Journal
Rosemary Napkin Rings

These simple napkin rings are perfect for when you don't have much time but want to make a bit of an effort.
If you put bunches of rosemary, or potted rosemary, up the middle of the table it will all look very put together and also smell wonderful.
You need
Florists wire - ideally long florist's stub wire in a fine gauge (18-22 gauge is perfect) but reel wire works too. This costs about £3 a pack of 250 which will last you for ages. You need the long size - 14-18 inches.
Long sprigs of rosemary - either picked from the garden or bought from the supermarket/grocers. The ones that come in the little packets work fine. You want ones that are bendy.

Step 1.
Choose a piece of rosemary about 10 cm long which will bend. Wrap the wire around the rosemary stem, leaving a bit of wire about 5 cm long at the end. Try and not trap the leaves.
Step 2
Carefully bend the wired rosemary into a curve, using the rest of your wire 9 the bits at either end of the sprig of rosemary) to make a circle. Twist the wire together at the back and trim if necessary..
Roll napkins and thread carefully through the rosemary ring.
If you like, you can make 2 of these for each place and put them together so you have a complete circle of rosemary.
You use the ends of the wire to join the hoops loosely together - but I tend to just use one as the wire is hidden by the napkin.

You may also enjoy …
Collecting acorns at Loch Lomond
a walk to Loch Lomond to collect acorns for natural dyeing
3 years ago
Why Victorian Needlepoint self destructs
A Victorian needlepoint bought for £8 is destroying itself. The culprit is the black dye. What this tells us about iron in natural dyeing and what to do with damaged heirloom textiles.
4 months ago
Elsa Schiaparelli at the V&A: The 1930s Couture Collection
A tour of the Schiaparelli exhibition at the V&A: the 1930s circus and zodiac collections, the Dalí and Cocteau collaborations, and a silk velvet waistcoat made as a tribute to wartime France.
3 months ago
Using pressed leaves to decorate gift wrap
pressed leaves decorating natural gift wrap.
5 years ago