Wired Spray – Crescent

Materials/equipment

Floristry tape (various colours)     Floristry scissors

Thin nosed pliers              Tweezers

Florist tape is normally used at 1/3rd width. You can buy gadgets to cut the florist's tape to this thickness, but the cheapest way is to;-

Take a length of florist tape
carefully wrap it around your fingers. Remove the tape from your fingers and give a slight tug (to release a small amount of the glue). Cut the tape into three lengths. 

As far as I am concerned leaves should always be taped into a stem before adding to a spray.

Attach the tape to one item (before adding any other items). It’s important that the florist tape is stretched while taping or it will not release the glue/hold the items together.

Tape down by approx. ½ inch from the base of the large leaf. To reduce the bulk on the stem while taping try and hold the tape at a 45 deg angle from the wire stem. Add the two medium leaves (one at a time). Tape down a further ½ inch and add the two small leaves.

For the best effect filler flowers/buds should always be taped into a stem before adding to a floral spray.

Attach a piece of florist tape (1/3^rd width) to the bud. Tape down approx ¼ inch.

Attach another bud and tape down a further ¼ inch.

Attach another bud and tape down a further ½ inch.

Attach a flower and tape down a further ½ inch.

Add the final flower and tape down the wire.

Any flowers/foliage can be used to create a crescent spray, but for this example I have used;-

5 Roses at various stages/size

6 stems of filler flowers

5 stems of rose leaves

Attach the florist tape to a stem of leaves now place a stem of filler flowers on top of the leaves approx 1 inch lower than the tip of the top leaf. Tape into position

Tape down a further inch and add a rose (you will need to bend the stem of the rose so that it lays in the correct position – always use pliers when bending wires). Now tape down a further inch and add a rose to the opposite side (again use pliers to bend the wires on the rose).

Tape down a further ¼ inch and add a stem of rose leaves.

Tape down a further ¼ and add a stem of filler flowers.

Now create another spray exactly the same apart from the fact it needs to be a mirror image. Keep checking that the new spay is the same/correct size and the flowers are in the right position by placing the sprays back to back.

Hold the wire of the spray (just below the last taped item) with the pliers, take a hold of the wire stem and pull down to create a 90 deg angle DON'T TWIST THE PLIERS.

Tape the two half of the spray together at the 90 deg angle point. DO NOT TAPE DOWN THE WIRE

It’s important that you do not tape down the wire - till all the other items are in position. Bend a stem of leaves to a 90 deg angle and tape into position.

Add/tape into position the focal point - full rose

Bend a stem of leaves to a 90 deg angle and tape into position.

Tape in a stem of filler flowers either side of the focal point.

Now tape down the wire stem.

Turn the spray over - carefully bend the taped stems using pliers to form a gentle curve 

Use the florist scissors and cut the stem to the right length (to use with a posy pick)

Copy written © 2008 - Present Year
By Christine Flinn the author of the above work