How to Braid Raffia as a Dried Flower Swag

Make a dried flower swag using basic craft materials.

Dried flowers can make any home decor look more natural. They can be added to other craft projects, such as hanging wreaths or swags. Although you can glue dried flowers directly onto grape vine branches or foam rings, you can also use other craft materials to create a hanging dried flower arrangement. For example, raffia can be braided into a swag, and then accented with colorful dried flowers.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Hot glue stick

Instructions

1. Cut 20 to 25 pieces of raffia with scissors to measure 36 inches long each. Stack the raffia pieces together into a pile, and line up the edges.

2. Tie a piece of raffia around one end of the stack. Separate the raffia pieces into three groups. Hold one of the groups in your right hand and the other two in your left hand.

3. Fold the raffia group in your right hand in between the other two raffia groups in your left hand. Grasp the two raffia groups on the far right back into your right hand. Repeat this process, folding the raffia group in your left hand in between the two groups in your right hand. Repeat the process until the entire length of the raffia has been braided.

4. Tie a piece of raffia around the end of the braid to hold it in place.

5. Heat hot glue gun for five minutes, and then squeeze a dime-sized dollop of hot glue onto the raffia braid.

6. Press a dried flower onto the hot glue dollop, and hold the dried flower in place for two minutes so that the hot glue can harden and cool. Repeat to add on as many dried flowers as you prefer, before hanging the braided raffia dried flower swag.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep hot glue out of the reach of children. Hot glue can cause serious and severe burns on skin.

References

• Save On Crafts: How to Make a Swag of Eucalyptus & Dried Rose Buds