Wire Savannah Acacia

There is an African theme running round in one of my rooms. You have probably noticed it in some of my other instructables.I thought it would be nice to decorate an empty space with an authentic African craft wire tree. There are a few instructables available, but I think this one can enrich the collection.

Step 1: Materials

I used a 1,3 mm galvanized wire witch is sturdy enough to keep itself upright and can be handled without to much effort. My tree consists of 18 lengths of 80 cm, so about 15 meters of wire. The only tool needed is a pair of round nose pliers.

Step 2: The First Leaves

The acacia on the African plains has flat cushion shaped clouds of little leaves. To mimic that I made a bunch of loops. Start with a single circle the size of your pliers nose. Add a second loop and repeat aprox. 15-20 times It can get a little tangled up, but you can always stretch it or push it inward with your fingers. When the ornament is big enough, cut the wire with an extra length of aprox. 55 cm.

Step 3: Next Branches

Make a second branch as described before and twist them together. Leave a small part of the stem untwined for the roots. In the same way add a third branch, but start a little lower with twining. This is the base of the tree. It is not advisable to make several of these "threesomes" and try to turn them round each other to form the trunk. It won't result in an even trunk. The best way is to add new branches one by one or in pairs

Step 4: Add a Pair of Branches

Place the new branch across the original trunk, on the spot where you want the new branch to come. Turn the ends of the new branch round the trunk and try to follow the twists of the trunk. Now you can twist the existing branch and the new branch together if you want them to join

Step 5: Add Individual Wires

The best shape is achieved by adding wire one by one. Cross them over the existing tree, and twine the braches together a few times. Bend the remaining part of the new wire gently round the trunk, still following the twists made before.

Step 6: The Roots

Twine some roots in couples, sometimes adding a third wire to make the roots uneven. Try to achieve a natural shape. Cut off part that are too long. Bend the ends and press them flat, so there are no sharp ends to the roots.

Step 7: Flatten the Roots

Set the tree upright and press the roots flat on the table surface. If there are still root pieces sticking upward, bend them individually. See if the tree balances and stays upright. If not adjust some branches or the trunk. I like the straightforward look of the metal, but you can paint it if you want.