Every year before Christmas I get together with a group of friends at our local village hall and we make wreaths for our front doors. We make a brew of delicious hot apple & cinnamon (heat apple juice in a saucepan with 2-3 cinnamon tea bags, serve in mugs), put the Christmas tunes on and get crafting!
You will need:
A mixture of non-deciduous greenery (I used bay and Leylandii. Holly, laurel, fir and conifer also work well). Secateurs or strong scissors. Florist’s wire and wire cutters. Wire ring (30cm diameter). Optional: dried oranges & cinnamon sticks, red berries (real or fake). Ribbon for hanging.
Prepare florist’s wire: cut several pieces approx 20cm – 30cm long.
Step 1: Cut 3 pieces of greenery approx 25cm long.
Step 2: Bunch together and wrap wire around, twisting the ends together.
Step 3: Using the same piece of wire (or a new piece) attach the bunch to the ring, wrapping wire around tightly and twisting ends together to secure.
Step 4: Repeat steps 1-3 always adding bunches in the lying in the same direction on the ring. If your leaves are looking a little wayward (pic 6 above) you can tidy them up by tying extra pieces of wire around the ring and leaves (pic 7).
Step 5: Wrap wire around berries, twist ends together and attach to ring, wrapping wire carefully through leaves and around wring.
Step 6: Take 3 dried orange slices and arrange as shown in pic 9, poke a piece of wire through in one place so they stay in the arrangement. Twist ends of wire together and attach to ring.
Step 7: Thread ribbon through wire ring at back of wreath, hang on your door.
Voila! A lovely festive wreath, happy holidays everyone!
