The Wong Ohana

One of my favorite leis to make is this Crocus Flower Satin Ribbon Lei. It is often a favorite of all who see it, and while it takes a lot of ribbon, a lot of time, and a lot of patience to create, it is also one of my favorites.

I recommend that if you are interested in attempting this project that you buy all of your materials at one time. If you try to go back and get more after you’ve already begun, it might not be the same die lot, and while it may look the same in your living room, it will definitely show on your finished lei if the colors are not an exact match.

You can choose almost any color combination, and it will look beautiful since the crocus flower comes in a wide variety of colors. I like to use a variety of greens for the leaves, sometimes choosing a deep dark green and others a lighter green depending on the color of lei I am making. Its up to you what colors you choose, so just pick out what looks nice together, or what matches your outfit and it will be beautiful!!

I also like to buy my materials when they are on sale, whenever possible since it does take quite a bit of ribbon to make this particular lei. So what I do is to buy up as much as I can when its available, in lots of different colors, and then gather up all the materials for one lei, and put it in a large zip lock baggie like a “kit”, so that when I am ready to get started, I can just reach for a baggie, and know that there is everything inside to complete my lei. I can create lots of different “kits” from one shopping trip depending on which colors I buy, and how much of each. I always try to buy up as much of the green as I can whenever I find it as this is the one constant color that you’ll use for each lei.

I have made this lei in many color combinations, but the one that made me fall in love with it, is the purple. I saw it pictured in a book while shopping one day, and just knew I had to figure out how to make it - and I’ve been in love with it ever since! No matter if done in pinks, white, yellow, oranges, or purple it always turns out to be special - and each one is my absolute favorite, until I find a new color combination to try!!

I’ve tried different kinds of ribbon, but the satin really does turn out the best in my opinion, although I also have a few special ones I’ve done that turned out just as stunning with multi-striped netted ribbons - so the choice is yours. I’ll just show you how I do it, and then you can take it from there and create your own combinations in your own choice of colors. And I’m sure each and every one will be better and prettier than the last!

And that’s what keeps me making these!!!

So lets get started - - - Here’s how we make a Satin Crucus Flower Lei:

MATERIALS:

* 25 yards 5/8″ satin or acetate ribbon (the main petal color)
* 50 yards 1/8″ contrasting color satin ribbon (the inside petal color)
* 25 yards 1/8″ green ribbon (leaf)
* 1 yard matching grossgrain ribbon (match the main, petal color as close as you can)
* 2 kukui nuts, or 2 wooden beads
* Size 7 quilting needle (If you hate to measure like I do and can’t remember the size, pick out one approx. the length of your index finger, and as thin as you can get it)
* Quilting thread, or other strong, thick thread that won’t break easily. I like to try to match the inside petal color as closely as possible.

I like to get started by cutting all the ribbon into the appropriate size pieces first. This makes it so much easier to just get started on the lei whenever you’re ready, and you’ll be able to start and stop, or take a break whenever you want to - and you can always pick back up where you left off.

So lets begin by cutting the green leaf color into 250 pieces approximately 3.5 inches long. You’ll want to cut the pieces at a slight diagonal, which will result in having angled cuts on both ends. Your leaves will look much better than just a flat cut, if you take this small tip to create your angled edges. It also keeps the ends from fraying as quickly, which will be very important in your finished project.

I find that its best to cut one piece from a different color just the right size, and then use that one as my “measuring stick”. Also, remember that 250 pieces is a lot of pieces, so instead of trying to keep track of counting to 250 without losing count, or getting interrupted by the phone, the doorbell, or the TV program you are probably watching, I just count out 10, and make a small pile. If you lose count along the way, and eventually you will, its real easy to start over again and get caught up, when its only 10. When I get 5 of these piles of 10, I combine them into a larger pile fo 50, and put them aside . When I have completed 5 of these larger piles, I know I have 250 pieces.

This way if you DO get interrupted by a bathroom call or “whatever”, you can come back and see exactly how many large piles you have, how many small piles you have, and know exactly how many you have cut, and how many you have left to go. Its really a very ingenious way of keeping track if I do say so myself!!

Now that you have 250 little leaf pieces, put them into the baggie and set them aside. Typically, I use the same baggie that I had my ribbons in, so everything stays in one place, and once again everything you will need to make your lei will still be in your “kit” baggie. If you get tired of measuring and cutting, you can always stop, zip up your baggie and leave it for the next day, and you’ll be able to pick up right where you left off.

Next, you need to cut up your main petal color into 250 pieces the same length as the leaf pieces. Count them out the same clever way you did the leaves, with the same beveled edges, and when you’re done put them into the same baggie with the leaflets.

NOTE: The inside petal color will NOT be cut, you’ll be using this as one long length, using a running stitch to create the loops that form the center of the lei. More about this later - just remember not to cut this ribbon at all.
Next, cut your grossgrain ribbon in half, with the same angled cut on both ends. This will be the tie that you’ll close your lei with.

Now, some people like to start immediately putting together their petals, and then add the ties last, but I like to start at one end with the tie and the kukui nut, and then just continue on down the lei completing it as I go along. Then when I reach the end, I just add the second nut and its done.

So lets get started, and make a lei!!!

“TO BE CONTINUED”

Filed under: Crafts, Hawaiian Crafts on February 5th, 2007