Threads 94: A lavender wand

I just noticed my lavender was coming into bloom last week, and was reminded of this dear little lavender wand that I was taught to make many years ago. And I realized that this was the exact time to gather them and make them for my friends. It is an ideal way to preserve the scent and contain the seeds within the stocks. 

To make the lavender wand.

All you need is about 24 inches of quarter-inch ribbon, a tiny piece of string, and a pair of scissors.

Go out into the garden and pick nine or 10 long stocks of lavender when it is dry and tie them together just below the seed heads with a little piece of string. (Step 1 below)

Bend the stalks up gently so that they cover the seed head (Steps 2 and 3 below). Take the long piece of ribbon, find the centre, and lie one end up with the stalks. Starting with the other end start weaving over and under the stalks just above the tie. Weave the ribbon round and round the stalks so that it forms a little covering for the lavender. Once all the seedheads are covered, retrieve the other long end and tie the two  ends together with a bow.

I have had some lavender wands in my chest of drawers for years and they still have a lovely fragrance.

Step 1: Gather a bouquet of lavender flowers

Step 2: Fold the stems toward the blossoms. 

Step 3: Fold all the stems toward the blossoms.

Step 4: Weave a ribbon around the stems and blossoms.

This article was first printed in the summer copy of the Basketry Express in 1994. and has since been reprinted in the Best of the Basketry Express 1992 and 1995.

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