Tools Needed For Making a Wreath

For your wreath you will need,

• Pruners
• Wreath Frame
• Floral Paddle Wire

Pruners

Any type of garden pruners will work. Scissors may work but you will dull them rather quickly and if they are cheap scissors the might brake.

Wreath Frame

Wreath frames can be found a most any crafts stores, Walmart or Amazon for about $5-10. You can also use foam wreath forms or make your own cardboard frame.

Floral Paddle Wire

I have found that floral paddle wire is the easiest tool to use when making a wreath. The wire is strong and wont brake like other string might when pulling on it tight. You could use twine or string but it will need to be strong. The wire is easy to tie off, unlike the string that loses as you fuss with it.

Although the price of the wire is not expensive you might be wondering what you will do with the extra left over wire… believe me you will find use of it. I keep a paddle in my junk draw at all time and find it useful so very often.

Did you know you can cut down your own Christmas tree from the most National Forest for just $10 or less?

Its true! Go to Recreation.Gov and search “Christmas Tree Permit” then search for the National Forest around your area to find a permit. Last year it cost us less then $3 for our tree. This year the prices went up to $10 per tree. I can’t say for sure that what you will pay as each forest as different prices and not all forest allow for Christmas tree permits.

Picking our tree from the forest has become a really fun tradition for our family. The kids love hiking through the forest looking for the perfect tree! Going out for hot chocolate afterwords is also a great way to start off the Christmas season.

Trim Your Tree

Whether you got your live tree for from the forest, a tree farm or even Walmart, when you get home trim a few branches from the bottom of the tree to make your wreaths. You don’t need a lot. Depending on the width and size of your tree you probably wont need very many branches. Three or four should due.

Trim Your Tree Trimmings

Now that you have a few fresh branches from your Christmas Tree you can start to trim the branches into smaller pieces. Depending on how wide or narrow you want your wreath to be you can cut your branches accordingly.

How To Make a Christmas Wreath

1. Gather your wire, frame, branches and pruners.
2. Trim your tree, then trim your trimmings.
3. Twist your wire on the frame till secure,
4. Then lay a few of your trimmed branches on the frame pointing in a little, next to the wire.
5. Wrap the wire around the branches 2 or 3 times and pull tight.
6. Gather a few more branches and lay lower on to of the first branches, pointing out a little (the opposite direction of the first) and wrap the wire around those branches.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 until you have gone all the way around the frame.
8. When you get to the end it you will tuck the stems of your last bunch under the boughs of your first bunch.
9. Secure the wire and cut it with wire cutters.
10. Add a ribbon if desired and hand with some more floral wire or a wreath hook.

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