Wednesday 24 June 2015

Easy Way To Make Leis

Make your own leis to wear at Hawaiian luaus.


Visitors to Hawaii are frequently presented with leis -- colorful necklaces made from large, native flowers. Professional and hobbyist lei makers may braid stems and vines together to make these necklaces, but the simplest leis involve only needle, thread and flowers. If you know string beads, you can easily make leis for your next luau. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions


1. Collect 80 plumeria blossoms per lei. If you don't live near plumerias, use another colorful, medium-sized flower such as carnations, orchids or hibiscus. Cut blossoms off with floral shears or sharp scissors and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready for use.


2. Cut a 45 inch length of dental floss or fishing line. Thread a lei needle or long needle and tie a knot to secure. Do not double over the thread.


3. String flowers on the thread from front to back, piercing the needle through the centers. Shift each flower to the end of the line, leaving about 5 inches of thread at the end for tying. Stop adding flowers when there are 5 inches of free space on both ends of the thread.


4. Remove the needle and tie the free ends of the thread into a knot. Keep the lei in a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to wear.

Tags: ends thread, plastic refrigerator, plastic refrigerator until, refrigerator until, refrigerator until ready