I have spent my whole life contentedly foraging, whether it be in second hand shops, libraries or the woods. Partly because I prefer rustic charm and pieces with a history before we’ve met, and partly because there have been plenty of times in my life when I haven’t had two pennies to rub together. Instead of ordering something elaborate and expensive from a florist, I had to learn how to make a wreath… and I remain quite smitten with it’s simplistic charm.
It was perhaps inevitable that I ended up one of those crafty people (admittedly with varying degrees of success) with odd things lying around the house and falling out of cupboards – but I embrace it wholeheartedly. I’m also constantly enabled by my Pinterest addiction. Every so often my phone will give me an affectionate little nudge, reminding me that I haven’t checked out the most recent this, that or the other that I’ve been obsessing over. I’ve developed a great affection for foraged home decor so thought I would share how to make a wreath that can be reused and decorated seasonally.
You will need:
- Floral wire or jute twine
- Thin, bendy branches with buds and greenery trimmed off (only the flexible, bendy kind of twig will work – see below. 15 will do, though you could include more depending on the size/thickness of the wreath you want to make)
- Freshly foraged ivy, flowers, berries… whatever you want to decorate the frame with!
- Sharp scissors (I used these … though if I’m honest, I regret that I didn’t have these for a flatly!)
On choosing your branches
You can make these at any time of year, but there’s a few things to consider when foraging for your twigs. You want live twigs that I are flexible and will bend with ease – dead twigs won’t work. There are sometimes useable twigs strewn on woodland floors, especially in high winds or after a storm – but sometimes it will involve pruning a tree. I have made beautiful wreaths from willow and silver birch. But any bendy twigs that you find on your wanders will be fine, providing they don’t have sap or sticky buds, as that’s a nightmare to get off walls and doors!
creating the shape
Take two of your sturdiest branches, and overlap them by a good few inches. Tie them together using your wire/twine, then bend them into a rough circle in the size you want your finished wreath to be, Overlap and secure the other ends in the same way. It probably won’t be a perfect circle yet, but don’t worry – the next size will shape it better.
Building up your frame
Tie the end of your next longest bough/twig to this frame, and proceed to weave it around. Continue in this manner with the rest of your twigs – playing with the shape and not worrying about ends sticking out a little. As you go, you should find that you no longer need to tie branches into place, as you can tuck them into your thickening frame.
To finish up…
Trim any untidy ends – but don’t worry about going overboard, nothing in nature is supposed to look natural. You can decorate however you want, using whatever seasonal pieces you have. I love using ivy, but remember to wash your hands thoroughly after as it’s a pretty but irritating thing! You could add some twine or a ribbon to hang it from if it takes your fancy, but I prefer hanging it by nestling a nail amongst the twig frame itself.
One more step
Take a photo. Or a whole camera roll of photos. Then tag me on instagram (@thesesweetpages) or leave a comment with your insta handle on here so I can admire and share your handiwork!
It’s a keeper
While the decoration will wither and die, the twigs will dry and leave you with a frame that you can use over and over. The children love helping me hunt for pretty spring flowers, snip flowers from the garden in the summer, collecting acorns and gorgeous garden leaves in the autumn then watching me add ivy and berries to it in the winter!
Love, Helen
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