Simple wreath made from grapevines |
There’s
nothing like the satisfaction that comes from using garden products to make
items that are useful and attractive. In
previous posts we’ve talked about pressing flowers, using plant trimmings for
natural dyes and making garden potpourri (search ‘garden crafts’ on this blog). Another easy craft is making a grapevine
wreath. Some of you may already have trimmed
back your grapevines. If not, you still
have time to make a grapevine wreath this winter (at least in our mild S.
California climate).
Making
a grapevine wreath is easy once you get used to handing the vines. You’ll need 20 to 30 or more lengths of
grapevine. Cut them as long as you can –
about 4-8 ft. is easiest to work with.
Be sure to choose vines that are still flexible (green vines are fine). Vines no thicker than your little finger at
the broadest are best. You can see the
vines we trimmed from our native wild grape (Vitis girdiana) below. You’ll
need to use the vines on the day you cut them, before they dry out.
Choose
5 or 6 of the thickest vines to form the foundation of the wreath. Lay the vines out straight, removing any
leaves or side branches. Gently bend the bundle of vines into a circle
of the desired size. We suggest about 12
inches across for a small wreath and 18 or 20 inches for a larger wreath. Tie the circle with stout string to hold the
shape (see picture below).
Continue
to bend the bundle into a circle, tying as needed to hold the vines in
place. You’ll remove the string once the
vine dries, so don’t worry about how it looks.
Now you have the foundation for your wreath. The foundation may not be perfectly round,
but don’t worry about shape too much; the shape will improve as you add more
vines. And you can even tweak the final
shape just prior to drying.
Take
another vine and tuck the thicker end firmly into the foundation. Then wrap the new vine around the foundation,
making about 6-8 wraps around the circle (see photo above). Wrap until you reach the end of the vine,
then tuck the end in. Continue wrapping
with the additional vines, starting each new vine at a different place around
the foundation. Try to alternate the
direction of the wraps – starting clockwise with one vine, then counter-clockwise
with the next – to give an even shape.
When
you’ve used all your vines – or when the wreath is pleasingly full – you are
almost done. Don’t worry about the odd
ends that stick out. Some will disappear
in the drying process, and the rest can be clipped off when dry. If your wreath is not completely round, you
can tie it into round with a string (see above). Hang your wreath to dry in a cool, dry place. It will probably take about 2 weeks to
dry.
Once
dry, you can clip loose ends if needed. Remove the string – the wreath should hold its
shape if fully dry. You can spray your wreath with a thin coat of
clear spray varnish or use it as is. We’ll
suggest some ways to use your wreath during the next year (2014).
_____________________________________
We
welcome your comments, below. If you
have questions, please e- mail us at: mothernaturesbackyard10@gmail.com
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