Wreathmaking 101: Create a Stunning, Evergreen Wreath in Less Than an Hour!

If a friend told you that you could create a spectacular, fresh, evergreen wreath in less than an hour, would you believe them? Believe away. It’s entirely possible. I’ll tell you how.

The list of supplies is minimal. You’ll need an inexpensive (and I actually mean cheap) fake wreath that’s at least 24” wide. It will set you back about $5. If you watch the sales at Michaels, you can snag it for about $3.50. You’ll need some ribbon for a bow and lots of fresh evergreens cut from your yard, a neighbors yard or some random common ground. You’ll need pruners, scissors and a 12” piece of wire for the bow. Grab your pruners and go for a walk.

You’ll want to cut your greenery about 12” long. Scotch Pine, Spruce, Cypress and Juniper are all good choices. If you have some Holly in berry right now, that will really bring your wreath making to the next level! Place your clippings in a trash bag and head home. 

If the weather allows, the best place to assemble the wreath is outdoors. Set up a small table, or flip the lid to your trashcan over and assemble it there. When you’re finished, flip the lid over and all the debris goes in the trash! Dump any leftover greenery in your yard waste. Now, turn your wreath over and look at the back. You should see 2 concentric wire circles in the middle portion of the wreath. You are going to shove the evergreens that you have cut and bagged into this center space of your wreath. I promise you, the greens will stay nice and tight without wire.  Fluff up the wreath you purchased a bit so it will be easier to find spots to add the fresh greens. Keep in mind that each piece of the fake wreath is wire; this is great if you want to wire in some berries or anything that has a short stem.

I like to begin by using Scotch pine as the base of my wreath. Begin by shoving a small handful of branches about 6” to12” long into the center portion of the wreath. You’ll notice that it holds very tight. I generally lay the pine pieces in a clockwise pattern until I have lightly covered over the top portion of the wreath.  Try and make all the pieces similar in length. Have some too long? No problem, just shove them in a little further! You’ll notice that very little of the fake branches appear behind the pine. Now I get creative with my greens. I love Blue spruce as an accent. I only need to use a few of the branch tips to add some pizzazz and spectacular color to my wreath. I also add some Cedar and Juniper in a random pattern. Remember- we want this wreath to look totally custom, so don’t get too precise about measuring the distance between each type of greenery you’re adding. If you’re lucky, you have a friend (thanks, Deb!) who has Juniper in berry right now. The Juniper’s blue berries add such color and the foliage is a ferny contrast to the Scotch pine. Keep laying pieces of evergreen until you are satisfied with your work. 

Are you satisfied?  Love what you see?  If so, it’s time to spray your wreath to keep it looking fresh all season long. There is something called “Wilt-Pruf.” It’s sold through nurseries as a surface spray for evergreen trees and shrubs. It’s used in the fall and early winter to protect from winter’s harsh winds and cold. The mixture comes in a concentrate: mix it up in a spray bottle. You won’t use much since a little goes a long way. I purchased mine at Sherwood Forest. Additionally, you can use it on anything evergreen that you use to decorate for the holidays. Pine roping, swags, wreaths, they all benefit from a good spray. The spray dries quickly, leaving a nice sheen. You’ve worked hard- go inside for a snack!

The final touches for your wreath are limitless. The traditional options are berries and a big bow. Non-traditional embellishments are pinecones, feathers and feathered birds, pieces of moss or Catalpa pods. Yup…you heard me right. Catalpa pods. George has hundreds and hundreds of them in his back yard. He silently curses them as they fall into the pool, the flowerbeds, the patio, you name it. I kept looking at them, trying to find something useful about them. Then I did! I spray-painted them red and gold! They are a great accent to any wreath or swag, and can be clipped in half to resemble a red chili! All you need to do is to wire them together and attach to the wreath.

If you prefer berries, you can purchase them in all sizes at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. They come pre-wired and are a cinch to attach. You’ll find berries in the traditional red, gold or silver. You’re almost finished. It’s time to make a bow.

People seem to have a hard time making bows for wreaths. For many years I worked at Schirmers, a gift shop (it’s been gone for decades) at Plaza Frontenac for many years. We wrapped every gift and placed a handmade bow on top of it.  My first suggestion about bow making is to buy ribbon that has a wire edge on it.  The next is to use a sturdy piece of wire, about 12” long, to attach your bow to the wreath. If the wreath is big, I would make an 8 or 10 loop bow. If you have a swag, I would make a 4 or 6 loop bow. Step 1 is to determine the size of your loop. Pull some of the ribbon out and make a loop. Remember to leave a tail for your bow. The tail on a big bow looks great a little longer, say 12” or so. A tail on a swag should be shorter, say 6” or less. Like what you see with the loop and the tail? If so, it’s on to step 2. After making your first loop, pinch the center with your fingers. Bring the ribbon around, trying to make the loop the same size as the first. After you do this, pinch the center so the loops don’t become loose. You are actually making “Figure 8” loops with your bow. Continue this way until you have as many loops as you like. Grab that 12” section of wire, bend it in half, and place it in the center of the loops that you have been pinching. Twist the wire as tightly as you can; this will give you a big, fluffy bow.  At this time you can add more ribbon for a tail. When you have everything the way you like it, give the bow a little “fluff” and twist the tail around. Spectacular! I bet this entire project, start-to-finish, took less than an hour to complete.

FINAL THOUGHTS

In closing, I have to offer my best advice about making a wreath. Do it with friends. A big, fun-loving, bunch of friends makes the whole process a real event.  My garden club turns this event into a yearly party. Patty invites us all into her home, we make wreaths, we mess up her house, we talk and eat and laugh until we’re sore. And, as soon as we leave, we look forward to next year. Just last week I held a wreath making event at the in Creve Coeur’s. George, Laura and Ray helped out, we gathered bag after bag of evergreens and invited the public. I had 2 groups of mothers and daughters, numerous groups of friends, a set of sisters, and some who just wanted to have a fun day. In less than 90 minutes, sixteen women made sixteen fabulous wreaths. The camaraderie was immediately evident, even among those who had never previously met. Each and every participant left with a stunning wreath and a big smile. Also with the desire to do it all again “same time next year.” Grab some materials, greenery and ribbon along with your friends. I guarantee a great time and the beginning of a memorable holiday tradition!