How to Make an Evergreen Wreath

After the Christmas tree, wreaths are the traditional Christmas decoration. Wreaths are easy to make from common greens found right outside your home.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ribbons
• Wire Wreath Frame
• Floral Wires
• Garden Shears
• Gift Bows
• Pine Cones
• Scissors
• Wire Clothes Hangers
• Scissors

1. Gather a large shopping bag full of 6-inch garden trimmings. Some suggested trimmings are cedar, pine, fir, redwood, magnolia and oak. Remember to include holly or other red berries in your collection. The tip ends of the branches work best.

2. Use a wire wreath frame or make your own from a wire coat hanger. (Simply unbend it from the familiar shape into a circle; you can use the hook to hang your finished wreath.)

3. 

   Attach #24 floral wire - sometimes called paddle wire - anywhere along the wire wreath frame. Tie it to the frame at that point and keep unspooling it and wrapping as you go around the frame with the bundles of greens.

4. Select several of the garden trimmings and place them together in a bunch with the stems at one end.

5. Place this bundle on top of the frame where the floral wire is connected.

6. Hold the bundle in place and wrap the floral wire around the bundle and frame. You will need two hands for this: one to hold the bundle in place against the frame and one to wrap the wire.

7. 

   Wrap the floral wire around the bundle a second time and then pull it tight. Make sure to leave the wire attached to the frame - you still have a long way to go.

8. 

   Gather another bundle of foliage and place it so that the leaves overlap the first bunch and cover the stems. Make sure that the stems on both bunches face the same direction.

9. Continue overlapping the bunches of foliage and wiring them to the frame until you complete the circle.

10. 

    Add pinecones by twisting a new piece of paddle wire around the base of the cone, leaving a tail of 8 to 10 inches. Tie the wired cone's tail to the wreath.

11. 

    Lift the first bundle that you wired onto the frame and tuck the last bundle under it.

12. Twist the wire tightly around the last bundle. Knot the wire onto the frame, leaving 1 inch of wire with which to hang the finished wreath.

13. Trim the wire with scissors or pruning shears when you're finished.

Tips & Warnings

• Thick bundles make fat wreaths. The more plant material you add, the fuller your wreath will appear.
• Make a bright red bow and attach it with wire to the top of your wreath.
• Wreaths make wonderful hostess gifts during the holiday party season.
• Once your family and friends see your wreath, they will all want one. Buy or make plenty of wreath frames to supply the overwhelming demand.

[psychonurse]

on 11/20/2009 Great instructions--you've inspired me! 5*****

[mountaindame]

on 10/13/2009 "After the Christmas tree, wreaths are the traditional Christmas decoration."
Evergreen wreaths are not traditional Christmas decoration. They are pagan decoration for yule/winter solstice.