Today we will teach you how to make a double orchid lei. One of the most popular Hawaiian lei for Graduations. Considered as one of the most sought-after flowers mainly available in Hawaii for various memorable traits, the Orchid or also known as ‘Okika’ or ‘Okika Honohono in the Hawaiian language. The (Dendrobium Orchid) is recognized worldwide. Generally, orchids are available in jade, purple, or white but they can also come in pink, yellow, emerald, light blue, red, deep blue, or dyed jade.
When it comes to the most popular Hawaiian lei, the orchid lei is undeniably the most popular flower selected for the Hawaiian lei making process. This is for multiple reasons but mainly for their beauty and its sturdiness. The variety of the Dendrobium has been used in the lei making process for over 200 years and there are more than 1,200 unique species.
Beautifully presented in such auspicious occasions such as graduations, weddings, funerals (celebrations of life), Memorial Day, birthdays, anniversaries and many others, the double standard Orchid Lei is always one of the best options for these celebrations. The presence of the Double Orchid Lei celebrates not only the individual or occasion but it recognizes and celebrates Hawaiian tradition.
Since the orchid is widely known by many people around the world, making a Double Orchid Lei is the perfect gift of Aloha to any recipient. This article will be the ultimate guide in leading you to make a precious Double Orchid Lei. With our step by step instructions, you will be on your way to crafting the most robust, exotic and gorgeous tropical lei. Remember that you could always put in your own creativity when making your Hawaiian lei. That personal touch gives the lei so much more Aloha.
This article will itemize the materials needed and provide detailed Lei making instructions. Enjoy making this distinctive Lei by following these easy to follow step by step instructions!
Hawaiian Lei : Double Orchid Lei
Required Materials
The first item you will need is the longest embroidery needle that you can find. This is because the longer the needle is, the easier the flower lei making process will be. The common length is about 6-12 inches combining the pointed end on one side and a hooked end on the other side. Sometimes these are sold in packs or in kits. The next item you will need is the string, we recommend biodegradable if it works in your budget and is easy to find, or some twine. You will want to cut it into 80 inch strands and fold it a half as that would be the recommended length of 40 inches. The last and most important item you will need is the fresh orchid flower loose blooms. There are so many different kinds of orchid loose blooms available but you can choose the ones which are available near your home to be more convenient. If orchid flowers are not abundant near you, they are available for purchase online and it will ship directly to your door. A tip to preserve your stunning fresh flowers are misting the orchid blooms with water. The key word is misting as you don’t want to drench the flowers. You will want to place the orchid blooms near the front of your refrigerator to ensure that the orchid blooms are not being damaged from the cold. Placing them in a plastic bag or ziplock bag then sealing them would be ideal to keep moisture in.
1. Long embroidery needle (at least 6”)
2. String (biodegradable if possible) or Twine
3. Fresh Orchid loose blooms
Credit Youtube: eHow Watch video: How to Make a Double Lei
Instructions
1. Prepare fresh orchids:
To begin making a Double Orchid Lei, collect or order fresh orchid loose blooms (medium size works best). If you would like to make a 40 inch lei, the necessary amount of loose blooms needed is about 150. To make the process as easy as possible, ensure the loose blooms are not too small, otherwise the process will be difficult.
2.String the needle:
Then cut a piece of string or twine that is 80 inches long and fold it in half. Do not hesitate to tie a knot at the end of the string or twine as this will act as a stopper for your Orchid Lei when you start stringing. Also, do not forget to make sure that each end is equal to the other.
3.String the flowers:
Next, pierce the needle through the side of the orchid and continue to string all the flowers together. Please make sure that each time you pull the orchids down you are going to have the open end of the orchid face contrary or opposite from the last orchid. If you have no idea what that looks like, just imagine making the letter ‘T’ on the top, bottom, side, and side. Remember to leave a few inches of extra string or twine below the knot because you would use this to tie the lei together when it’s done.
4.Tie the flowers:
The final step is to cut the string from the needle, gently tie both ends together while making 3 knots in the same area. This is to prevent the lei from unraveling. If you have the proper lei needle, you can just simply unhook the string from the needle and tie each end together. When you have completed this process, you may choose to leave the lei as is for the finished look or you may choose to dress up your Double Orchid Lei with a nice ribbon.
Blue Double Orchid Lei
How to preserve your double standard Orchid Lei
When your Double Orchid Lei is done or you have received it from your beloved one, you may want to keep it as long as you can. Here is a quick guide on how to maintain a fresh flower Lei. First you want to mildly mist the lei. Then you will want to put it in a plastic or ziplock back and seal it by tying the top of the plastic bag or zipping the ziplock bag shut. Place in your refrigerator towards the front area, do not freeze it. In regards to the proper temperature, it would be ideal to store between 50-55F degrees. If you don’t have enough space in the fridge, you can keep it in a cooler with ice/frozen ice gel packs for short-term storage. Place a towel or towels above the ice/frozen ice gel packs so the lei has no direct contact with the ice/frozen ice gel packs. In contrast, if you would like to preserve it long-term, you should air dry the lei with plenty of airflow by hanging it up with the orchid upside-down. Either way, we hope you feel the Aloha Spirit flow through you as you made it.
If you don't have enough time to make leis by yourself or if this process is a bit too complicated, you can shop for Hawaiian leis online at sites like www.buyhawaiianlei.com and ship it to yourself or your loved ones overnight or 2 day shipping anywhere in USA Shop Leis.