Wreath Making for all Occasions
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About this ebook
Becci Coombes
Becci spent her childhood holidays on the family farm in Denmark, and grew up with a love for all things Scandinavian. Originally she trained as an archaeologist (Vikings, of course), before traveling the world and becoming a successful glass artist. She now runs www.hyggestyle.co.uk, an online boutique specializing in Danish and Scandinavian gifts, homewares, recipe and craft ideas. She also teaches bushcraft and survival, lives with her son, cat and chickens, and loves schnapps. She was nominated as one of the Mumpreneur 100, and has won both BT’s Best Home Business of the Year Award and ITV’s Britain’s Best Dish (best pudding in the South!). Her articles and recipes are regularly featured in the national press, and her products on TV. She has also been a key-note speaker on the topic of hygge and Women in Business at various events.
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Wreath Making for all Occasions - Becci Coombes
INTRODUCTION
HAVE YOU EVER wondered why we festoon our homes with swathes of greenery or hang wreaths on our front doors at Christmas? The word ‘wreath’ actually comes from the Old English ‘wrīthan’, meaning to ‘make into coils, plait, fasten with a cord’ and its use to describe a ring or garland of flowers or vine was first recorded in the 1560s. However, archaeological and historical evidence shows the use of greenery and wreaths going back to at least classical times. Ancient Greeks presented laurel wreaths to winning athletes in the Olympics, symbolising victory and peace, and the Romans were also particularly fond of them, decorating temples, houses, chariots, priests and even emperors. The pagan midwinter festival of Yule was celebrated by bringing evergreens into the home to symbolise life during the long dark winter months, and the round shape of the wreath symbolised the continuing circle of life.
Wreaths and garlands are still a fabulous way to bring blooms and greenery into your home and utilise vertical space, or welcome friends and guests by decorating your garden gate. Once you have the knack of a few simple techniques, a quick potter round the garden or even a short walk on a winter’s day will yield enough materials for you to twist together a quick wreath to display on your door or dresser. With a little imagination, many designs can be made with bits and pieces found lying around the home, and can be tailored as lovely personalised gifts. Lego, wine corks and even sweeties are all easily glued on to a cardboard ring and those brightly coloured children’s clothes you are too sentimental to throw away can be snipped into sections with pinking shears and tied on to a wire base, rag-rug style.
Whatever your design, most wreaths are built on some sort of base, whether made of wire, willow or other materials and you don’t need to be a trained florist to make the most beautiful creations to adorn your home. In this book we will explore many ways of designing wonderful decorations using a few basic techniques, and making the most of what nature has to offer, plus some made with easily found craft materials. The great thing about wreath-making as a hobby is that you don’t actually need a huge amount of equipment, and most items can be found either in a drawer or in the greenhouse. If you don’t have access to a nearby craft shop, it is quite easy to improvise an alternative.
I have attempted to steer clear from items using too much plastic, and concentrate on either reusing commonly found materials, or foraging for sustainable sources of inspiration, particularly when looking for wreath forms. Most craft shops will offer a selection of polystyrene rings as a basis for your project. However, with the emphasis now on more sustainability and less waste, greener options such as willow, twigs, moss and straw are suggested. Working with willow and moss is particularly satisfying in that once your fresh embellishments have dried out, you can just remove them and tuck some newly picked blooms or foliage into the base to rejuvenate them.
The traditional oasis foam hitherto beloved of florists as a material for their arrangements is now falling out of favour, as it contains microplastics and does not biodegrade. The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) has banned floral foam from all its shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, for this reason. Materials used in this book therefore rely on a minimum of plastic, and when they are used (such as the tiny toadstools in the Pine Cone Wreath), I hope you can strip them out and reuse them for another project. I have also tried to bear in mind waste reduction when creating the projects in this book. The keen crafter will often find they have a selection of materials left over once they have purchased the necessary elements and completed their chosen project. Rather than consign them to the back of your craft cupboard, there are a few extra ideas for you to make little creations using these remnants, so what would be wasted now makes a lovely gift.
Metal rings. Available in either a flat or a three-dimensional shape, they can easily be covered in moss or straw which is then wired on. Lightweight and reusable.
Straw wreaths. Made of bundled straw (as the name suggests), they are lightweight and add a lovely Scandinavian feel to any Christmas project. Not only do they look lovely simply displayed on a door or wall, they are also easy to hang horizontally with four equal pieces of ribbon tied in a knot at the top.
Willow rings. These are relatively cheap and easy to find online, although extra-large sizes can be difficult to find; I prefer to make my own as then you can ensure they are the diameter you want. Willow withies can either be cut fresh or purchased online.
Grapevine rings. Grapevines are best harvested during their dormant season from September to April, and are very easy to twist into a wreath shape in a similar manner to willow. They are also available online and from craft shops, and have a slightly ‘twiggier’, scruffier appearance than willow forms, which is very well suited to rustic designs.
Cardboard rings. Suitable for lighter projects, thick cardboard can easily be cut to size using a Stanley knife. To mark out your circle, you will need a pencil, a drawing pin and a piece of string. Tie the pencil to the string, and then using the drawing pin, secure it to the cardboard so the string measures the diameter of the outside of the circle you require. Draw the circle and then repeat again for the inner measurement.
Sharp scissors. Follow my grandmother’s advice and never use fabric scissors for cutting paper or you will ruin them in no time.
Secateurs. I prefer ratchet secateurs as they use much less force if you are trying to snip through a particularly tough piece of willow or twig; they are also great for cutting through thick rope when making nautical wreaths.
Wire cutters. Yes, I do occasionally cut wire with scissors, but every time I do it I think of my granny and feel guilty.
Flat-nosed pliers. Handy for pinching wire into a heart shape or straightening out coat-hangers.
Hot glue gun and sticks. Glue guns with two heat settings are preferable: the cooler setting is ideal for working with paper, whereas the higher temperature is better suited for projects where you need a bigger quantity of hotter glue flowing