Wreaths & Garlands for the Holidays

IMG_0469.JPG

It’s starting to feel a little like Christmas already. My husband and I spent an evening making garlands and wreaths together at a work event. We had Christmas music playing on the Sonos and treats including homemade apple sauce, chai, eggnog, cookies and cheese platters. 

Supplies

Our coworker Lindsay organized the event and picked up several greenery and berries. My boss brought in leaves and mini pine cones from his backyard. They smelled amazing! Other supplies included circular wire wreath rings, floral wire spools, individual wire stems (for those final additions!), ribbon, wire cutters, and shears. 

Getting Started

IMG_0563.JPG

We started by making bunches less then 8” long. The smaller, the more control and the tighter your wreath.

Then we’d wrap the bunches individually with wire and then wrap around the circular wreath ring without cutting the wire.

We’d continue adding more bunches in a circular fashion. Layer slightly on top of the previous bunch. Then wrap the bunch with the same wire. Then wrap the bunch with the wire onto the ring once again. 

Tying in Loose Areas

IMG_0401.JPG

When you’ve finally covered a full circle, cut the wire. Hold it up to see what starts to droop and where you might need to add more wire.

Filling in Uneven Patches

You’ll also start to see where you might have uneven patches or empty areas. To fill in these areas, you can add in smaller bunches where needed. Wrap individual bunches in individual wire stems, then wrap onto the wreath ring. 

IMG_0471.JPG

Some Tips

In general, it’s nice to layer in varieties of texture and sizes. Balance with color. Even if they’re all greens, you can still achieve an intricate look.  

IMG_0443.JPG

It seemed a shame to throw away the scraps. So I ended up making these smaller bunches below. I made a few tiny ones that can serve as boutonnieres.

IMG_0442.JPG
IMG_0403.JPG

Excited for more holiday festivities ahead! Happy December!  

MakeVivian Lee HuComment