 | A Christmas wreath on your front door welcomes guests into your home and adds to the holiday festivities. Yours can be homemade and something extra special! By following the helpful easy-to-follow suggestions and tips below, you can create a lovely one-of-a-kind wreath.
WREATHS
Begin with a piece of ¼” plywood (or even a piece of paneling) 18-30 inches square. For a round wreath, cut out a circle with 3-4 inch wide sides. Using a glue gun, attach wire or a metal ring on the reverse side, at the top, for hanging.
If you prefer, you can cut the wreath in a square shape with 2-inch wide sides. It can be hung by one corner – making a diamond shape.
Using a glue gun, and items purchased at a craft of florists shop, decorate one of the ways:
- For an elegant wreath, pale and interesting, cover with reindeer moss. On one side attach two bows, a smaller, darker one on top of a larger one with longer ends, made from wide voile ribbons in subtle, harmonizing colors (such as spruce and celery). Tuck dried sweetheart roses, tinted baby’s breath, or a bunch of gold artificial berries under the top of the bow, set at an attractive angle.
- A wistful and charming wreath can be made by gluing on “balls” of Spanish (or sphagnum) moss. Scatter with small springs of baby’s breath and mauve or pink colored sweetheart rose buds. Make a large rosette using 4-inch wide wire-edged ribbon in either mauve or pink and attach to the top.
A bronzed or gold-gilded ivy wreath can be made by wrapping long strands of ivy closely together, around a piece of wire that has been shaped in a square, oval, or circle. Spray with a copper or gold paint. Glue on a wide bronze satin ribbon (for a bronze wreath), or a burgundy or hunter green velveteen bow (for a gold wreath).
Instead of a wreath with a convention shape, make an evergreen “drop.” Starting at the bottom, wire bunches of blue spruce to a wooden stake, making sure that each new layer overlaps the one below it. Add springs of holly or mistletoe at the seams. Tie two taffeta bows in contrasting colors and widths at the top.
BOWS
To make a “cheat’s bow,” do the following:
- Cut a piece of ribbon 18-inches in length.
- Make a loop in the center of the ribbon; hold it where the tails (ends of the ribbon) crosses
- Pull the top of the loop (in the center) down behind where it crosses to form two bow loops.
- Wrap a long piece of florists wire around the middle of he bow to secure it.
- Trim the ends of the ribbon as desired.
(Use shorter or longer lengths of ribbon to make larger or smaller bows.)
To make a double bow using wire-edged ribbon do the following:
- Cut a piece of ribbon 24-inches in length.
- Holding the ribbon at its center, bring half of he left tail up and underneath to make a loop; hold it in position.
- Repeat the process to make a second.
- Holding the loops in place with your left hand, repeat steps 1 and 2 using the right-hand tail of the ribbon to make two loops. Pinch all four loops in the center and hold.
- Using a short piece of the same ribbon folded in half lengthwise, wrap it around the center of the bow. Twist a wire around the two ends at the back to secure it.
- Trim the ends of the ribbon as desired, using a flat, diagonal or “V” cut.
(Use shorter or longer lengths of ribbon to make larger or smaller bows.)
To make a rosette do the following:
- Cut a piece of 4-inch wide ribbon, 20-24-inches in length.
- Holding onto the bottom of one end, gather the ribbon in a loose circle, while pinching at the bottom.
- After each wrap, sew a few small stitches in the bottom to hold the rosette together; continue to wrap and fan out the top as you go.
- Near the end of the ribbon, twist as you wrap to create a pet effect. Tuck the end down toward the bottom, and sew to secure.
- Fluff out the top of the rosette to make it look flowerlike.
(Use shorter or longer lengths of ribbon to make smaller or larger rosettes.)
|  |
|
