Evergreen Wreaths

 Last year I did not get inspired to make Christmas wreaths until half way through December.  This year I had ordered my box of greens by early November.  In the past I have taken the time to forage for greens but that takes a surprising amount of time.  And you can't bring them in the house because of all of the Spruce spider mites that our trees are covered with.  Last year and this year I just ordered online.  I'm sure you could probably get evergreen through your local florist.  You could also buy a Christmas tree and cut it up.  I have had good luck with the Lynch Creek Farms box of greens.  It is just the right amount for what I need and a nice mixture.

Last Year's 18" Wreath

The box arrived yesterday so today was set aside for wreath making.  This is a twenty pound box of greens and from it I can get one large wreath, one small wreath and have enough little tips left over to make a centerpiece arrangement for the table.

They are very fresh and clean.

This has to be done in the garage.  It's a real mess.  

First I take everything out of the box.

Noble Fir

Cedar

Juniper

I prune the Fir into useable sizes and organize them into Wide, Narrow and Tips.

Assembling the wreath takes a lot less time if you get all of your bundles sorted out ahead of time.  I do three pieces of Fir and one Cedar in each bundle.

I made up twenty bundles to start with and it looked like that would get me most of the way around.  For several years I have been reusing an 18" form for the front fence.  I feel like that was just a little too small for the roadside so I got a 24" form for this year.  An 18" form fits fine on a door but I wanted something larger and I wanted to use up my greens and not have a lot of leftovers.

To start, you take a paddle of wire and wind it around your first bundle.

Then you lay it on the wire form and take two passes around the whole thing with the paddle wire.

To make the wreath full you want to orient one bundle outwards, and the next one inwards.  After you get a few bundles on the form this point in point out pattern becomes easy to follow.  This is where you control how thick the wreath will be by the amount of overlap between the bundles.  Two wraps of wire will secure them well and the pressure from the next bundle will help knit it all together.

Time for a sprig of Juniper berries

I used up the first twenty bundles and I was about half way around the form.  I had used up most of a paddle of wire and I had an "Oh Crap Moment".  "I've made this too full and I'm not going to have enough for the little wreath."

I tied off the wire and cut up enough bundles for a smaller, more rustic wreath.  This one is destined for the runner sled and is built on a simple coat hanger, not a store bought form.

Whew... I had enough.  I cut up the rest of the branches and set up my bundles to finish the big wreath.

Now that's a big wreath!  I was having trouble getting a good look at it so I hung it on the welding table.  There is definitely one thicker side.  The start and stop point is usually noticeable and is easy to disguise with bow placement.  I have to turn it a few times to decide which side is going to be Up.

Today has been a pretty yucky weather day.  It is gloomy and cold and blustery.  I've trudged through slushy snow back and forth from the house to the garage to the compost and back to the garage.  

My feet hurt.  I'm tired.  This bow looks like crap.

I was over it for the day.  I zip tied it to the fence and went in the house.  I got cleaned up, warmed up, got my hair out of my face and started editing photos for this blog.  Oh Hell no.  After looking at the pictures I couldn't even let that go until tomorrow morning.  I had another roll of ribbon that was wider but I had passed it up because it was more burgundy than red and I thought I needed something more eye catching.  There we go!

That's better.

I can't even adjust the color and exposure enough to make this day look less gloomy and slushy.

The more I fuss with the ribbons the more the wind blows.

Well anyway, the wreaths are done.  The mess is cleaned up.  The leftover tips are boxed up on the front porch staying cool.  I am quite pleased with the results but there is no way I have enough energy left to get the tree and decorations down from the attic.  Time to watch football.