Bouquets are lovely in their own right. The flowers chosen can evoke a particular mood, demonstrate a specific meaning, or reflect the holder’s style.
French braiding a bouquet handle can not only serve to protect the holder from the stems’ possible thorns and/or other uneven surfaces, but it can give a bouquet that extra panache and flair!
Add your personal touch of style to your bouquet with this easy method.
1) Hand-tie your bouquet with wire, floral wrap or even a simple rubber band will do.
2) Measure 5 to 8 yards of ribbon, (wrap the length around the bouquet before cutting to ensure that you have enough ribbon). The ribbon can be 5/8 inch to 2 inches in width.
3) Start at the bottom of the bouquet and begin to wrap the stems. As you bring the 2 ends of the ribbon to the front, crisscross the ribbon, alternately switching the ends to the other hand.
4) Bring the ribbon around the back after each crisscross in the front, keeping the left side under the right side. Repeat this as you move up the stems. Slide the ribbon down the stems as you go so that the braids are closer together.
5) Finish by tying a knot, then a bow over the knot. You can spiral-wrap the stems first with one color and then wrap the ribbon with the French braiding technique using a ribbon of a different color. By making widely spaced braids, you can let the bottom layer show through creating a beautiful contrasted look.
There are many bouquet embellishments to choose from. In addition to the French braided ribbon handles in the bouquets above, you may have noticed the lovely vintage brooches. We’ll explore more of these beauties in an upcoming post. Stay tuned.
Until next time, here’s a kiss and a smile! 🙂
