Victorian wreaths are not only beautiful for decorating both inside and outside your home, but they are relatively easy and inexpensive to make. They also make lovely gifts for friends and family members for holidays or special occasions. Part of the fun of making your own Victorian wreath is shopping for the trinkets and treasures to attach to it. Here are some simple instructions on how to make a Victorian wreath to get you started.
The first thing you will need to make your wreath is a base. Grapevine wreaths are relatively inexpensive and look beautiful with ribbon and flowers wrapped around them. Check your local craft or hobby store for plain grapevine wreaths. You can also keep your eye open at thrift stores, garage sales or places like Craigslist or FreeCycle to find inexpensive grapevine wreaths. Keep an open mind since even if a wreath is already decorated you can usually remove the current decorations and replace them with your own.
Once you have your grapevine wreath you can get down to the fun stuff – finding decorations to add to it. Most Victorian wreaths have both ribbon and flower or leave garlands wrapped around them. You can find inexpensive ribbon at many department stores or craft stores. Or, if you plan to make a lot of wreaths you can shop online and buy in bulk to save some money. Some of the most common colors used in Victorian decor are muted shades of pink, blue and mauve.
When it comes to leaf or flower garlands, use your best judgement as to what will look best. Most places that sell silk flowers carry garlands that are already strung together for you, eliminating the need to create your own garland. If you can’t find a garland that is already made you can create your own with floral wire, floral tape and silk flowers or leaves.
Along with ribbons and flowers, you can make your Victorian wreath special by adding unique Victorian knick-knacks or decorative items. Think about things like buttons, small perfume bottles, postcards, angels or any other small treasures that you can find. Keep your eyes open at thrift stores and antique malls throughout the year to find great deals on unique little pieces you can add to your wreaths.
To make the wreath, first attach your hanging wire to the plain grapevine wreath. Use a sturdy wire and wrap it around both the wreath and itself several times to make sure that it will stay on the wall or door where it belongs.
Next, use hot glue to attach one end of a piece of ribbon near the hanger. Wrap the ribbon around the wreath making sure the spacing between wraps remains even. When you get back around to where you started cut the ribbon and secure the other end with hot glue.
Do the same with your flower or leaf garland, hot gluing at the beginning, wrapping around the wreath and then gluing the other end when you have finished wrapping all around the wreath.
Finally, attach your decorative objects using glue, wire or string. How you attach the items depends largely upon what they are. For instance, if you are using small postcards you might punch a hole in one corner and attach it with a piece of string or a ribbon. No matter how you attach the items or what items you use, make sure they are securely attached so they won’t fall off the wreath.
That’s it! You are now finished with your wreath and can hang it on your wall, give it to a friend, or even sell it to make some money.
