DIY Natural Christmas Garland
To make a natural evergreen garland, you’ll first need to collect the materials you’d like to use. These can come from your own backyard or from the yards of family, friends and co-workers. It’s advisable to ask permission from property owners before foraging garland natural materials from fields and alongside roadways. Here’s a list of suggested materials that can be used to craft DIY natural Christmas garland:
Evergreen cuttings – Pine, spruce, cypress and junipers are aromatic choices, but don’t forget about traditional Christmas evergreens like holly and mistletoe. Pinecones – From the adorable small cones of a pinyon pine to the massive cones of the coulter, the shape and size of pinecones varies with species. And although we often collectively call them pinecones, the cones of spruce and fir trees can also be incorporated into natural evergreen garland.Fruit – Dried fruit such as apples, oranges and cranberries make a welcome addition to any garland. If you have plenty of fruit to spare, consider making a dried fruit garland to decorate your porch railing or outline your front door.
How to Make Homemade Garland
Once you’ve collected the garland natural materials you wish to use, it’s time to assemble the evergreen cuttings. Fresh greenery is the easiest work to with, as the branches are the most supple. These young branches will be held together using floral wire. Step one: Begin by tightly knotting the wire around the main branch of one of the evergreen cuttings. Next, wrap the wire tightly around the branch toward the cut end. Make sure not to catch any of the smaller needle-bearing branches underneath the wire. These should hang freely when the garland is complete. Step two: Overlap the first branch with a second branch of greenery. Completely cover the main branch of the first piece so only the greenery shows. Using the floral wire, tightly tie a knot around the second branch to secure it to the first branch. Step three: Once the branches are secure, make a loop in the floral wire by forming a circle then twisting the wire at the base of the circle. These loops will be used to hang the natural evergreen garland when it is complete. Step four: Wrap the wire tightly around the branch to secure the loop. Then continue wrapping the wire around both the first and second main branches. Again, make sure the smaller needle-bearing branches are free. Step five: Continue this process until the DIY natural Christmas garland is the desired length. Incorporate the final branch onto the garland in the opposite direction. Secure the last branch by tightly wrapping the wire around the branches and tying with a knot. Step six: Decorate the natural evergreen garland with the pinecones and dried fruit. The garland is now ready to hang.
