How to Make a Holiday Wreath from Grape or Honeysuckle Vine

Making a holiday season wreath from backyard vines is simple and fun. Use whatever you have growing - just make sure you don't mistake poison ivy for a useable vine!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• several 3- 6 foot sections of vine
• shrub pruners
• florist wire
• decorations of your choice

1. Plan to make your garlands as soon as possible after the vines have been gathered . . . before the canes dry out and become hard to work with. If you can't get to the task right away and the canes do get a little brittle, try soaking them in water for a few hours to restore their flexibility.
2. To begin wreath making, start with a fairly long, stout strand. Then, holding the thicker end in one hand, loop the rest of the vine around in a circle as if you were winding up a garden hose. Make this first ring about the size you wish your finished product to be.
3. Next, loop the vine around until you're about midway through a second circle and pull the strand through to the inside of the ring to anchor the wreath together. (Don't think you're hopelessly inept if it takes you several tries to get the circle to hold: This step is tricky for anyone.) When your ring is secured - you may still have to keep it in place with one hand while you continue to work-wrap the vine around the outside and then pull it back through to the inside of the circle in a spiral . . . as if you were wrapping a stiff ribbon around in candy-cane fashion.
4. Keep adding vines in this way until the wreath is the size and thickness that you want. It is up to you whether you weave the vines tightly or loosely. A loose wreath is less formal and allows room to weave in decorations.
   
   Attach a wire or string at the back for hanging and decorate your vine wreath as desired.
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Tips & Warnings

• Of course, you can always buy an inexpensive vine wreath from your local craft store as well as silk decorations if you are not close to wild vines.