Pussywillow Raffia Decorated Box

You will need a pair of sharp snips or heavy shears to cut the twigs. And you will also need some pussy willows which are native to our north east.
The trick is to know where they grow.
If you are having a spring wedding you will be in luck as this is when they are blooming. If the event is later in fall or winter you can force them to bloom by cutting shoots from last years growth and placing the stems in water.
The buds will swell and blossom in a few days to a week. As soon as the pussy willows are open remove them from the water and let them dry.

Getting Started

  • Start by measuring the raffia.
  • Clip pieces of pussy willow to the desired size using the end pieces if you have enough.
  • An extra finger goes a long way when tieing the final knot
  • Lay the raffia out in front of you on your work space and place the box in the center.
  • Bring the ends of there raffia up and over and tie one over hand knot.
  • Lay a sprig of pussy willow across the knot and tie a final double knot on top.
  • Trim the ends and fan them out a bit,
  • Optional, place a small bit of hot glue in contact with the raffia and the twig for security in the event the twig shrinks.
Pay attention to the angle of the knot. Use it to your advantage to keep the twig at a 45 degree anger on the top of the box.
This box should travel fairly well. Try stacking them on the side to keep from knocking the blossoms off.
For a variation use red dogwood or dark birch twigs or a few small dried cone flowers on stems. As with other materials we use there may be artificial options available in stores and online.
Return to the Decorated Boxes