Flexible branches
First of all, you need to prepare flexible rods by cutting off a bunch of grape branches, one and a half meters long. If you have a weeping willow in your area, this is also an option. It is recommended to soak willow branches or even boil them, but I did not need this. Careful processing is required only for filigree basket weaving, but freshly cut willow will do for a wreath.
Start of weaving
We connect the thin end of the branch to the butt to form a circle the size of a soup plate. We tie the thin end as if we wanted to tie a knot around a thick butt, and then we simply braid and wrap it until the thin end of the twig ends. It should be tightly tucked, roughly speaking, tucked into the crevice between the weaving.
We apply the next rod, stepping back a couple of centimeters from the first butt, and braid and wrap it again. At first the wreath is crooked, this is normal. The elastic force of the branches will straighten your wreath to a round shape, tested in practice. In total, 6-7 branches will be needed for one wreath of average thickness, provided that they reach a length of 1.5 m.
Having braided all the branches into a wreath, try to tuck the protruding butts inside, just like you tuck a stray strand of hair into your hair: push it under the other branches. The finished wreath is strong enough to hold even the thick tips of the twigs. There is no need to cut anything, it’s even more picturesque.
I got two wreaths: willow and grape. Do you see the difference? Willow branches are thicker, so the wreath has smoother lines, and grapes are thinner and more flexible, so the wreath is more twisted. I decided to make a chrome wreath from a willow wreath, as if it were metal, in the hi-tech style. And the grapevine, so picturesquely arranged in the turns of the second wreath, will serve as a beautiful basis for fluffy snow. Both snow and chrome coating are done from spray cans.
Chrome wreath
Ordinary twigs, if coated with silver paint, acquire the magical completeness of a work of art. I “borrowed” a can of spray paint from my husband to cover the chrome parts of the car.
It is best to “chrome” a wreath on a balcony or outside due to the pungent chemical smell. Don't forget to shake the can well and place a newspaper under the wreath! This is what we got. It’s as if thick steel or silver rods were bent and intertwined with an unprecedentedly powerful hand. The round things are candlestick stands.
The dried wreath can be decorated with stylish balls with a silver texture. A little imagination - and the wreath looks different.I've posted several options. For you, of course, everything will be different! Experiment!
Snowy wreath
The second wreath is made of grape branches. I will decorate it with artificial snow, also from a spray can. You know, they sell these cans, very inexpensive. “Snowball” is blown out of them in the form of foam, but this foam does not melt, it forms a fluffy snow cover. One can is enough for a Christmas tree, stencils for windows, and decor our wreath. We just spray the snow and let it harden a little. The frozen “snow” becomes quite dense and you can put balls, artificial apples, or anything on it! So I tried this and that, different options: with candles and without them.
Knitted wreath
I foresee that not everyone will want to weave wreaths from branches. It’s okay, you can make a lovely wreath to decorate a table or front door from scrap material. Do you have yarn for knitting? Great! Let's knit or crochet a wreath. For such a wreath we will need a base - a foam plastic blank in the form of a circle or a semi-finished straw product. You can get by with a cardboard circle, but then you will have to add volume to it with cotton or synthetic padding. You probably know how to knit a narrow scarf. I chose the thickest threads and knitting needles, so my scarf was knitted from 10 loops. Let's roughly estimate the length: a little more than half the circumference or a little longer. This is enough, because the “scarf” will be pulled quite tightly onto the base to show the texture of the knitting.
We sew the ends of the “scarf” together with a quilt stitch and gradually pull it onto the base, securing it in several places. If we compare our circle with a clock, we first sew it at 12 and 6 o’clock, and then at 3 and 9 o’clock.After this, sewing or tightening the edges along the bottom of the wreath with matching thread will not be difficult.
The result is a cozy wreath that reminds us of childhood: sore throat, hot milk and you don’t have to go to school! Let's decorate our wreath with fluffy or shiny balls, and put a candle or a vase with tangerines and sweets in the center!
I hope you make at least one of my wreaths! Have a festive mood, my dears!
