How To Make A Wreath: A Step-by-Step Guide
How To Make A Wreath: A Step-by-Step Guide. Instructions for how to make an embellished grapevine wreath to hang on a front door or garden gate.
Over the years, I have received emails from readers who either wanted to buy the wreath off my front door or one just like it. I felt terrible having to tell them that I don’t make wreaths to sell. Here’s the thing…it’s not hard. It just takes time and a little patience. I’m going to teach you all how to make a wreath…right here, right now!
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I’ve been making wreaths seems like my whole life, so I have all of the necessary supplies.  If you’ve never made one, there are some things you will need to purchase. Here are easy links to what you will need:
1. Wire cutters
2. Glue gun and glue
3. Green florist wire
I decided to make a garden themed wreath, hoping to hurry spring along. The process is the same no matter what type of wreath you make. First you need to gather your supplies.
How to Make a Wreath
For my garden themed wreath I needed:
- 2 grapevine wreaths. One 20 in. and one 24 in.
- 1 natural looking garland from a craft store.
- A bow (this is optional)
- wire cutters
- florists wire
- glue gun
- glue
- The fun stuff. Things you have collected to embellish the wreath.
In this case I have vintage garden tools, a watering can and a bird’s nest.
Before we go any further I want to explain why I sometimes use 2 wreaths. The most important thing to remember when making a wreath is that it needs depth. It’s crucial for curb appeal. One way to easily achieve that is to layer 2 wreaths…one on top of the other. Wire them together in 4 places. Just stick the wire up through the grapevine and twist.
To get additional depth you can add a garland. Try to choose one that looks as natural as possible. Lay it on the perimeter of the smaller wreath and attach it with wire the same way you hooked the wreaths together.
Honestly, I could stop here and it would be perfectly fine. Look at the depth I’ve already achieved. Of course, I can never leave well enough alone so I always add more layers. I made a blue grain sack bow and attached it, again with wire, to the wreath at about 4 o’clock.
Here is my tutorial on How to Make a Perfect Bow. A bow can be made from anything…burlap, drop cloth or ribbon by the roll. Just make sure it’s at least 4 in. wide and a good thickness. I left long tails on mine but you could make them shorter if you prefer. If you don’t like the bow at 4 o’clock, try 12 o’clock or even 10 o’clock. All look great from the street.
I found these vintage garden tools on Etsy and have been saving them for this project. I love that they still show some blue paint. I tried a couple of different ways to attach them but ended up placing them criss-cross and again used wire to attach.
The last thing I added was the bird’s nest. I had already glued the eggs in the nest so all I had to do was wire the nest to the wreath. I nestled it under the tools and I think the eggs tie all the blues together. Honestly…the tools won’t show up from the street. That’s fine with me because it’s a little surprise when someone approaches my door.
If you remember I had gathered a watering can with my other garden items. After I got the bird’s nest on I decided the watering can would be over-kill. Sometimes less really is more! I used very little glue with this wreath because it just worked better to wire everything. Â It’s always good to have your glue gun ready to go…just in case.
I have to admit that I adore the bow…I made a red one for my Christmas wreath and I think I like this blue one just as well.
Related:
For the wreath in this tutorial I opted for a garland. Many times I use natural-looking floral stems. I have found that the best way to attach stems is just to stick them right through the grapevine. I never use glue or wire with floral stems.Â
One important thing to consider when you are choosing wreath embellishments is the color of your door. Try to choose contrasting colors for the elements on your wreath. White always pops from my blue door so I try to use it as often as I can. If your door is white, bolder colors would be better.Â
I hope I’ve inspired you to make a wreath for your front door. There is no better way to put your personal stamp on your home. It’s the perfect way to welcome visitors and introduce yourself.