Twisted Spoke Bicycle Wheel Lacing - Flowers!

I've never given my girl flowers.... Except for the surfboard with frangipanni's on it. When i recently built her up a light'n'sexy single speed for running about town i decided to braid into each wheel a flower complete with petals. Here's how.

Step 1: Front Wheel

36 spoke hub
hole spaceing (measured between hole centres accross the hub.) = 38.4mm
hub width: 68.4mm
314mm spokes
608mm diameter rims.

Step 2: Choose Your Spokes.

Take a look at all the online spoke calculators. Largely ignore them.
Basically just take a set of spokes way too long to build for the equipment you have.
Take a best guess at the twisty pattern. I've included 3 configurations in this how-to as a guide. I don't know of any spoke calculator for doing these patterns...

Step 3: Lace Very Loosely One Side of the Wheel.

lace all spokes loosely on one side of the wheel. I'd suggest looking at sheldon brown's wheel lacing guides as an excellent guide. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

Step 4: Now the Tricky Part. Lace the Other Side

put in half the spokes only in alternate holes. loosely tighten them in with the nipples.

Step 5: Put in the Second Half of the Spokes.

you should be able to wrestle the spokes into place. the first half are easy, then they get increasingly hard.
try and lace them opposite each-other ie for each one on this side of the wheel, insert one on the opposing side next....

Step 6: Tighten and True Wheel

This is also a tough bit. Trueing these wheels isn't anything like trueing normal wheels. tightening a spoke somewhere has untold effects elsewhere on your wheel...
the secret is to tighten all up to firmish, then to proceed very slowly, sort of 1/4 turns on each spoke

Step 7: Ride, and Re-true.

Unlike a normal wheel, these will take a while to settle in. You'll need to ride a few times and re-true after each ride. The first ride in particular will be kinda scary as your wheels make a lot of noise. The spokes are rubbing on each-other and settling into their final configuration.