How to Make Rosaries Out of Roses
Rosaries made from roses, albeit delicate, are beautiful to look at and feel. If cooked at a low temperature for a long time, they attain a wood-like appearance and a mild, sweet aroma. Although making them seems harder than it actually is, it is quite an easy task provided you have the right tools in hand. Once made, use your rosary for funerals, birthdays, anniversaries, baptism, weddings or any other occasion, or gift it to someone so they always remember you and include you in their prayers.
Harvest at least two-dozen average-sized roses, or half a shopping bag full of rose petals to make one rosary. If using flower heads, make sure the roses are fully bloomed. Discard all the stems since you will not be using them.
- Rosaries made from roses, albeit delicate, are beautiful to look at and feel.
Put all the rose blooms or petals on a chopping board and finely chop them, as you would with herbs. An alternative to this is to add them in a food processor with a teaspoon of water and grind them until they become pulpy.
Add the chopped or ground petals to a pot with enough water so they are evenly covered. Cover the pot with a lid, and bring to a simmer for several hours. Check the pot frequently to prevent the mixture from drying out, adding some water whenever needed. Traditionally, people cook the mixture for several days in a row, but you can achieve the same results if you place it over heat for an hour twice a day, for four to five consecutive days, until the mixture becomes a sticky pulp.
Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool so you can touch it easily. Once cooled, scoop out small amounts of the pulp with a spoon and roll them into beads. You need 53 small beads for Hail Marys, six larger beads for Our Fathers and a largest bead. Place each rolled bead onto a cookie sheet.
- Put all the rose blooms or petals on a chopping board and finely chop them, as you would with herbs.
Poke a wire through the beads once they firm up a bit. Make sure the wire is slightly bigger in diameter than the cord you will string the beads onto. Leave the beads on the wire and put in a dry location for several weeks until they dry up completely. Turn the beads frequently so they do not rest on the same side too long.
Remove the beads from the wire once they are dry. String them on a cord so you have 10 small beads followed by a large bead. Continue this process of stringing 10 small beads and one large bead until you use 50 small beads and 4 large beads. Insert both ends of the cord through the largest bead, then through a large bead, three small beads and a large bead again. Tie a cross to the end.
- Poke a wire through the beads once they firm up a bit.
Tip
You can knot the cord after stringing each bead to separate one from another.
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References
Tips
- You can knot the cord after stringing each bead to separate one from another.
Writer Bio
Tanya Khan is a freelance author and consultant, having written numerous articles for various online and print sources. She has a Master of Business Administration in marketing but her passion lies in writing.
