5.8 How to Make Chanhua Pavilion and Peony

2026年2月24日

5.8.1 Pavilion

1. Prepare cardstock for the pavilion roof, 0.6mm diameter copper wire, flower cup findings, and silk threads.

2. Cut about 10cm of 0.6mm diameter copper wire. Place the diamond-shaped cardstock in the middle of the wire. Start wrapping with silk threads.

3. When you reach the middle of the cardstock, make sure the threads lie flat. This stops them from slipping when you shape it later.

4. Finish wrapping the whole piece.

5. Fold the wrapped piece in half. Make sure the side with the copper wire is on the inside. The two wire ends should overlap and stick together.

6. Use the remaining thread to wrap around the wires and tie a knot. This holds the wires together.

7. Apply white glue to the knot to make it stronger.

8. Cut off any extra thread.

9. Use flat nose pliers to bend one of the copper wires so it lies flat against the side of the piece.

10. Bend the wire back towards the bottom of the piece, leaving about 3mm extending past the edge.

11. Bend the wire upwards at the bottom at about a 60-degree angle.

12. Bend the other wire so it lies flat against the middle of the bottom edge. Try to make it fit closely with no gap.

13. Make 6 pieces in the same way and set them aside.

14. Take two pieces and put their top wires together. Wrap thread around them to bind them.

15. Add a third piece. Try to make the sides fit together neatly and smoothly.

16. After assembling three pieces, tie a knot to secure them. This completes one half of the pavilion roof.

17. Use the same method to make the other half of the roof.

18. Use the leftover thread to wrap and secure the top wires of both halves together.

19. After fixing them, cut off any extra thread.

20. Take a flower cup finding. Apply jewelry glue inside the cup.

21. Thread the flower cup onto the top wires to cover the wrapped part. Set it aside to dry.

22. Use flat nose pliers to straighten the wires at the other end.

23. Use flat nose pliers to bend the wires at the edge of each piece one by one, so they are perpendicular (at a right angle) to the edge.

24. The remaining wire for each piece should now be positioned in the middle. This will help support the structure later.

25. The pavilion roof is now complete. Keep the top wires for now to make handling easier.

26. Use a craft knife to cut out the cardstock for the middle part of the pavilion.

27. Hold the thread with one hand and press it against the back of the cardstock. Bring it to the front and start wrapping.

28. Pass the thread through the hole in the middle of the cardstock and pull it to the back. Wrap it towards the starting thread end. Repeat this process.

29. While wrapping, twist the thread once per circle to keep the work neat. The inner wraps can slightly overlap, but keep the outer wraps neat and even.

30. When about one-third of the cardstock is left, add a piece of 0.3mm diameter copper wire folded in half at the back. This is for the invisible finishing technique later.

31. Continue wrapping the rest of the cardstock, including over the copper wire. Try to keep the thread tight as you wrap.

32. After wrapping the whole piece, hold the ending part tightly with your fingers. Thread the end of the thread through the loop of the folded copper wire.

33. Use flat nose pliers to grip the other end of the copper wire (the side without the thread). Pull the copper wire to bring the thread end out from the other side.

34. Pull the thread straight and use scissors to cut off any extra.

35. Strengthen the thread end with white glue. Now you have a neat, double-sided middle section for the pavilion.

36. Prepare 12 pieces of 0.6mm diameter color-protected copper wire, each 10cm long, and flat nose pliers.

37. Take two of these wires and put them together. Pass them through the finished middle section of the pavilion, following the direction shown in the picture.

38. Make the wires lie flat against the corner of the piece. Use flat nose pliers to fold the wires in half and squeeze them flat so they stick to the piece.

39. Hold one side of the wire and bend it 90 degrees at a point 2mm inside the edge of the piece.

40. Bend the other side of the wire 90 degrees right at the edge of the piece.

41. Use the same method to attach wires as support pillars at all 6 corners of the piece.

42. Apply jewelry glue to the inside part of the wires to strengthen them. Set aside to dry.

43. After the glue dries, thread a 0.3mm diameter copper bead onto the two outer wires at one corner.

44. Mark a point 2.5cm from the piece on the wires. Use cutting pliers to cut off the extra wire.

45. Use round nose pliers to bend one of the wires into a small circle.

46. Hold the small circle and bend the whole wire downwards to create a semi-circle shape.

47. Use the same method to shape the other wire.

48. Repeat the previous steps to shape all the wires on one side, creating a railing.

49. Take the pavilion roof. Cut the wires 1.5cm from the piece.

50. Cut all the wires so they are the same length.

51. Use flat nose pliers to bend the last 5mm of each wire end outwards by 90 degrees.

52. After bending all the wires, you can place it on a table to check and adjust so they are all level.

53. Carefully tilt the roof and fit its wires into the middle section. Do this slowly and patiently to avoid bending the wires.

