Just Friends

The way we make our Xmas Wreaths has been handed down through the family for years.

Normally every year about this time we spend most evening at Aunt Lou's helping her
to make anything up to 3000 wreaths for the florists in and around this area, but as we haven’t really seen or spoken to her for nearly a year I doubt if we will be doing any with her this year.


Firstly you will need a strong stiff wire to make the ring a wire coat hanger is perfect.
We always use hay to make the form but you can use straw or sphagnum moss.
You will also need Florist's tying wire (or fuse wire or even a good strong fishing line) to keep everything in place and a pair of pliers/snips to cut the wire.

First make a ring with the strong wire and twist the ends tightly together so that they do not come undone, the size of this ring will determine the size of the wreath.

Fasten one end of the reel wire to the ring and in one hand, take a handful of hay and hold it to the wire frame where you wish the hay placed. With the other hand (or another person) wrap the wire around the hay to secure it in place.



Continue to layer the hay all around the wire frame until the wreath is the thickness you desire. Always keeping the wire taut.

Now if you want you can trim the hay - give it a haircut- so it is neat, trim and presentable.

Mine never look as neat as this just remember the foliage will hide a lot of it.

If you are using the moss then you do exactly the same really, just tease out the moss and the wrap fistfuls at a time around the wire attaching it in the same way, until you have the size / thickness you want. Remember if you make a form with moss you will need to make sure the moss doesn't dry out.

Now you need your foliage, its up to you what greenery you use, we always use Holly, another traditional one is Laurel, but you could use anything you want really so long as it is evergreen and long lasting such as Conifer.

Lay the prepared holly on the top of the form adding one piece at a time and securing each with a single wrap of wire. Overlap the holly to ensure no hay is visible. Work round the ring until it is covered with holly.

Moss Form at start of adding foliage.

The final decorations are up to you now, you can literally add whatever you want using a glue gun

Just a quick thought you can sometimes but the forms already made, and another type of form that you can but is the oasis one which you them just push the foliage into but I have to admit I prefer the old traditional ways

Wow that is amazing, you should get back at it again this year.........sounds like fun to get together with family and do this..................wtg......I love the outcome of the wreath

Jan that isnt a finished wreath that is just a moss form it needs to have the foliage added yet.

Now you know why I buy them......I am not bright...............but you should get back at it, you seem to have enjoyed doing it in the past.

wow thank you so much ex i love it i'm definitely going to give this a try

It look so easy, I never thought about using hay... thanks for the tut!

Gosh that looks realy nice.

I can see why you make them for the town.

I can't find mine at the moment but isn't like your one..

mine is not real.. lol not an illusion no, but made

from xmas decorations.

I'll put a photo on when i find it. x

very nice.!!
i have to confess i cheated and bought one i can use every year, but i added my own bit to it by wrapping some fairy lights thru it.... looks pretty...lol