DIY: How to Make a Wreath

Photos show two wreaths made by Kate Furr Oregon City, Oregon her blog is Life on the farm:

Fresh greenery wreaths provide the senses with many delights. Not only do they look beautiful, but they perfume the air around them. Pine boughs, ivy, eucalyptus sprays, box hedge stems and ferns are just a few kinds of fresh greenery you can use to make wreaths. Best to work on a table when preparing your wreath form and later to hang it up to add the decorations and final touches. It is easier to see where you need to add leaves, flowers, ribbons etc., when you are face to face with your wreath.

Fresh Greens 1

. Make a base using two wire coat hangers. Wire the hangers together and cover with floral tape.

2. Cut several 8" to 10" long branches of greenery (redwood, pine, douglas fir etc.)

3. Using , secure the branches to the wreath base. Overlap the stems. Keep adding stems until the wreath base is fully covered.

Golden preserved roses, elegant green preserved hydrangea and intriguing green caspia and yarrow lavishly decorate a fern enhanced base that is enlarged by the addition of honeysuckle vine secured int othe wreaths center. The added vine widens the wreath base and enables a larger canvas onto which the luxuriant materials can be artfully arranged. The oversized composition, which is rich with the textures of feathery fern fronds and a berried garland woven among the blossoms, can bedeck a wall or door, or even be laid atop a table, beginning in spring and continuing throughout the summer.

Materials: preserved roses

hydrangeas

yarrow

fern

Asian honeysuckle vine

grapevine wreath form or smilar wreath form.

silk berry garland

wood picks and pan melt glue.

It is an old Greek custom to hang a wreath of fresh flowers on your door to celebrate special occasions. The rings are made of grass, raffia, vines or any other material. The stems of the flowers are cut to three inches or so and wired onto the garland.

1. Gather a bundle of long grass. If the grass is too dry to shape into a circle wet it down before shaping it and binding it with fishing line, twine or floral wire.

1. You will need a , foliage, flowers and two yards of thin satin ribbon.

2. Dip the base in water until the is damp but not fully saturated. The base will drip when you hang it if you over-soak it. (Soak it if you plan to use it as a centerpiece).

3. Insert the foliage first. Keep the stems short and fill the entire wreath with a green background.

How to make wreath hangers

Make a wreath hanger before you begin to decorate your wreath. It establishes the top, and you can hang your wreath in front of you while you decorate. You may choose not to use your hanger to attach the wreath to the wall. Styrofoam, wire and straw wreaths are light and flat enough to hang on a nail. If your wreath is heavily decorated on one side, however, you will need a hanger to keep it centered. Grapevine and Nito wreaths need the support of wire hangers. The vines are irregular and in most cases cannot be hung on a nail. To make a hanger for a grapevine wreath, look at the shape of the wreath to determine the top. Then, slip a around a few branches in the back, at the top of the wreath. Wrap it around a few times and twist the ends of the wire. Make sure the loop is secure.

1. Twist a circle in a medium gauge wire.

How to make a simple garland wreath

Best to work on a table when preparing your wreath form and later to hang it up to add the decorations and final touches. It is easier to see where you need to add leaves, more flowers, ribbons etc., when you are face to face with your wreath.