ribbon lei Archives - Casa Bouquet

I made ribbon lei cigar flower because I needed two lei for some honored visitors from Hawai’i and I did not have 4000 cigar flowers! I really enjoyed this craft and I am excited that these lei can be keepsakes.

Cigar flower is one of The Gardener’s favorite lei when we visit Hawai’i. We found a plant that would grow in our garden. Our nurseries here in North Carolina call it firecracker plant. It takes 2000 blossoms to make a cigar flower lei. I’ve got the right needle, but not enough flowers!

: Cigar flower or firecracker plant

: The Gardener loves a cigar flower lei!

Supplies

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You will need

upholstery or carpet needle

upholstery thread

40 yards 3/8″ satin picot ribbon

40 yards 3/16″ satin picot ribbon

50 inches 3/8″ acetate ribbon

small scissors

tape measure

if desired, 1/8 inch double sided tape

Instructions

Cut 10 feet of thread. Thread the needle and bring the two ends of thread together Tie a double knot about 4 inches from the end.

Find shiniest side of 3/8″ ribbon. Lay shiny side down. Find shiniest side of 3/16″ ribbon. Lay shiny side up on top of the 3/8″ ribbon. (You may want to use 1/8 inch double sided tape to fold in the raw edges.)

The ribbon I found came in 50 yard spools. I just kept the ribbon on the spool while I worked, so I didn’t cut it.

Notice that the picot loops on the 3/16 inch ribbon are 6 loops per inch. You will come up with your needle on the first loop and go back down at the 6th loop so that each stitch is one inch.

Sew in and out along the center of both ribbons until you have 8 or l0 loops.

Push the loops down to the knot. Start turning the loops so that it starts to make a spiral stripe. Continue to sew in and out every 6 picot loops, push down the loops, and twist until the lei is 40 inches long.

If you run out of thread, tie a knot tightly against the ribbon leaving 4 or more inches of thread. Tie your next length of thread at that point and continue.

At 40 inches, make sure your loops are pushed down and twisted to make the spiral design. Tie the thread as close as you can and cut so that you have at least 4 inches of thread. Cut the ribbons about 1/2 inch and use your double sided tape on the ends if desired. Take the two ends of the lei and tie together tightly with several knots using the two thread ends. Carefully cut the threads.

Next you will make a bow to cover the joint. Cut a 12 inch piece of ribbon and another piece at least 37 inches long. I used the 3/16 inch picot in these photos, but it’s a little easier to use a stiffer ribbon such as acetate or stiff nylon. Cut the ribbon diagonally to cut down on fraying.

With the long piece of ribbon, make a fold about 3 inches from the end. Hold this with your thumb and finger. Now make a loop that will be like a circle around your thumb, and hold. Twist the ribbon and make a loop about two inches long, grab with your thumb, and make a loop on the other side. Keep going back and forth, with a twist at your thumb. You should end up with 3 loops on each side, and a smaller circle loop over your thumb. If the ribbon has a shiny side, it should be showing on the outside of each loop. (I can manage to do this with one hand holding the ribbon, but you may want to use a clothespin to hold the loops.)

Use the 12 inch piece to go through the center of the top round loop and wrap around all the loops. Tie into a tight knot under all the loops. Use this same ribbon to tie the bow onto the lei at the spot where you joined the threads.

Resource links

- https://islandscene.com/diy-graduation-braided-ribbon-lei
  - Braided ribbon lei from Island Scene
- https://www.hawaiimagazine.com/content/7-hawaiis-most-popular-lei-and-what-makes-them-unique
  - 7 of Hawaii’s most popular lei from Hawai’i Magazine
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQEIq8J73BE
  - Joy of Crafting bozu flower lei from Ben Franklin Hawai’i

Coconut palm leaf lei

Gathered skirt for hula

Yarn lei

I learned to make a coconut palm leaf lei at a workshop with the fantastic Hawaiian musician, Kuana Torres Kahele. I really enjoyed this craft and wanted to try to make similar lei at home with my own windmill palm tree and ribbon.

Kuana Torres Kahele is a renowned musician as a soloist and with Nā Palapalai. He writes music, he sings, he plays instruments, he is a kumu hula (teacher), he makes Ni’ihau shell earrings, and he makes a huge variety of lei. I encourage you to listen to his music and look at some of the variety of lei making he teaches.

Supplies

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You will need

Coconut palm fronds, 14 or more (other palms have shorter leaves, so you will need more!)

Dental floss unwaxed

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Upholstery needle, 4 inches

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Towel or newspaper

Small scissors

Nitrile gloves if desired to protect hands

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Corrugated cardboard circle, 1.75 inches diameter

For ribbon lei, approximately 24 yards ribbon to make a 36 inch lei, 3/8 inch wide or wider

Instructions

Cut a circle from a thick, corrugated cardboard box. Make it 1 ¾ inches in diameter. Punch a hole in the center (it only needs to be big enough for a needle). Cut a straight line from the center to the hole.
Lay out a towel or newspaper to work.
You will split the palm fronds to make strips about 3/8 inch wide. Some fronds might make 3, some might make only 2. Halfway down the frond, insert the needle and pull. Turn the frond over and repeat from the same place to make a complete strip. Use your judgment to strip out ribs that might be two tough to fold
You will need 96 inches of unwaxed dental floss. This is a very long length to work with at one time. I suggest cutting two lengths of 48 inches and tie together halfway through.
Thread the needle and pull the floss through so you have a double thread. Tie a knot at 6 inches from the bottom.
Push the needle through the hole in the cardboard so that about half of it is sticking up. Place a coconut strip on the needle. Use the circle as a guide for folding the strip and piercing again with the needle. As you fold and punch, each fold should move a little around the circle. After 6 or 8 folds, you should have a circle or floweret of leaves.
When one strip is done, add another. When the needle gets too hard to hold (about 3 inches of lei), slide the cardboard circle off and push the lei down onto the string off the needle. Don’t mash together.
Put the circle back on the needle and continue folding strips into florets.
If you have used a 48 inch string, stop when there are 6 inches left at the needle end. Tie to the next 48 inch string pushing the knot tightly against the already formed lei.
Continue until the lei is 36 inches long, or the length you desire. Tie off the ends.
There will be lots of little curly bits along the lei. You may want to keep these, or trim them off with scissors for a cleaner look.
Allow your lei to dry in a safe place and enjoy!