large fleur-de-lis ice sculpture displayed in Baton Rouge, LA



*updated 1/19/12

The fleur-de-lis (flower of the lily) is a classic symbol of New Orleans. It adorns everything from the football team to City Hall. Now, after the storm a while back, it’s more popular in than ever. The fleur-de-lis shows up at weddings and corporate events regularly now. And I know that, with New Orleanians scattered all around the country, I’m probably not the only one carving them. Below is my version of a larger, ornate fleur-de-lis. The design shown is slightly different from the picture above, but the basics are the same.



The tough part about this design is the center weld. Your best bet is to set one piece of ice on it’s side and weld in the horizontal position rather than the vertical. Then the tip of the fleur-de-lis becomes the most important part. Getting a tight weld there is crucial. I’ve added a diagram below that illustrates how I go about completing this weld. Not that the top piece is largely cut out while the bottom piece is still an uncut slab. It’s easier to do the weld if the top part is lighter and easier to handle.



The final design is shown below. I’ve added a base for stability and some extra insurance on the center weld.





If you have any questions about this piece, email me or comment below. If you would like to use this ice sculpture design or any other design on this site, please check the design usage guidelines. The design collection page lists designs on the site.

You might also find photos and info from this entry on the ice carving secrets facebook page and you can comment there as well as below. Thanks!

Tags: New Orleans, Mardi Gras