Sincerest apologies for this rather Blue Peter, WI-ish subject matter.
Normally, it would never have crossed my mind to devote an entire post to the making Christmas wreaths, but the recent subject coverage on Gardeners’ World and in most gardening glossies, leaves little choice. Not a question of jumping on the band wagon, but rather more an alternative to the always suggested quantity of gadgets (e.g. wire/natural/oasis rings) and material (moss) that is seemingly required to make wreaths. Far from being an additional expense, these gadgets are unnecessary and the result is often rather unnatural looking.
Therefore, in the spirit of current economic austerity, especially after the conjectured loss of trade revenue with Europe, as Sarkozy and Merkel are in a huff; here is a cheap but effective way to make lovely seasonal wreaths, with nothing but old newspapers, wire and one’s own garden green foliage.
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Yesterday's paper is really all you need
December 10, 2011
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Layer the newspapers evenly
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Roll, roll, roll your wreath...
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Join both ends and fix with wire
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Wind wire around entire wreath
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Start adding chosen foliage
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Wire in foliage per completed section
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Continue adding foliage
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Continue adding foliage
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Almost there ..
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Green wreath ready for embellishment
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Adding bay leaf
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Or with Holly
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Holly and Ivy
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"Here's one I made earlier...."
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The Christmas Kitsch option
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In terms of foliage, or ‘herbage’ as Carol Klein so aptly calls it, you can use anything you have growing in the garden. Personally speaking, for best results use a combination of conifer type leaves and sturdy leafy greens such as bay, ivy and holly as these will last easily into January without wilting. In the spirit of Christmas, and following the advice of the Queen of Christmas Kitsch; Nigella, some degree of sparkly tat should probably be added. There is after all, nothing as camp as Christmas…
Making this wreath is really easy. And note, this comes from someone who is absolutely hopeless at art, and whose proud creations during junior arts & crafts classes, resulted solely in a series of rather unfortunate, deformed ashtrays, destined for parents who don’t smoke. Trust me, its easy and rather satisfying.
To make the wreath
- Spread out the pages of old newspapers on a flat surface. Depending on the size of wreath one is after, generally speaking 1.5m or so wide. Layer the papers to ensure even coverage.
- Roll the newspaper steadily into a roll and squeeze to ensure it maintains its shape. Link both ends either by overlapping or working one end into the other and fix in place with some wire. Voila, your DIY wreath ring. Shape it to ensure the desired circle or oval shape. Don’t be alarmed if it does not stay in place and is looking rather pathetic at this stage.
- Take a long piece of wire, fix at one end and wind around the paper wreath to strengthen.
- Hold the paper wreath steadily in your hand, and choose your starting point. Start inserting the leafy twigs around the wreath, into the wire bind. Long twiggy cuttings are good as they provide the solid structure and help fast track the coverage. Make sure you keep turning the wreath to ensure you have completely covered the area with green material and tie in with wire.
- From that point, continue to add more material, turning the wreath as you go to ensure good coverage, wire in and so on and so on until you are left with a chunky green wreath.
- At this stage, look at the type of hook you have on the door, or where the wreath is to hang. Very much in the order of planting perennials, look at your wreath and decide which way round (front/back) it looks best, and decide where your top point is. Once decided, make the required hook from the same wire to ensure that it will hang properly on your door.
- Start adorning with leafy greens; bay, holly, ivy etc.. Ensure you start working either from the top or the bottom, and ensure consistency and maintaining the wreath shape.
- Further adornment from here is really personal choice, be it with more green material or sparkly Christmas decorations. The resulting wreath is heading to the front door of my in-laws’ rather smart London address, so have opted for the natural look. Normally though, some Christmas kitsch is added…
designed by streamHM
RT @fruit_share: Thought I’d treat myself to a super expensive Christmas wreath…then I found @Petra_HM’s blog http://t.co/pcF2fzst http://t.co/elNInv9t
RT @fruit_share: Thought I’d treat myself to a super expensive Christmas wreath…then I found @Petra_HM’s blog http://t.co/pcF2fzst http://t.co/elNInv9t
Thought I’d treat myself to a super expensive Christmas wreath…then I found @Petra_HM’s blog http://t.co/pcF2fzst http://t.co/elNInv9t
Inspirational wreaths http://t.co/G7nqJpi1 by the talented Oxonian Gardener @Petra_HM Here’s one she made earlier http://t.co/7ZhhN5Wq
@Petra_HM Fab blog on wreath making – feel I cheated using oasis! (You have to make allowances). http://t.co/zXUyM4zx
RT @Petra_HM: An oldie, but fast becoming relevant again….. http://t.co/lc409f33 #xmas
@Petra_HM Timely for xmas wreath making: http://t.co/FxmZET37 like the idea of using paper instead of oasis & all that palaver!
RT @crocusCoUk: Try this classic and brilliant way to make your own Christmas wreaths by RT @Petra_HM on her fab blog http://t.co/S2oKkfo1 #xmas
@mrsulting excellent wreath making blog from @Petra_HM http://t.co/nWvZpkpf thanks
@countrygate @welliesandcake @theflowerfarmer I did indeed!! http://t.co/lc409f33 #hopeitwasgorgeous
@countrygate @welliesandcake @theflowerfarmer I did indeed! http://t.co/lc409f33 #hopeitwasgorgeous
Sarkozy? Really? Much as I dislike the man I don’t think you can blame him for Britains ills NOW.
I found this in July wasn’t looking for Christmas at all but it’s a great option never seen the newspaper trick. Thanks.
Now I know whose been reading that post, as came up in the stats! Yes, really easy, super cost friendly and looks great for ages. This year, am drying my allium seed heads to see if they can be used in this years wreaths. Though, don’t really want to think about Christmas yet. Though, can also be used for making Easter one’s etc.. Oh, and have used other recycled, cost friendly fillings too. Come Christmas will focus on that, make them and put on blog. Love using nothing but stuff that is available at home and in garden for these things.
Oh my goodness, Petra, I’ve found your blog! Through Crocus, you may be interested to hear, where I was lusting after some Prunus mume ‘Beni-Chidori’. I’ll be back. Victoria
Love the fact that you’ve illustrated it with a photo slideshow – makes it seem so much more achievable. Your final result is very beautiful, can’t decide if the au naturel or kitsch is my favourite. Up early tomorrow to go foraging!
Petra,
There is an award for you on my own blog. You are under no obligation to accept it, I just wanted to let you know I enjoy reading your blog. The only conditions if you do accept are to link back to my blog, copy and paste the award onto your blog and then nominate 5 of your own favourite blogs and give them the award too. Best wishes.
Petra that wreath is beautiful. I would never have thought of using newspaper to make the base but it is a great idea. I’m going for walk on Sunday to pick some bits and pieces to decorate the house ‘au natrel’ so I might just pick a bit more and make myself one.
I have always just used wire when doing these at home, but the paper does help bulk it up quite a bit. Wreaths are so classic for the season. Thanks for breakout out your inner crafter from her inhibitions.
I’m not a great Christmas fan but there is something very attractive about the idea of making a wreath. Hmmm… I have some overipened chillies left in the greenhouse I could bung them on and now I wish I had kept all those lovely little net cages that are the outercloaking of tomatillos and I’m sure I’ve got some old tat glitzy jewellry from bygone eras. Perhaps a twitter competition is in order for the campest “Chrimbo” wreath