June 19, 2019

HOW TO MAKE A FLOWER CROWN - INSPIRED BY MIDSUMMER

The month of June heralds the start of many joyous occasions in the natural world, not least summer and the arrival of endless floral beauty. It also brings with it Midsummer - one of the most significant celebrations of the year in many Nordic countries – including Finland, where the creator of Moomin (some of our very favourite fictional characters), Tove Jansson, came from. Taking place between 19 and 25 June (this year it falls on the 24th), it’s a celebration that can be traced back to agricultural times when people’s lives were ruled by the seasons. It marks the longest day of the year and welcomes in the summer months. Winters in Finland can be long and dark – so the start of summer was really something to look forward to!

Flowers are key Midsummer traditions – and they feature largely in the Moomin stories too, from the roses that Moominmamma grows in her garden to Tulippa, the little girl who lives inside a tulip from The Moomins and the Great Flood. Growing up in Finland, surrounded by nature, it’s no wonder that flora and fauna had a big influence on Tove’s artwork and writing. In fact, the theme of respect for the natural world runs all through her work. Kallis Ellis, founder of McQueens is a huge fan of Moomin and friends and had the pleasure of interviewing their Creative Director, Sophie Jansson earlier this year.

Just one of the ways that Finns celebrate Midsummer is by creating traditional flower crowns – there are several iconic photos of Tove wearing them too. In this video tutorial, we’re going to teach you how to make your own flower crown step by step at home. Midsummer crowns are traditionally made with wildflowers – and often seven different types of flowers are used. This can be traced back to the legend that if unmarried girls pick seven different types of flower and put them underneath their pillow, their future husband will visit them in their dream!

You will need

- Aluminum florist wire
- Florist wire (for woodier, thicker stems this should be around 0.9mm)
- Florist tape
- 10 - 15 flowers and foliage of your choice. Bear in mind this will be out of water - hardier stems such as waxflower, nigella, - gypsophila. strawflower, miniature roses work well.
- Ribbon for tying

Make a flower crown with McQueens instore at at the Moomin Shop in Camden!

Exciting news! Perfect your flower crown making and join a free class held by McQueens Florist, Henry Tai at the Moomin Shop in Camden Stables Market. There are a limited number of slots so be sure to book your place here.

The workshops will be held at the Moomin Shop in Camden Stables Market on Saturday 29th June from 13pm to 4pm. Attendees will learn which blooms make for the best designs and how to combine flowers into a stylish crown in the midsummer tradition.

McQueens Flower School offers a creative and in-depth curriculum. Within the Wedding Week course you will create elaborate floral headdresses and bridal crowns - discover more.