Filled with dried flowers, foliage, and seeds from the Summer garden, Autumnal wreaths help capture the season’s change. Hang a Fall wreath on your front door to bridge the gap between the bounty of Summer flowers and Holiday décor!
By creating a DIY Fall wreath, you can include colors and textures that bring your Autumn porch-scape to life. Tightly bound, uniform Fall wreaths offer a Traditional look, while wilder, freer wreaths align with a Bohemian aesthetic. No matter how you choose to design your Fall wreath, it will add the perfect seasonal, welcoming touch to your front door or interior space.
Read on for our step-by-step process to create your custom, handmade Autumn wreath:
Materials
- Wire wreath frame (12-inch is a good standard) or natural grapevine wreath (keep in mind—the wreath will increase in size by a decent amount when you add material to the frame)
- Floral paddle wire
- Hand pruners or floral snips
- Wire cutter
- Gloves
- Several bunches of fresh-cut eucalyptus or other foliage for the bulk of the wreath
- Natural elements harvested from your garden, foraged from a walk in nature, or purchased from your local florist, flower market, or farmers market (dried flowers, fresh/dried foliage, berries, rose hips, ornamental grass plumes, poppy pods, dried seed pods, etc.)
Step 1
Gather 3 or 4 stems of eucalyptus or preferred foliage. Cut large branches down into multiple pieces about 5 to 7 inches in length; strip a few leaves off the bottom, if needed. Arrange cut pieces in piles by type for ease and start building your first bundle. Next, add other natural accents and embellishments to your bundle—be creative! You can prepare several bundles at one time or create them as you go. Set aside.
Step 2
Using the paddle wire, attach the wire to the wreath frame by wrapping it around a secure spot several times. Keep the wire in one continuous piece for the entire project. Set aside.
Step 3
Lay the first bundle onto the wreath frame with the tips pointing at an angle. Use the wire to attach the first bundle onto the wreath frame by wrapping it several times around the frame and bundle; pull tightly on wire to keep tension, but be careful not to break it. After the first bundle is secured, attach the second bundle by half overlapping the previous one, covering the stems and wire. It’s helpful to use similar elements throughout and even alternate a pattern.
Step 4
Continue adding bundles until the frame is covered (or partly covered if that’s the look you’re after). Finesse, adjust, and tuck in as you go. Wrap tightly with wire to be sure everything is secure—give it a little shake test! Roll 10 to 12 inches of wire off the paddle and cut the wire. Wrap ends of wire around frame until secure, or add a hanging loop with excess wire.
Step 5
Hang and enjoy! Fresh eucalyptus will eventually dry out, but the foliage should still be attractive with the other dried elements in your wreath. If preferred, mist indoor fresh greens weekly to keep them from drying out. Rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer are great for removing sticky sap from your hands or tools.