Secret Valentine Exchange part XI - fresh hoops

Back at the start of the year I found a craft I wanted to try and knew exactly who I wanted to make it for. I even imagined the event to which she would wear it...

I'd stumbled upon this great tutorial for wrapping hoop earrings with fresh green leaves and string: Kate A. Creates

Timing was against us and it didn't happen in quite that way. Jump forward 8 months and I didn't have any tiny fresh leaves, nor did my giftee have a garden party to attend, but why not gift a pair of infinitely re-wrappable earrings. So long as one isn't immediately repelled by the smell of lavender!

Any time, any date, if there are fresh leaves to be found these can be re-wrapped and worn.

I think the trick is to find tiny, tiny leaves. I auditioned a few other garden plants but a bigger leaf gets lost as it simply gets squashed down by the string wrapping. I also found that a twisted yarn becomes somewhat untwisted and fluffy as you go. The variegated Hemptique hemp string worked perfectly, but a smaller leaf and finer gauge would make it just so.

But it's a very fun exercise in crafting and they do look pretty boho and cool. After I'd auditioned a few plants that didn't work, I also wondered about wool rovings, or even fabric strips. It would be easy to pair them with an outfit by using some of the fabric from the garment and then wrapping with a co-ordinated 1mm waxed cotton macramé thread.

I caught up with the delightful Nicole of maciniccreates and we chatted fast and loose over a few good coffees. I knew she could rock a weird, plant material statement earring, and I'll be honoured to rewrap them when they need freshening up.

Meanwhile I suspect she'll be either super chilled and relaxed from all that lavender smell on each side of her head, or quite nauseated and fed up with smelling like cheap toiletries! :)