Selected Pages and Projects from:
"How to Make Hawaiian
Ribbon Leis"
By Coreen Iwamoto and Jim Widess

 Hawaiian Ribbon lei

"There are at least 10 books on artificial lei making alone. They are all how-to craft books. 'How to Make Hawaiian Ribbon Leis' by Iwamoto and Widess is the best." -- Clear Englebert, West Hawaii Today, May 1, 2005

How to Make Hawaiian Ribbon Leis - A Step-by-Step-Guide: According to Hawaiian tradition, leis are symbols of love and friendship, to be given to others with a warm embrace and a kiss. Unlike flower leis, which eventually wither and fade, ribbon leis are treasured through the years, gifts of aloha that can last a lifetime. For this reason, beautiful and everlasting ribbon leis are a popular alternative to flower leis in the Islands. With this first-ever easy-to-follow visual guide you can fashion your own ribbon leis from materials found at any craft or fabric store. Fifteen different ribbon lei designs are showcased. Many are created to resemble local floral favorites such as pikake, 'ilima, hinahina, firecracker and white ginger. Each design is described in detail with step-by-step instructions and colorful photo illustrations.

Hawaiian Musical Instruments
   
       
   
   

Make Musical Instruments  
Each design is described in detail with step-by-step instructions and colorful photo illustrations.

 
You'll even learn how to knot a decorative bow to complete your lei.

 
And you'll learn a neat trick for finishing the ties for a colorful haku choker.

What readers are saying about this book:

"We bought this book to make our own leis. Once you're able to locate inexpensive ribbon (say, on ebay), the cost savings of making your own, personalized leis can be realized. It took us some practice to figure out how to make the leis well. We might sell some on ebay if we get a chance!" - a customer

How to Make Hawaiian Ribbon Leis: A Step-by-Step Guide by Coreen Iwamoto and Jim Widess. 74 pages containing hundreds of color photographs. #22502 - $14.95 (softcover)

About the Authors:

Coreen Iwamoto was born and raised in Palolo Valley on the island of O'ahu. Dancing under kumu hula Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu, she learned about Hawaiian craftmaking, and was given the name "Mikioi," meaning "dainty and neat in craftsmanship." She now teaches Hawaiian craft classes in the Bay Area and directs her own halau hula (hula school) in San Leandro, California.

Jim Widess has been providing classes for basketry and gourd crafting for more than twenty years. He is the owner of The Caning Shop in Berkeley, California, and co-author of The Caner's Handbook, Making Gourd Musical Instruments, and The Complete Book of Gourd Craft. His most recent books include Gourd Pyrography and Making Hawaiian Musical Instruments, which is the first in a series of Hawaiian arts and crafts books by Mutual publishing.

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