Make Your Own Leis. You can make your own leis from materials found right in your back yard! Literally any flowers, leaves, ferns, etc., may be used to make a lei. For your first time however, you should start with the basic single strand flower lei. To begin lei making, collect any medium sized flowers you can find - roses, daisies, carnations etc. You'll need about 50 blossoms to make a 40 single strand lei.