Making Wreaths Part 1

My neighbors have an abundance of grapevines. So much so, that the grape vines have taken over part of our yard.

So every year in the fall, they get cut down and tossed. But this year I wanted to make some wreaths. Why waste such beautiful vines when they can be used to make wreaths that can be enjoyed over and over again...
I went out with my garden gloves and my garden clippers and walked up to the grape vines. I thanked the Goddesses and the Gods for the abundance of Grape Vines, and I asked that they be blessed. Then I also stood gently holding one of the vines and I thanked the plant for it's sacrifice.
Then I harvested only the vines that I would be using.

It doesn't look like much, but I had enough to make two wreaths, a large wreath and a smaller one.
I picked up each vine (which was difficult because the vines were tangled together) and I started trimming off the leaves. I left on some of the curly tendrils because they make a nice curly decoration and they can also be used to keep the wreath together.

The vines ranged from 8 feet long, to little 3 foot long vines, but it was just enough.

First I took the longest vine and wrapped it in a circle (weaving it in on itself to help hold it together), just about the size I wanted the finished wreath to become. It is easier if you start at the thickest part of the vine and weave around using the thinner end to keep the vines together.

It looks rough at first, but as you add more vines the wreath will become tighter and nicer looking.

It's a good idea to use the thinner vines to weave in and out through the empty spaces so that the thicker vines are held together better. This will prevent your wreath from falling apart.

The more vines you use the nicer it becomes.

 Here is the finished product. I also made a smaller wreath using the shorter and thinner vines.

You can do the same thing to make larger or smaller wreaths. Just use longer vines if you want a larger wreath. The smaller wreath is easy to make with shorter or thinner vines because you can wrap them tighter and weave the vines in and out of the spaces more easily because the thinner vines are more flexible.

I used the curly tendrils to help keep the wreath together. I wove the tendrils into the empty spaces and let the natural curls hold it in place.

No wire or string is necessary to make the wreaths, but you can use it if desired. 

My wreaths are sitting outside in the sun to dry, but if the weather is wet or humid, it is a better idea to dry the wreaths indoors so they don't spoil.
When the wreaths are dry I will be decorating them. So stay tuned for part 2!