Don’t you love the scent of lavender? I do! Years ago I had lavender plants all over my yard. I would carefully cut the flower stems and bring them in to dry. When they were dry I would separate the blossoms from the stems. Then I would set the fragrant blossoms around the house in bowls, or gather them into bags for lavender sachets, to brighten the cloudy gray seasons with the scent of my summer garden.
Then one day, shopping at an outdoor market in Eugene, OR, I saw fragrant ribbon tied lavender wands for sale. Wow! A smile caught the corners of my mouth and a certain childlike way of viewing the world came over me as I admired the beauty of this natural craft. I bought one to remind myself to try this at home. Aside from the wonderful fairy tale quality of ribbon tied wands, it occurred to me that this was also a pretty and practical way to preserve the fragrance of lavender without going through the sometimes messy process of stripping the lavender blossoms from their stems.
Thyme Passes
Years have passed now. My huge lavender bushes are gone. I have a few small new ones I planted this year and last, but they aren’t very big yet. These days I have to look elsewhere to get a real taste of the beauty of lavender.
The Camas Farmers’ Market is one place I look. On a recent visit I discovered Lacamas Lavender Farms. Their booth displayed large bunches of freshly cut lavender along with a variety of lavender products for sale. Suddenly I remembered that lavender wand from Eugene and thought the time might finally be right for me to make some of my own. I bought a bunch of lavender and took it home.
Making My Own
Back home, I made a pitcher of Lavender Lemonade and looked up some directions for making lavender wands on the Internet. There I learned that it is essential to use fresh lavender when making your wands. It should have been picked within the last 24 hours and even then the fresher the better so that stalks remain supple. I was told that my lavender had been harvested the night before so I was eager to get started. I gathered various instructions, my lemonade and my ribbon, settled onto the back deck and got to work.
You can make lavender wands, or lavender favours, most any size. Some prefer to make slim ones by starting with fewer stems and staggering the height of the flower head. Some make more rounded wands with more stems. I read recommendations varying from seven to about thirty. The important thing is to start with an odd number of pieces, or an odd number times two. Then choose a piece of ribbon, 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, depending on the look you prefer. Your piece of ribbon should be several yards long.
A Good Place to Start
To begin, tie your ribbon tightly around the lavender stems just below the lowest flower head, with one end of the ribbon about 12 inches long and the other, preferably, on the spool trailing on the other side of the knot.
When the knot has been secured hold the bundle with the stems pointing up, flowers pointing down, and bend the stems, carefully, down around the flower heads, evenly distributing the stems all the way around. This will create a frame.
Gather the stems around the flowers like a cage. Pull the short end of the ribbon down through the flower heads in the middle of the cage and grasp stems and ribbon just below the flowers. Now take the long end of the ribbon and pull it to the outside of the cage at the top, close to the knot you tied.
Weaving Lavender Wands
Begin weaving the ribbon in and out of the lavender stems. If you chose an odd number of stems, weave the ribbon in a pattern of over one, then under one stem. If you chose an odd number times two, pair up the stems and weave the ribbon over two, then under two stems. Each pair of stems should continue to work as one as you weave the ribbon around the lavender wand.
Push the ribbon together as snugly as desired, keeping it as even as possible while you weave. When the ribbon is woven to the bottom of the lavender flowers pull the short end of the ribbon through the stems to the outside and tie it with the long end of the ribbon into a tight bow. Add another length of ribbon to wrap the stems if desired.
Lavender wands make pretty sachets. Arrange some in a vase. Slip them into a drawer or hang them in your closet to keep the contents smelling fresh. They make great gifts or package decorations too.
I have never heard of lavender wands (and seriously, I thought I had heard of all of the lavendar products out there). These are so cute thought! I am planning my trip to get lavender now as I type this.
I've never seen them before, I would love to make them but I am so clumsy. Lovely colours and I can almost smell the lavender.
These are awesome!! I have never seen lavender wands, but now I have to have them! I had hoped to plant lavender next year in our front yard, so will be keeping your instructions at the ready! I love both the flavor that lavender brings, as well as the scent. Thank you for this beautiful craft and inspiration!
Best,
Sarah
These are gorgeous! I will have to bookmark this for when my lavender blooms. I planted it this year so maybe next year I will have some blooms! It is one of my favorite scents and while living in Germany I used to buy bags of the blossoms for my dresser drawers!
Not only does the blog give you wonderful cooking ideas, you get crafts also. The lavender wands are beautiful and smell great!
How lovely are those? What a great idea! I don't have an ounce of crafty skill in my body, so I'm so impressed with these!
I've never seen such a thing! Those are lovely!
Beautiful. I've always wanted to know how to make lavendar wands. I love how the plants attract big, fat bumble bees. Excellent post.
You are awesome. i just love lavendar. I wish we had it growing here. They are beautiful Lisa!
wowza–what a lovely craft! i'm so inept at artsy-type things that i doubt i could pull this off, but it's a great idea!
These are beautiful Lisa, wow. I would love to wave these around!