Floral Ribbon Chair Backs

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Floral wire, 26 gauge & panacea, naturally wired, approx. 36" ea. chair
• Floral tape
• Wire cutters
• Hot glue & gun
• Ribbon - coordinate color with floral, 15-20 @ 80"x 3/8" to 1 1/2" width, one @ 100"x 1 1/2"
• Floral, Bloom Room™ assorted flowers and greenery
• Scissors

DIRECTIONS:

1. Measure chair back posts or width of area that heavy wire can be attached. Cut lengths of Naturally Wired floral wire. This wire will need to be long enough to wrap around upper sides or top of side posts of chairs. Match the center of wire and the center of the 100" L ribbon. Gently twist the ribbon to cover the wire only in the length of wire side to side of the chair back. Place a loose knot in the ribbon at both ends. Attach the wire with ribbon to the back of chair.
2. Cut 15-20, 80" lengths of ribbon. Number of ribbon lengths determined by the widths of ribbon. Fold piece of ribbon in half. Place ribbon loop on heavy top wire. Pull tail ends of ribbon through loop. Repeat with enough lengths or ribbon placed next to one another to fill width of chair back. Lay out on a flat surface. Straighten all ribbons. Cut ends of ribbons at a slight angle approximately 36" from top wire. Set aside.
3. Keep bulk of floral spray to 12" wide. Cut stems into individual flowers with stems long. Build floral spray on flat surface. Overlap the centers of the stems of the largest flowers, bending stems so floral points up and out. Loosely spiral wire around stems to keep in place. Keep layering other floral stems on top of large floral stems weaving stems through spiral wire. Add short greenery behind and between flower heads. Spiral wire where necessary to keep stems together. Cut off any leaves that interfere with stem groupings or may be buried. Reserve individual leaves for final step.
4. Flip the floral spray. On the back, add at least two 12" lengths of wire evenly spaced around the bundle of stems. Twist well to secure. These wires will attach the spray to the heavy wire with ribbons attached.
5. Add hot glue in between the floral stems and the spirals of wire to further secure the floral spray. Use cut off leaves to cover all exposed wire spirals. Floral tape may also be used to conceal any unsightly wires. View the floral spray from the top to ensure all visible areas are covered with floral and greenery. Hold up floral. Some greenery may drape lower than floral and extend beyond top of the bulk of the floral.
6. Place the back wires around the ribboned wire and twist to secure. Trim off the ends of back wires and fold ends into back of spray.
7. Adjust and fluff the floral spray.

JOANN HACKS:

• An iron may be needed to press any ribbon that was folded when packaged.
• For storage or transport, gently twist ribbons to prevent set in folds.