Dried flower wreaths can be very pretty and add a touch of elegance to the inside of your home. You can also use them as door wreaths if you prefer. I like to make them and hang them on a round wall mirror in the living room or on the mirror of a buffet cabinet in the dining room. I call these "grandmother's wreaths" because I make them the same way my grandmother did when she was alive.
You should fill a bag with fall flowers and "trimming" materials like vines with leaves and lay them out to dry in a cool, dry place like a garage. When everything you need to make a wreath is dry, you can move on to the next step, which is making the wreath itself. You should put newspapers over your work area to keep things as clean as possible.
I like to use a wire coat hanger as the base for this kind of wreath instead of buying a wreath base because that's how my grandmother did it and taught me to do it that way. You might want to buy a wreath base instead, or you might want to try both ways to see which you like better. You will need your wire snips, and you might also want to wear gloves. Sometimes vines have "prickers" that you don't expect, and getting one in your finger doesn't exactly make making a wreath more fun.
Cut your leaves, vines, and other plant parts into six-inch lengths. Take a few of these pieces and put them together. I like to use three, and then add some dried flowers. This is called making a bundle. Attach your bundle to the hook and the top part of the hanger. Make another bundle and do the same thing, overlapping the first bundle so the stems are covered. Do this all around the circle of your wreath base until it is covered. The last bundle's stems should be tucked under the first bundle and held in place with wire. If you bought a wreath base, use the wire to make a circle to hang the wreath, then wrap, cut, and tuck in the end to keep people from getting hurt. If you used a coat hanger, the hook part is already there, so all you need to do is cut the wire and put it in place. To keep everything in place, you might want to take this outside and lightly spray it with a preservative. Some people use hair spray with a stronger hold for this. Now give yourself a pat on the back. You worked hard and made a beautiful decoration for your home.
