Step by Step instructions on making a homemade wreath for the holidays, or anytime! Customize for Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, any holiday or just for every day use!
A beautiful wreath can accentuate a wall or door, giving visitors a sense of the homeowner's personality and warming an entire room. Seasonal wreaths can be used to add a festive touch to a small area or a doorway. Some families like to keep a variety of wreaths and rotate them with the seasons and holidays; however, this can be very costly. Moreover, some of the nicer "store-bought" wreaths incorporate lovely dried flowers and leaves that look beautiful but are fragile and difficult to store.
One solution is to make homemade wreaths. For under $15 each, on average, you can make several homemade wreaths and swap them according to the season. Even better, by choosing the right materials you can increase your ability to re-use your wreath year after year and still have it look fresh and new! Wreaths also make beautiful and personal gifts for your friends and family; a personalized gift that is deceptively easy and inexpensive!
Below is a basic "recipe" to make a homemade wreath, as well as some suggested variations and combinations for seasonal touches.
You'll Need:
* A straw, grapevine or willow wreath, round (14" is a good starting size, vary according to your needs and/or budget)
* A hot glue gun (small)
* A supply of hot glue gun sticks (5 - 10 per wreath)
* A roll of wire-rimmed ribbon, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches wide
* Silk flowers and plants to coordinate with ribbon
* Small decorative items (optional)
* Florists wire
* Scissors and wire cutters
* Newspaper or waxed paper to cover your working area
First, cut a selection of silk flowers and leaves off of the stalks with your wire cutters, leaving 3 - 4" stems. Lay the wreath on a flat table or floor (covered with newspaper). Heat the hot glue gun with a cartridge (glue stick) in place.
Arrange the flowers by inserting them randomly around the edges of the wreath. Don't over crowd them, as you want to allow space for the ribbon to weave around the outside. Weave the stems of the flowers into the openings of the wreath, so that they are held in place by the wreath itself. Use the hot glue gun to secure them in place by placing a few drops of glue under each stem (between the wreath and the flower). Try to arrange the flowers so that they are not exactly symmetrical; it will look more natural if the flowers are slightly different lengths and there are a few pointing in (versus all pointing out or aligning to the exact center of the wreath).
Once all of the leaves and flowers are arranged, unroll several feet of ribbon. You should allow at least six feet of ribbon per wreath, and larger or more complex wreaths may need more. Starting at one side (near the bottom works best), hot glue gun the end of the ribbon in place underneath the bottom of the wreath. Slowly wrap the ribbon around the wreath, very loosely, so that it gaps away from the wreath in many places. You do not want a tight wrap, nor should the ribbon touch in all places. The ribbon should make about six full circles around the wreath. At each point where the ribbon crosses the wreath in back, use your hot glue gun to secure it in place. You should arrange the ribbon so that it crosses the wreath strategically in the gaps between the flowers you have set on there. When you reach your starting point, wrap the ribbon back under the wreath and cut the end so it is about 1" longer than the starting point. Use your hot glue gun to secure the end firmly to the starting ribbon. This should be underneath so the ribbon appears to be one large long continuous loop from the front.
Take any small decorations that you want to include and affix these between the openings in the wreath, just like you did with the flowers. Secure these in place with the hot glue gun.
If you want to add a large bow to the front of the wreath, use the remaining ribbon to make a large bow. There are commercially available bow-makers that make professional looking bows, or you can ask a craft shop to show you how if you need assistance. Finish the ends of your bow with a diagonal cut or use pinking shears to cut cleanly. Secure the bow to the wreath with your florists wire, making sure that the exposed wires are hidden under the folds of the ribbon and that the wire twists on in the back of the wreath.
Use your florist's wire to tie a small loop on the back of the wreath to serve as a hanger for your door or wall.
Some suggestions for lovely combinations include:
Christmas wreaths:
Use white and red silk roses, silk poinsettias, fir branches, and accent with gold or red sheer ribbon. Add pinecones, small gold bells, white tipped decorations or even glass ornaments for a beautiful touch.
Birthday Wreaths:
Use multicolored flowers and greenery; add a bright ribbon that matches the flowers. Use wooden "balloons" and other little decorative knick-knacks from the woodcraft area of the craft store, and hang a small "Happy Birthday" sign (also available in most craft stores, or make your own with a small piece of wood and paint!) from the center so it dangles in the center opening of the wreath.
Autumn Wreath
Use fall foliage with silk flowers and autumn leaves to decorate the wreath, tie this together with a fall-patterned ribbon. Add plastic pumpkins and a scarecrow figurine to tie it all together for a festive look!
Grapevine Wreath
Use a grapevine wreath and substitute a silk grapevine (a long string of silk ivy leaves) for the flowers. Weave a grape and ivy patterned ribbon around the wreath and decorate with several strategically placed plastic grape clusters. A truly lovely looking wreath.
Spring Floral Wreath
Use a willow wreath and spring colored flowers, tie together with a floral patterned ribbon. You can add a small bunny rabbit, a few plastic carrots, a tiny shovel and rake, etc. to make this more "Easter" related if you wish.
The only limitation to this is your imagination. Once you begin, you may never want to stop. Some of the basic supplies (the hot glue gun, florists wire, etc.) will take a minor initial investment, the remainder are wreath-specific.
Budget-friendly hint: Look for seasonal ribbons off-season, and save these for future projects. You can often pick up autumn colored silk flowers and ribbon, for example, late in the fall or early in the winter for up to 75% off.
