How to Make Evergreen Wreaths & Swags
Evergreen wreaths and swags are a vibrant part of the holiday season. The understated evergreen greenery can fade into the background during the summer, but in the winter it adds a vibrant touch of color to the barren landscape and helps set the mood for celebrating with family and friends. A bright bow, pine cones and other decorations on the evergreen decoration can add more color and texture to the rich green branches. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Evergreen branches
- Sheers
- Wire
- Wire cutters
- Coathanger
- Pliers
- Hoop
- Hot glue
- Bow
- Pine cones
- Dried flowers
- Dried seed pods
Instructions
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Swags
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1
Pick out sprigs of evergreen. According to the website Learn 2 Grow, Douglas, Fraser and balsam firs; Austrian, white and Scotch pines; and Japanese yew will tolerate warm, indoor temperatures better than spruce will. English ivy and mistletoe are other evergreen plants that work well in wreaths. For swags, gather three full boughs. For wreaths, the amount will vary depending on the size of the decoration.
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2
Remove 4 inches of needles from the bottom of the boughs and arrange them flat on a table in a fan shape so that the bare ends cross.
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3
Wrap florist's wire repeatedly around the ends of the boughs where the ends cross to hold the boughs together. Twist the ends of the wire into a loop to hang the swag from the door.
Wreaths
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4
Bend a length of sculpture wire into a a circle and twist the ends together with pliers to form a loop. You can also use a premade wooden or wire ring or a coat hanger.
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5
Cut several pieces of evergreen together and gather them into a bundle. Remove the bottom inch or two of needles from the bundle and wrap it tightly with wire, leaving at least 5 inches of wire hanging off the end.
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6
Wrap the wire around the hoop several times to attach the bundle to the hoop.
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7
Form another bundle and attach it to the ring so that it overlaps the first one. Continue to add bundles until you have covered the whole ring.
Decorations
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8
Attach a few branches of another species of evergreen to your wreath or swag with wire to create a textured look.
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9
Hot glue a bow to the top of the wreath or swag. On the swag, glue the bow where the bare parts of the boughs touch.
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10
Hot glue on dried seed pods, dried flowers and pine cones to add interest to the wreath.
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Tips & Warnings
Display your wreath or swag outdoors to increase its life span. According to the University of Illinois Extension, outdoor wreaths and swags can survive up to four weeks whereas indoor ones will last only about a week.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
