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Silk Stocking Flower Making & Arrangements
By Kate Carpenter, eHow Contributor|
Colored silk or nylon stocking flowers are not only unique, but also easy to make. Almost any natural flower can be created by studying the petal shape and blossom placement on the stem, or you can design an original flower yourself. Silk stocking flowers are more delicate-looking than typical silk flowers, and your arrangement of handcrafted blooms will be admired because it is unusual.
Make the Flower Petals Using a 24-gauge wire, usually metallic for silk stocking flowers, cut lengths that will accommodate the size of your flower petal with 2 to 3 inches of wire left at each end to twist together. Form your petal shape from the center of the wire out, bringing the ends together and twisting them with pliers to hold the petal form.Make as many of these wire forms as you want petals for your flower. When you have all the wire petals made, cover each with silk stocking tubing and secure the stretched silk stocking at the petal base by wrapping thread or dental floss around the stocking material and twisted wire and tying a small knot. Do this for each petal. |
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If you want your flower to look more realistic or have more depth and texture, like the black spots on a tiger lily, use a small brush and fabric or acrylic paint on the petals. Experiment with how the paints look when you dilute them with different amounts of water and apply them to the petals.
When you have covered all the petals, cut a length of heavier wire, at least 18 gauge, or a thin wooden dowel, that will be the appropriate length for your flower stem. If you intend to have more than one bloom on the stem, such as for gladiolas, make your stem longer and cut two wire lengths that you will combine by twisting for a stronger stem. Create Your Flower Depending on the flower you are making, you might wish to have stamens in the center. If you do, attach the stamens first to the stem with green floral tape. Next begin to attach each petal you made to the stem by placing the twisted wire of the petal along the stem and stamen, then wrapping twice with floral tape. Do this with each petal until your flower is finished. Continue to wrap and cover the stem with floral tape until you either reach a spot where you would like to add a leave or another blossom or you are at the end of the stem. Cut the floral tape and press it down to secure it.Leaves can be made the same as a single petal. Add extra blooms to the stem by making a silk stocking flower on a shorter (4 to 5 inches) stem wire that you have covered with floral tape. When you reach the spot on the main stem where you want the extra bloom, hold the short stem tightly next to the main stem and wrap both with the floral tape. Finish you flower by gently bending and forming the petals of your flower to look natural. |
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Arrangments If your flowers have shorter stems and are not very heavy with extra blossoms on the stems, use floral foam to make your arrangement of silk stocking flowers. For taller or heavier stems, a vase filled with glass pebbles is better.A bouquet of only one type of silk stocking flower, such as roses or lilies, is attractive, particularly if you make a few stems of only leaves as fillers and add a few sprigs of baby breath. But a spectacular arrangement can be made when you combine an assortment of different flowers made from silk stockings. Color of wires Color of wire depends on color of nylon. Silver is most common. Gold wire goes well with red, and yellow nylons. Red goes well with red. Pink with pink.More ideas are available in our book “The Art of Handmade Flowers.” |