For the curious crafter or at-home florist our Apothecary Hang Down D.I.Y. Kit is just for you! Each prepackaged kit comes with florals, materials, and a simple step-by-step guide to create the Apothecary Hang Down. Check out the steps below and be sure to order the kit paired with Dried Flowers: Techniques & Ideas for the Modern Home, a favorite book bursting with dried flower ideas and inspiration.
Florals included: french lavender, flax, greek oregano, safflower, wheat and sage.
Materials included: branch, linen ribbon and raffia.
Materials needed: Clippers and/or scissors, nail or screw, measuring tape and level.
Step 1: Separate bunches. Unwrap and remove rubber bands from your bunches of flowers. Begin to separate your bunches into smaller bunches.
For ours we separated them as follows: 2 flax, 2 lavender, 3 wheat, 2 safflower, 3 sage and 2 oregano. If you want a look that is more airy and sparse, make smaller bunches using less flowers than is in the package - you can use the extra for something else!
Step 2: Tie stems. Use the raffia to tie the ends of your stems. Be sure to leave one side long and trim the other. Tie the knot close to where the foliage begins.
Step 3: Edit bunches. Trim the ends of your stems about 2 inches under the tie. Clean your bunches of any broken stems, foliage or flowers. Separate or "fluff" the stems of your bunches, this will give them more volume and make for a more natural look.
Step 4: Hang your branch. Put a nail or screw into the wall. Tie one end of the linen ribbon about 4-5 inches from the end of the branch. Hold the branch up to the wall and hang the loose end of the ribbon over the nail. Decide on the desired length you want the branch to hang from the nail and tie the other end of the ribbon to the branch. Be sure to account for the length of the flowers. Our overall height was about 38" tall.
Step 5: Begin to hang. Start hanging your bunches beginning with the stems you want to hang the lowest, ours was the flax. Tie a single knot to the branch without trimming the excess raffia, this will allow you to lengthen and move the bunches around until you feel happy with your design. We recommend working in layers and thinking about what bunches you want to hang underneath and what you want on top. Our order was: 1.flax, 2.wheat, 3.lavender, 4.safflower, 5.oregano, 6.sage.
Step 6: Finalize. Once you are happy with the design, double or triple knot the raffia tied to the branch and trim the excess.
Enjoy! And be sure to check out our D.I.Y. page for more materials to elevate your at home dried flower floristry.