Make a Harakeke (NZ Flax) Flower for Mother’s Day

This putiputi (flower) is made using one single Harakeke leaf. I recommend using smaller leaves, as these are softer to work with and don’t crack. I prefer to use a Harakeke cultivar variety for making putiputi, as these leaves tend to be smaller and softer.

Making a rose putiputi (flower) is good project for older primary aged children from about 7 years old and up. They will need some help to get started, to understand the process, and to tie.

Once they understand, you’ll find they can begin to make a few more themselves.

What you’ll need:

• Strips of harakeke (NZ Flax). Alternatively, you can use strips of paper, (this can work well using two different colours).
• Scissors
• A blunt knife
• A thick needle
• Some thin twine or harakeke to thread onto the star to hang (if desired).

Weaving tips before you start:

• Note that softening the leaf can be sometimes be tricky for little hands to run along the blunt knife, so an alternative is to soften the leaf along a sharp square edge of a table or desk.
• The putiputi can be dyed after making – when freshly made, or after allowing to dry.
• The colour of the dye is stronger on dried weaving, compared to if the leaves are dyed when still fresh and green. But they can be dyed at either stage.
• Make sure these are left to dry in a warm dry place (and also store finished items in a warm, dry place), otherwise they can develop powdery mould.

Tikanga (protocols) are an important part of working with Harakeke. This ensures the saftey of the people and the plant and a respect for the use of Harakeke as a material – Check out this harakeke tikanga guide here

INSTRUCTIONS:
How to make a Harakeke (NZ Flax) Flower for Mother’s Day

Prepare and soften the harakeke –

1. To begin, take one Harakeke leaf.
2. Fold the leaf in half lengthwise and, using your thumbnail, strip away the hard centre spine.
3. The softer part of the leaf will separate to two halves that will still connect at the hard ‘butt end’ of the leaf.
4. Using the blunt knife, drag the dull side of the harakeke strip between your thumb and the blade to soften. Repeat for both strips.

Begin weaving the putiputi (flower) –

1. Begin with the glossy side of the leaf facing up. 
2. Then fold the LEFT strip 90 degrees, behind and under the RIGHT strip.
3. Now the right half of the leaf is on the left side – repeat step 2 by folding the *new* left leaf behind the right.
4. Keep rotating the putiputi (flower) as you work and and repeat the folding process, left on the left folds behind the leaf on the right. Crease the leaf firmly each time so it’s well folded.
5. In this way, continue folding the outer strip behind the inner strip, trying to leaving a small space in the centre. The weaving will curve around in a circular shape, spiral on top of itself.
6. When you have done 2-3 spirals, or have about 10cm of ‘tails’ remaining, take the end of the strips and poke them through the putiiputi to the back, through the small hole you left in the centre. 
7. If there is no hole, you could wind the tails of the strips backwards around the spiral until they reach the back of the putiputi.
8. The back of the putiputi should now have the tails poking through the centre.
9. ROTATE: Hold the tails close to the back of the putiputi and wind the stem in an anti-clockwise motion.
   Hold the tails firmly, and turn the putiputi over to view. You’ll see the front has now spiraled into a rose shape.
10. UNTWIST TAILS: Hold the centre of the putiputi firmly, completely unwind the back tails so they are no longer twisted.
11. TIE: Loop each tail around the stem once.
     Then tie two tight knots on at the back of the stem to secure.
12. You may like to leave the tails attached for now as the putiputi may shrink and loosen a little as it dries, then may require another twist and tie.
13. YOU’RE DONE! Your rose putiputi is complete. Once dry, you can comb the tails, or cut them off.
    Make a few more to make a bunch, and give your first ones away.

VIEW STEP BY-STEP-INSTRUCTIONS
WITH PICTURES:

Uses for Harakeke (NZ flax) putiputi flowers

• Mother’s Day – Nothing is more thoughtful than a handmade gift on Mother’s Day.
  Download the step-by-step guide (with images) and get a bonus greeting card template! 
• Wedding favors –  Handmade flowers make a sweet gift for wedding guests.
• Bouquets of flowers – Make a few putiputi and create a bouquet to gift. Great for birthdays and anniversaries.
• Kid crafts – These Harakeke stars make a great Mother’s Day or Birthday craft activity for older children.
• Dying harakake – Harakeke (NZ flax) stars can be left natural, or dyed different colours – check out our harakeke dying guide here
• Bouquets of flowers – Make a few putiputi and create a bouquet to gift.
• Remembrance flowers – These putiputi make a beautiful lasting keepsake to gift after loss.

Let me know if you make these harakeke putiputi!

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