How to Make a Eucalyptus Swag
There are economical ways to decorate your home with flowers other than purchasing expensive floral arrangements that die within a few days. You can make your own longer-lasting floral décor by crafting fresh dried or silk flowers into swags. A swag is a loose arrangement of a combination of things, such as foliage, flowers or fruit, which are gathered in a bundle and tied together. If you are not sure what items to use in your swag, try eucalyptus, a flower used commonly by florists. Eucalyptus not only has an earthy appearance that works well with various types of décor, but it also deodorizes a room because of its natural aroma. To create a eucalyptus swag that looks like it was made by a professional florist, try adding a few other complementary flowers and a decorative ribbon to tie it all together.
Things You'll Need
- 18 pieces fresh, dried or silk eucalyptus
- 20- to 22-gauge floral wire
- Ruler
- Wire cutter
- Hot or tacky glue
- 5 strands of raffia
- 13 dried rosebuds
- 4 stems of silk baby's breath, 3 inches long
Instructions
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1
Place nine eucalyptus stems on a table, with all tips facing towards the same side. Cut a piece of floral wire.
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2
Gather the eucalyptus together and wrap a piece of wire around the base of the stems. Repeat this same step on the other 9 pieces of eucalyptus.
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3
Hold the two bunches together with the wrapped stems of each bunch touching and overlapping one another. The tips on each eucalyptus bundle should be facing in opposite directions. Cut another piece of floral wire and wrap it around the middle of the overlapping stems to secure them together.
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4
Cut a 3-inch piece of floral wire. Bend the wire into a U-shape. Bend the tips of the U-shaped wire forward. Insert the bent tips into the middle wire at the back of the eucalyptus bundle to create a small hanger for it. Add glue to the hanger to secure it to the wire.
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5
Bend the raffia into four loops so that it looks like a bow. There should be excess raffia hanging from the bow to serve as ribbon tails. Cut a piece of wire and tie it somewhere in the middle of the raffia bow to secure it.
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6
Apply glue to the front middle wires on the eucalyptus and stick the bow onto it. The bow should completely cover the front wires. Spread the tails of the raffia bow out in either direction so that they fall over the eucalyptus.
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7
Glue dried rosebuds on and around the bow. Glue two pieces of baby's breath on either side of the bow so that it falls decoratively over the eucalyptus.
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Tips & Warnings
Experiment with different colors and textures of flowers and foliage to create a swag that matches your décor.
References
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
