How to make your own Christmas wreath
As Christmas approaches, you’ll start thinking of all the fun things to do to partake in the exciting festivities. One thing you might see crop up is wreath-making classes, but then you remember you could just make a DIY wreath at home, but you don’t know how to make a Christmas wreath without clear instructions. After all, it’s not like it’s common knowledge – even if you are pretty crafty!
Well, we’re here to tell you all you need to know about wreath making, and even how to take care of it once Xmas has passed. Just read on to find out all you need to know to add another string to your bow!
Fun and festivities
Making a Christmas wreath is so much fun; you can do it with your friends, family, partner, or even your work colleagues! You might love flowers and foliage, with a keen interest in botanical wall art, so this festive tradition interests you greatly. And you might want to get your craft on this Christmas, leaving your friends and family to add to your never-ending collection of nature artwork instead. But where do you begin?
How to make a Christmas wreath
First thing’s first, you need equipment to get the Christmas wreath-making started. In the meantime, you can think about the colour combinations you’re hoping to achieve (although, we know it’ll have some red, white and green thrown in there to signify the festivities!)
To make your own Christmas wreath, you’ll need the following things:
- A wreath ring (with a diameter of roughly 25cm).
- Wire (florists’ wire, specifically).
- Tree ivy/fir/spruce/natural moss.
- Sharp scissors/shearers.
- Flowers and foliage.
- Dried fruit/pine cones/holly (optional).
You might now know this already, but some retailers and florists offer ready-to-make wreath kits. So, if you don’t have time to search the shops for the items required, just get Googling and order a kit online.
When it comes to making a Christmas wreath, you’ll need to gather up some fir, ivy or spruce, as these make up the main wreath… and ensure it lasts rather than wilting from the off! You can get spruce of fir by:
- Heading to your local florist and buying branches/offcuts.
- Using trimmings from the (real) Christmas tree you’ve bought.
How to make a Christmas wreath with ease
Now you’ve got everything you need to make your wreath, it’s time to clue you up on what to do and in what order!
Here are our best tips, using ivy as the base of the wreath:
- Use tree ivy to cover the base, using several handfuls at a time.
- Snip the stems at an angle and then into short sections, ensuring any leftover leaves are removed near the stalks.
- Using your wire, start attaching the foliage, working from the outside and slowly working towards the middle to ensure precision.
- Once the wire base has gone out of reach, begin adding extra foliage like twigs, colourful leaves, holly or dried fruit (like clementine rounds).
- Sort these items into groups of three or four and prepare in the same way as the ivy; this ensures the arrangement looks its best!
- For softer festive materials, bind bunches together with florists’ wire and then attach it to your wreath.
- Attach woody, heavier materials (like pine cones or sprigs of holly) using a piece of wire and twist it behind each object, before popping it onto the base.
And there you have it – the perfect Christmas wreath.
How to hang a wreath on a door
Now you’ll want to know how to hang your wreath on a door – especially if you’ve never done this before.
- All you’ll need is clear string/twine or rope. This helps you securely fasten it, without it being seen (thanks to the translucent colour) – because nothing should be taking the attention away from your beautifully-made wreath!
- Make a loop on one end and fasten it around the hook on your door.
- Pull the string/twine or rope up and over the door and tie the other end around one part of your wreath.
- Simply let it hang and step away from it to check it’s evenly balanced (and not wonky). Viola – you’re done!
Where to hang your Christmas wreath?
Christmas wreaths tend to be hung on the front door of your house because they look great and it’s traditional, as explained above. However, what do you do if you have a double-fronted house or live in a shared space like a flat?
Well, we’d recommend hanging your Christmas wreath:
- In each bay window for maximum effect.
- On the wall in your most-used room (think living room/dining room).
- On your garden gate.
- Against your garage doors.
Aftercare for your Christmas wreath
Once you’ve made your Christmas wreath and hung it on your door, in your window or on your wall, you might think it’s all done and dusted. But like any living thing, you’ll need to feed it! So, once a week, you’ll need to mist the wreath with a little bit of fresh water. Just fill up a spray bottle and mist away; this will keep it nice and hydrated to ensure it lasts as long as possible!
Learn even more about art this Christmas
There you have it – your handy guide on wreath-making. Now you know what you’re doing, head over to our blog before Santa arrives to find other pointers. Our articles span from how to make art and sculptures to the benefits of art therapy for little ones. With so much to read, it’s certainly worth taking a look at what ideas we have in store for you to use at Christmas (and year-round)!