When you make a wreath by hand, either as a gift or holiday decor for your own door, you express welcome and a circle of friendship. We’re sharing our designer tips so you can have success in your own DIY project. The supplies below cover the basics. Embellish as you like, add additional elements if you wish, and bring your personality out in your design.
Supplies
22” Fraser Fir Wreath
2 Zip ties (one long, one short)
Mix of 4 different greens
3 pinecones
1 winterberry branch
1 or 2 accent branches
1 bow
Create a Swag of Greens
Weave a large zip tie around the wreath making sure to not catch too many of the Fraser fir branches. Loosely secure the zip tie as this is where you will tuck branches before tightening in place. If you catch too many of the Fraser fir branches already on the wreath, it will create a pinch point in the circular form of the wreath.
Starting with the Port Orford Cedar, create a 2 sided swag by tucking the ends of the branches under the zip tie. Don’t worry about exposed ends just yet.
Slide in some Boxwood and White Pine. To get the most out of each branch, cut as close to an intersection as possible. Too much weight on the swag will cause it to tilt forward when hanging on a door. Gently tighten the zip tie to start securing the greens in place without pulling the zip tie all the way tight yet.
Embellish with Accents
Add pinecones on sticks next. You can put two below the zip tie and one above, or two on top and one below. It’s your choice! Carefully add the winterberry branch, knowing you will probably lose some of the berries anyway. Winterberry looks lovely added to the portion that has one pinecone in it to balance the two pinecones on the other end of the swag.
Accent Branches are the last addition. You don’t want to make them too wide or long because they will get in the way of opening your door. Branches can be cut at intersections to get smaller pieces. Small sprigs of greens placed on top can cover the exposed ends of sticks.
Secure the Swag
Now it’s time to tighten that zip tie! Make sure it is good and tight while holding your wreath together. Once tightened, give the wreath a little shake to see if all the elements are secure before cutting the excess end of the zip tie. If you can see any unneeded stems on the front, cut them carefully.
Flip the wreath over and gently set it down. On the backside, you’ll see the ends of the pinecone sticks and some of the larger branches. Cut those ends at an angle that is flush with the back of the wreath to prevent scratching on your door. Add the bow by taking the wire and wrapping it around the wreath following the zip tie. Secure the wire tightly. For the excess wire, we recommend wrapping it up around your finger and tucking the circled wire into the wreath frame. Cut ends of wire are sharp and can also damage your front door.
Position the Hanger
Use the smaller zip tie to create a hanger. Consider where you want the swag to be displayed while hanging. The zip tie can be placed next to the larger zip tie for a centered top swag, or slightly to the left for a 10 o’clock placement of the swag. Or you can secure the small zip tie slightly to the right for a 2 o’clock swag placement, or opposite the large zip for the swag to be on the bottom.
Winter Care of Your Wreath
Store your greens in a cool, dark place like an unheated garage until you are ready to create your wreatht. You can mist the greens with water once or twice to help keep them fresh. Wilt-Pruf can be used on fresh-cut greens to lock in the moisture with a wax-like coating once they are secured on your wreath.
See our Winter Greens Guide blog post for more inspiration.
