Chrysanthemum Hairpin - Handcraft Ronghua Tutorial
Chrysanthemums have strong vitality and symbolize integrity and high moral character, earning the title of "the hermit of flowers" in China. In this case, we use "chrysanthemum" as the creative element for Ronghua ornaments, designing and making a plush hairpin.
Color Scheme Display
A. Preparing Velvet Strips
1
1. Prepare the velvet strips for petals and leaves. For chrysanthemum petals, prepare two lengths of gradient velvet strips. The shorter strips should have a lighter gradient, and the longer strips should have a darker gradient.
2
2. The velvet strips for short petals should be slightly narrower than those for long petals. The short petal velvet strips should be 6-7mm wide, the long petal velvet strips 7-8mm wide, and the leaf velvet strips 2.5-3mm wide.
B. Shaping and Styling the Velvet
Changes in the shape of petal velvet strips
3. Trim the velvet strips used for making chrysanthemum petals. The lighter end of the petal is the base, and the darker end is the top. Trim off the excess brass wire at the top. When trimming the velvet strips, make the base end slender and the top end rounded.
Changes in the shape of leaf velvet strips
4. Trim the velvet strips used for making leaves. The darker end of the leaf is the base, and the lighter end is the top. When trimming, make the base end less curved and the top end more curved, ensuring the overall leaf is more slender than the petals. Trim off the excess brass wire at the top. Note that the velvet strips for making leaves need to be of different lengths.
C. Fixing the Velvet Strips
5
5. Prepare velvet strips of various shades (only a portion is shown in the picture above) and plaster stamens in the shape of wheat spikes (style optional). Note that the number of velvet strips needed for chrysanthemum petals depends on the desired effect. For fuller flowers, use more velvet strips; for flower buds, use fewer.
6
6. After fixing the stamens, take the lighter velvet strips and tie them sequentially, adjusting the arc of the petals with tweezers during the process.
7
7. Add the darker velvet strips to the outer circle, similarly fixing them while adjusting the arc of the petals with tweezers. Once the flower is assembled, secure it and trim the excess.
8
8. For leaves, use nine velvet strips as a group. First, set the highest point (the leaf tip) with one strip, then symmetrically decrease the height from the middle to the sides, fix them, and adjust the shape to make a leaf. Using the same method, make two leaves with seven velvet strips each and combine them with the previously made leaf to form a large leaf. Adjust the shape accordingly. Depending on the size of the leaves, you can make them in groups of nine or seven velvet strips.
9
9. Using the method described above, prepare one large and one small leaf, and one large and one small flower.
10
10. Arrange the flowers and leaves together to determine the final design, then tie them accordingly with velvet thread. Trim off the excess copper wire and select a suitable main accessory to secure the hairpin, completing the piece.
11
11. This is the finished Chrysanthemum Hairpin.