54. Make the bent parts of the roof wires fit against the inside corners of the middle section's wires. Make sure the 6 corners line up.

55. Use jewelry glue to stick the parts where the roof wires and middle section wires meet. Set aside to dry.

56. After drying, cut the wires at the other end of the middle section to a length of 2.5cm.

57. Use flat nose pliers to bend the last 5mm of these wire ends inwards by 90 degrees. Set aside for later.

58. Use a craft knife to cut out the cardstock for the pavilion base. Use the same wrapping method as for the middle section to make the base.

59. Carefully tilt the finished base piece and place it inside the pavilion. Adjust its position so the six outer corners touch the wires.

60. Use jewelry glue to strengthen the parts where the base piece touches the wires. Let it dry.

61. Use cutting pliers to cut the roof wires down to just one, close to the flower cup.

62. Apply jewelry glue to this wire and thread a 3mm diameter bead onto it for decoration.

63. Cut off any extra wire and wait for the glue to dry.

64. Cut out the pavilion side wall piece. Bend it at the marked lines so the two ends overlap.

65. Following the same wrapping method used for the middle section, hold the overlapped part and start wrapping from there.

66. When you are about one-quarter of the way from the end, add a 0.3mm diameter copper wire for the invisible finishing technique.

67. Adjust the wire's position, trying to keep it on the inside of the wall. This hides the thread end and looks neater.

68. After wrapping the whole wall piece, pass the thread end through the wire loop and pull to finish.

69. Cut off any extra thread. The pavilion side wall is now complete.

70. Slightly pinch the bottom of the wall to make it a bit narrower, then place it inside the pavilion. Adjust it so it fits neatly against the base piece.

71. Use jewelry glue to stick the base piece and the wall together where they connect. The pavilion is now complete.

5.8.2 Peony Pavilion Assembly

1. Prepare the peony petals, leaves, and the completed pavilion. Also, have a flower cup and a bead ready. Note: You can change the petal shapes and sizes based on what you like.

2. Take one peony petal. Use round nose pliers to gently bend the edge downwards, giving the outer edge a curved shape.

3. Use round nose pliers to gently press the middle of the petal, making it slightly concave. This gives the petal a natural blooming look.

4. Shape all the petals with different curves, ready for assembly.

5. Thread a dome-shaped bead (about 7mm diameter) onto a piece of 0.4mm diameter copper wire. Bring the wire ends together and adjust so the wire fits snugly against the bottom of the bead.

6. Thread the bead with the attached wire through a flower cup and secure it.

7. Tilt the flower cup and place it inside the finished pavilion. Pass the wires through the small hole in the pavilion base.

8. Pull the wires tight so the flower cup sits flat against the pavilion base. This hides the base, looks nice, and adds a 3D effect.

9. The pavilion now acts as the flower center. Take the second-largest peony petals. Use silk threads to assemble these petals together with the wires coming out of the pavilion base.

10. Keep adding petals until you have gone all around the pavilion base.

11. Next, add the next larger size of petals to form the second layer of the flower.

12. When adding the second layer, you can let one or two petals curl outwards a bit. This makes the flower look more lively.

13. For the third layer, use the same method. Adjust the petal shapes as you go.

14. For the final layer, use the largest petals to create a fully bloomed shape. The main flower of the Peony Pavilion is now complete.

15. Use scissors to diagonally cut small fondant flower stamens. Put the cut pieces together and hold them.

16. Wrap a piece of 0.4mm diameter copper wire around them twice to secure the stamens.

17. Take the smallest petals and arrange them around the stamens, overlapping one over the other. This creates a bud shape.

18. Add petals of other sizes to give the flower more layers. One small peony flower is now complete.

19. Assemble the remaining petals based on your preference to make four peonies, each with a different look.

20. Take two peony leaves and one peony bud.

21. Use silk threads that match the leaf color to assemble these two parts together. Wrap down to the end of the stem and finish. Cut off any extra thread.