Craft

from etcetera magazine August 2021

Farm life

Sarah is the author of craftinvaders.co.uk where she blogs about her original craft tutorials, recipes, foraging, and developing wellbeing through being creative, spending time outdoors and connecting with nature

By Sarah Whiting

Fuseaux de Lavande

Made by weaving lavender stems and ribbon into a cage that holds the fragile flowers, Fuseaux de Lavande, originating from Provence, vary from simple, small designs to large versions with the ribbon woven into intricate patterns. Lavender wands are traditionally placed in linen cupboards and drawers to repel moths and keep clothes sweet-smelling.

Materials − Freshly picked lavender stems (I used 15 for the wand shown in this tutorial) − 6mm ribbon x 1.5m

− thread or tiny elastic band − toothpick and scissors Tips ▪ Harvest Lavender in the morning, once any dew has dried ▪ Aim for stems at least 30cm long, the longer the stems, the easier they will work. ▪ Choose stems with flowers that are just starting to open, therefore most fragrant but firmly attached ▪ Always used freshly cut (more pliable and less likely to snap)

1. Strip all the leaves from the stem. These can be dried and retained for future crafts. 2. Line up the bottom of the flower heads and tie them together. I used a tiny clear hairband to secure mine, but thread also works well. 3. Tie the ribbon over the thread/band, leaving a short tail of about 30cm long at one end of the ribbon and the rest on the other. 4. The next step is creating the cage. Turn the bundle upside holding the flowers in your hand and pinch the bunch where it is tied. 5. Gently bend each stem down around the blossom heads. Score the underside of the stem section that is being bent with your fingernail to avoid snapping. 6. When all of the blossoms are encapsulated by the stems, pull out the long end of the ribbon, leaving the short tail tucked inside. 7. Start to weave the ribbon under and over the stems. Gently pull on the ribbon to make sure the weave is tight. The most challenging part of this process is in the first two rows of weaving. On the second row, you should be going under the stems that you had gone over on the first row. 8. Continue weaving until you have covered all the flowers. Use a toothpick to push any buds that stick out back into the weave and tighten the ribbon as needed. Wrap the ribbon around the neck of the wand and tie it off. Finally, trim the stems to the same length for a neat finish. ● Note: After your Fuseaux de

Lavande has dried for a couple of weeks, you may find it shrinks, and the ribbon becomes loose. If so, tighten the ribbon by pulling each loop from the top before retying at the neck. ● Lavender wands can last for many years. As the fragrance fades, squeeze or rub the baton in the palms of your hands to release more scent.