method, the entirely natural qualities of beeswax are used. The advantages of this method are not only that there are no potentially toxic chemicals being used but that you are also left with an entirely natural fragrance. Not only will your flower look beautiful, but it will also give a very calming honey fragrance too.
You will need:
Pure beeswax
Fabric for petals
Fabric for leaves
Tiny scrap of dark fabric for stamens
Scissors
30cm of wire
Pliers
Bain Marie
Jug half full of very cold water.
Small plate
A hard boiled egg
Tweezers
Tin foil
In the tulip the fabrics are all tweeds from From the Mills. You can experiment with any kind of natural fabric so long as it allows the absorption of wax.
Prepare your fabric first. Cut three tiny strips of dark fabric approx. 20mm x 5mm. Cut four elongated petal shapes with a little extra at the bottom. Cut 4 strips of green fabric approx. 10cm x 1cm and one elongated leaf shape.
Create a small loop at the top of the wire and thread the three tiny strips of dark fabric halfway through it so that you end up with six stamen like lengths. Use pliers to crush the wire loop to secure the fabric into place.
Beeswax can be messy. Ensure that your working area and your clothes are protected from spills.
Now your fabric is prepared, its time to melt your wax.
Its important that 100% pure beeswax is used in this method. Beeswax is hard at room temperature and smooth to touch. Using blends or other types of wax will have different results which may be sticky and not hold their shape.
Melt the wax [about 25g should be enough] in a bain marie. Remove from the heat.
Take the wire with the fabric stamens and dip the fabric into the wax. Lift out and allow the excess wax to drip off before CAREFULLY separating the stamens. Although the wax will cool quite quickly, be very careful not to burn your fingers. Dip the stamens into the jug of cold water to set the wax.
Set the wire aside.
Warm the small plate and keep it warm throughout the next steps. This can be done by keeping the plate over a bain marie or rest it on a hot water bottle.
Carefully pour a little of the melted wax onto the warm plate. Add one of the petals and allow it to absorb wax until it is saturated. Carefully lift it out of the wax and allow the excess to drip off. Place the petal onto the hard board egg and mold the fabric into shape. Once the wax has started to set, peel the petal away from the egg and finish the molding by hand.
Repeat this procedure with the other petals.
Take a waxed petal and hold the base of it against the warm plate to soften the wax. Immediately wrap the base of the petal below the stamens on the wire and press and mold into place.
Repeat this process with the other petals.
Take the thin green strips and soak them then in the wax. Starting at the base of the petals, wrap and twist the fabric down the length of the wire until it is covered. Squeeze the fabric as the wax cools to secure it and create a smooth finish.
Fold the tin foil to create a rough former for the leaf.
Soak the leaf shaped fabric in the wax then lay over the leaf former until the wax in almost set.
Hold the base of the leaf against to plate to soften the wax then wrap it around the stem, squeezing in place to secure.
You now have a beautiful, naturally fragrant, forever flower.
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