I shared this simple summer wreath on Instagram and got a few requests for a tutorial, so here it is. It’s really easy to make; something about weaving the flowers through is really quite soothing, and it gives me a valid excuse to go out and gather up a basket of wildflowers.
The Instagram wreath used cow parsely; that’s out of season now, so I’ve used this gorgeous Alchemilla Mollis (thanks Twitter folk!). I find flowers with this sort of big, open spray are easiest to work with, but you can use anything really.
Equipment:
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Instagram-worthy scissors
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Floristry wire or twine
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around 10 long bendy twigs (see note below)
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a large bunch of freshly gathered flowers
A note on twigs:
You need live, bendy twigs to work with; anything that’s been dead a while will be too brittle & just snap. The very best time to gather and make these wreath bases is in the middle of winter when every plant has sleeping leafless stems, but it’s still possible to find the right kind in summer if you hunt around. I find the long, twisty stems of climbers work best – things like honeysuckle or clematis, with their overlapping tangled branches.
You need at least one twig long enough to bend into a nice full circle the size of your wreath. The rest can be a little shorter, if necessary.
——
{one}
Curve round a twig to form the frame of your wreath. Overlap the ends slightly and secure tightly with wire or twine. Don’t worry if it isn’t a perfect circle – just a rough shape is fine at this point.
{two}
Tie the end of another twig onto the wreath, and begin to weave this around the frame in a loose spiral. Tie the end down when done.
{three}
Continue adding more twigs in this fashion. Once you have a few on, you’ll find it’s not necessary to tie them in, as you can just tuck the end into the existing weaving. Try to spread your twigs evenly; I find adding one or two stems wrapped in the opposite direction to the rest helps to create a fuller wreath.
{four}
As you weave the stems in, stop periodically to assess the shape. Lightly bend and flex any stems that seem to be pulling away from the circle, and pull the wreath into the shape you want. Evaluate where you want to place your flowers – ie, which is the worst bit you want to cover up!
{five}
Add the flowers. Snip the blooms down so there’s around 2-3″ of stem left for each flowerhead or cluster; it’s fine if these vary in size. Feed the stem through the twigs on your wreath, then gently pull through until the flowers catch against the wreath. Weave in the stem, so that it’s hidden ’round the back & fairly secure.
{six}
Gradually build up the flowers in this way, keeping an eye on the overall spread and coverage.
{seven}
Take 65000 photographs from slightly different angles, then instagram one, & tag me so I can see. (optional)
I tend to let the flowers dry out and hang around until they get dusty or begin to shed, when I’ll take the wreath outside and pull them all free. The twig wreath will dry out and become hard and light, and can be used again and again.
Does that make sense? Any questions? Comments are below.
You can see some of my other wreath attempts here and here.
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15 Comments
Leave a Comment
Wendy England
August 11, 2015
I can’t wait to try this 😀 Its just perfectly Pinterest worthy. I found your post via the 30 Plus Blog collective.
Wendy Xx
http://www.bumpkinbroke.com
Sheona
July 26, 2015
Can you please just help me make one? I’m useless! x
TheDaydreamerDiary
July 26, 2015
Yes, and DIY projects like yours will make them fun and enjoyable. Grateful daydreamer here 🙂
Sara Tasker
July 25, 2015
I love the idea of a pocket list for seasons coming 🙂 Enjoy all that sunshine on your travels – the colder days will always be waiting for you and your wreaths somewhere 🙂
Sara Tasker
July 25, 2015
Oh please do. Your photos would be a dream!
Sara Tasker
July 25, 2015
Wow! That’s some serious wreath skill! 😀 The hairspray tip is genius – totally up my street. Thank you! x
Sara Tasker
July 25, 2015
Oh yes you’re in prime twig-collecting season there! Get weaving, lady! xx
Sara Tasker
July 25, 2015
It’s something like a virginia creeper that i make my bases from – it grows up the front of our house 🙂 Great minds – it sounds like no tutorial was needed for you! xx
Sara Tasker
July 25, 2015
Did you save it in time? Clematis is THE BEST, it so often comes double-twisted already so it’s basically a ready made wreath!
TheDaydreamerDiary
July 25, 2015
It makes perfect – and very beautiful – sense to me! Will be traveling to the south of Europe soon (vacation time, yayyyy), where everything is dry and only Mediterranean pines seem to resist. So will keep this in my Pocket list of Fall/Winter treasures, when I need to be reminded that those seasons too may bring good and comfort 😉
Zoë Power
July 23, 2015
Great tutorial Sara – very understandable. I should have a go with some of the ivy I’ve been wrestling out of our garden!
KATE SARSFIELD
July 23, 2015
I love making real wreaths as well. I posted a pic of my Christmas Wreath on FB a couple of years ago & now get orders for them every year! Here’s a quick tip for you: give fresh flowers or berries a good spray with a cheap hairspray to help stop them from dropping!
Kate | Netherleigh
July 22, 2015
What a wonderful tutorial, Sara. Seeing as it is the middle of winter here I better get out and start collecting twigs right now!
Caro
July 22, 2015
I love making these sort of wreaths throughout the year and pull armfuls of virginia creeper down when its leaves have fallen. The stems are perfect and hugely long for making wreaths so no twine is needed. Fab tutorial, thanks!
Katie May
July 22, 2015
Oooh – I chopped a load of clematis back at the weekend. Bin day is Tuesday, I really hope it wasn’t our green bin this week so I can delve through and retrieve some sticks!