Ronghua Tutorial: How to Make Frost's Descent Lily Hairpin

A lily touched by early frost — cool, soft, and quietly glowing. The Frost’s Descent Lily Hairpin captures the peaceful shift into winter, where everything feels calm and freshly washed by cold air.

Preparation: What You’ll Need

If you’ve purchased our Ronghua Toolkit, you already have everything required!
If not, prepare the following tools:

1. Bristle brush (Medium to soft hardness)
2. Flat iron (the one you use to straighten your hair)
3. Tweezers
4. At least 2 pairs of Scissors
5. wooden sticks / pencils / chopsticks
6. Hair spray or diluted white glue (1:1.15–1:1.2 ratio)
7. Big clips (around 15cm)
8. Twisting boards and wooden blocks (for even tension)
9. Anti-slip powder (optional but helpful)

Full Tutorial Video

Step 1. Align and Arrange the Silk Threads

Start by untying your silk threads. Locate the knot at one end of each bundle and cut it open carefully. This project uses 8 colours of silk to create 3 silk rows.  Refer to the colour diagram below for thread combination details.

Step 2. Group and Prepare the Threads

Each silk bundle consists of tiny strand-like structures — these are your individual strands. 

Align all strands neatly and tie them around a thin stick, keeping the ends even. Avoid uneven lengths — this ensures consistent texture later on.

Step 3. Make Silk Rows

Repeat the above process to create three silk rows in total. Remember to refer back to the data provided in the diagram for the following rows, as each will differ slightly. Below are the finished silk rows we made. 

Step 4. Brush the Silk Rows

Fix one silk row onto your stand using big metal clips - if you don't have the wooden ronghua stand, that's totally fine! You can refer to our video about alternative solutions to the stand.

Hold the ends of the threads with one hand and brush gently but firmly from top to bottom. Don’t lift the brush midway. A light mist of water will prevent static. You can apply some pressure — silk threads are stronger than they look! Make sure to brush both the front and back sides until the row looks smooth and fluffy. 

Everyone uses a different brush and hand speed, so the time it takes to complete this step is also different. Taking my situation as a reference, it took me about 10 minutes to brush this silk row. When you feel the hair is soft and fluffy, you can stop and check. When there is no complete linear distinction between the threads and start to stick to each other, it's ready:) 

Step 5. Attach Copper Wires

When you feel that the silk is brushed enough, secure its tail with another big clip to your table or anything that can help stretch it taut. Take out one copper wire from the folded end of the row and straighten it. Twist the folded part into a spiral of about 3 cm. Clamp the silk threads between two copper wires and twist the opposite side tightly. Pull both wires taut and continue twisting until they merge into one. Remember, the twsiting direction for the left and right end are opposite. 

The spacing should be as shown in step 1. 

If you have anti-slip powder, it will be much easier to dip your fingers in it and twist it. We highly recommend you watch the video tutorial for this step:)

Once done, remove the silk row from the stand and lay it flat.

Step 6. Cut the Silk Strips

Trim the row’s end neatly, then cut between each pair of copper wires to create even silk strips. When cutting, the scissors must be placed in the middle of two copper wires, otherwise the width of the silk strips will be inconsistent. If threads stick to your scissors, clean them — it’s usually caused by static or residue. Cut quickly and cleanly for smooth edges. Don't touch the wire or it may get displaced.

Step 7. Center and Twist the Strips

Align the copper wire to the middle of each strip using a flat surface or wooden block.
Once centered, twist both hands in opposite directions to tighten.

Next, place the copper part between the twisting boards and continue twisting in the same direction. Stop when the wire feels firm — twisting too far may cause it to break. How do you know if it is tightened enough? If tightened properly, the copper wire should only faintly show. If the copper wire is very visible, it’s not tight enough.

Step 8. Shape the Flower Center

The stamen strips do not need to be flattened, but tapered. When trimming the tip, it’s best to use sharp scissors. Start by neatening the edges, trimming slowly while rotating the strip so the shape stays even. Take your time with the tapering—small, patient cuts will give a cleaner result. Shape the strip into a gentle taper like in the reference. You need 12 pieces, 6 for each flower.

Step 9. Flatten the Strips

All the other strips need to be flattened.

For the other grey-pink row, fold the strips in half, aligning it perfectly, then twist the copper wires again. They are used for the petals.

For these white and grey strips, cut off the copper wire on the white end.

Flatten the strip using a hair-straightening iron. Heat your flat iron and press the strip gently from bottom to top. Move slowly and evenly.

Then we need to soak the flattened strips.

Prepare your setting solution:

1. Use either hair spray, or
2. Diluted white glue (1:1.15 or 1:1.2 ratio)

Soak the flattened silk strips, let them absorb the solution, then scrape off the excess.

Step 10. Shape the Petals

We need three shapes of flattened strips: one for petals, one for bud, one for leaves. Shape them while the hairspray is not dried.

For the petals, gently curve the petals backward with tweezers. Slightly fold the edges inward and shape each petal. Make 12 petals total and set them aside to dry. Once the petals are fully dry, use a flat iron to create a slight wavy edge. After that, trim the edges slightly but don't trim off the waves.

We highly recommend you to watch the video tutorial for this:)

For the bud petals, you only need 3. The bud is an inward-curved oval shape, so push it with tweezers or your fingers slightly.

Trim off the uneven edges as well, for it to look more like a bud petal.

The leaves only require a simple curve, and you’ll need 5 in total. Give it a little trim too so it looks pointed on both ends like a leaf.

Step 11. Assemble the Components

Begin assembling the lily. Each flower needs six stamens, assembled one by one. This lily has two petal layers, three petals in each layer. Insert the second layer in the gaps between the petals of the first layer.

For the stem wrapping, use multiple threads together so wrapping is faster and smoother. Wrap downward about 2 cm and tie a knot to finish. Make two lilies in total. Adjust the stamens so they spread naturally, keeping the center stamen upright.

The bud requires only the 3 bud petals assembled together. Smooth out any twisted threads.

When assembling leaves, add an additional steel or copper wire to allow shaping. Make another set of leaves with only two leaves pieces.

Step 12. Assemble the Piece

Assemble the leaves and the bud together first, then add the lilies in suitable positions. Add the second leaf group. Pull the thread tight while binding. Arrange the two lilies so they sit offset—one slightly left, one slightly right—rather than on the same horizontal line.

Trim excess copper wire; it doesn’t need to be long. Fold the wire back and wrap tightly to secure it.

Step 13. Attach the Piece to the Brooch Pin

Add the hairpin base and bind it together with the anthurium with silk thread.

Finish by tucking the thread into the copper wire. We use a special technique to tie the thread without any trace. To do this, you will need to take a small piece of copper wire or thread and fold it in half. Cover the copper wire / thread when continue wrapping. When finishing, pass the remaining thread through the small loop of the copper wire. Then quickly pull the copper wire out from the tail. The thread ends are left inside the wrapped silk threads. You can safely cut off the exposed silk thread, and trim off any excess.  

(We highly recommend you watch the video tutorial for this step:) 

Step 14. Final Adjustments

Finally, adjust the lilies’ positions.

Your Frost's Descent Lily Hairpin is finished!