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How
to Make a Christmas Wreath
One of the great joys of
Christmas, is doing things together. That includes everything from
shopping and wrapping gifts, to cutting a tree, baking goodies, and
making your own special decorations, like wreaths.
Even the children can
help gather fir tips, and with a little help from parents, and some
simple accessories like bows, bells, candy canes and berries from a
discount store, they have great presents for aunts, uncles,
grandparents and teachers.
Wreaths are made on a steel ring, with a good gauge wire. Check
with your local craft store to see if they carry the supplies you
need, or if you'll need to order them online. This should be done a
few months ahead of Christmas, in case it takes time to get the
supplies.
However, the fir tips can't be gathered until late in the Fall. The
needles on fir trees need to "set", and the tree must have stopped
growing for the year. In northern states like Maine, it is
recommended not to gather tips until at least early November, after
three consecutive nights of temperatures that are 20F or lower.
Fir tips are literally the end of the tree branches. The actual tip
is a center stem, with one to either side, growing from the base.
As you go back up the main stem, you have stems growing off both
sides, and the further you go, the side stems will have more stems
of their own, which often branch off into secondary stems.
Tipping, is to cut the last 12-20 inches off branches from the
middle of the tree. This is where you are more likely to find
branches with needles all around the stems. Lower branches are older
and have had more wear, and upper branches are newer, and tend to be
longish.
>From a 12" branch end, you can break 2-3 sections, each having a
stem/branch of 4-6 inches, depending on the width of the wreath you
are making. A standard wreath size is 16-20", and is made on a 12"
wire ring. You will want to attach perhaps three pieces on each
side of the ring, in order to give the wreath fullness.
First, attach the end of a roll of wire securely to the ring. Lay
one bunch of tips on the wire ring, lining up the wooden stem with
the ring. Wrap the wire around the stems, about 1/3 of the way up
the branches. If your wrap it too low, your tips will flop off the
wreath. Pass the wire around the fir tips and ring, twice, and pull
tightly after each pass.
Turn the ring over, and attach a second bunch to the other side in
the same way. When you become more skilled, you will be able to put
a bunch on each side at the same time, being careful to wrap the
wire tightly to secure both bunches at once.
Work your way around the ring in this manner. As you break your fir
branches into smaller bunches, try to keep them about the same
length, so your wreath has some uniformity. Little bits that stick
out, can be trimmed off when you're done, with a pair of rose
clippers.
When you come to where you started with the first bunch, it
sometimes looks like there isn't enough room for more, but there
would be a gap if you didn't add something. Take your last bunch,
and insert the stems under the tips of the first bunch, lift the
tips and pass your wire around that last set of stems. Wrap an extra
time or two for good measure, then form a loop, twist the wire, and
cut it. You're now ready to trim and decorate your creation!
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