MAKING YOUR FRESH FLOWER LEI

While staying at the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel on Maui, I was allowed to pick fresh flowers for my plumeria flower lei. You "must" get permission to remove flowers from the trees. The hotel where I was staying, also taught the art of making fresh flower lei's. I was able to pick my own flowers, with the permission of the hotel. I used a long pole that was made to reach the tall limbs of the trees. The plumeria trees are very fragile, so you must be very careful not to break the limbs.

You can also buy fresh flowers from the florist. You could use many different flowers for making your lei. Sweet fragrant tuberoses, carnations, roses, plumeria, dendrobium orchids, and many other flowers will make a beautiful fragrant lei.

The flowers are gathered and washed, to remove any sap that may be on the flowers. I used about thirty plumeria flowers to make my lei. Measure the thread around your neck to the length that you want your lei to be. Then, double the length of the thread and fold, matching ends of the string. Leave a loop at the end to hook onto the needle.

A long needle is used to thread each flower on the thread. Some hotels furnish needles, or they can be purchased at craft stores on the islands. The end of the needle has a hook, which is where you attach the loop end of the thread.

Taking the fresh washed flowers, remove just the tip end of the stem. Carefully thread the flowers through the center onto the needle. Remember to thread all of the flowers in the same direction while stringing your lei. After you place two or three flowers onto the needle, carefully pull them down onto the thread. Leave about 6" of thread for tying off when finished. After you have thread your lei and find that it is long enough gently pull flowers together snug. Once this is done, then you can unhook your needle and tie the ends together with a double knot. Now you have your beautiful finished fresh flower lei to wear to the luau.

To keep your lei fresh, put a little water on it and place in a plastic bag. Place into a refrigerator, providing the hotel has one available for you to use. Your flower lei should last for quite a few days.

Remember that you can also add fresh tuberoses, or carnations, which are very fragrant. They can be purchased from a florist and are very inexpensive. The tuberose is a very fragrant flower and perhaps you may wish to use it alone or with other flowers.

Enjoy wearing your fresh flower lei, knowing that you make it yourself. You can be very proud that you made it, and enjoy having a fresh beautiful lei.