Wreaths are a part of the Christmas tradition welcoming the festival. Wreaths are a tradition and a big part of Christmas decorations. Ideally, the wreaths are hung at the front door of the house to welcome family members and guests alike, during the festive occasion.
The round holiday wreaths are supposed to symbolize the never-ending circle of life and eternity. As wreaths are generally made from evergreen plants, it is supposed to also symbolize that constant growth and life.
The shape of the wreaths
Traditionally evergreen leaves were used to make these small pieces of art. However, many choose to make wreaths out of other materials that look equally stunning and beautiful. The circular shape is what the traditional dictates, however, if you are feeling festive and creative, you can also opt for rectangular or square wreaths that are becoming popular.
Materials of the wreaths
Most choose to work with traditional fragrant evergreen wreaths or acorn wreaths, which are quite popular. Unfortunately, many suffer from allergens in the natural products and therefore choose to hang artificial ones at home to avoid the chance of allergens bothering the family. The fresh wreaths generally have evergreen leaves such as fir, pine, spruce, etc. that are fragrant as well as beautiful.
There are many types of freshly made wreaths as well as artificial ones available in Calgary, and oftentimes, many opt to make a creative and simple one at home. Artificial wreaths can be made from a number of items, depending on the creativity of the artist; the readymade ones come with pre-lit and pre-decorated versions, making it as simple as just hanging it in the doorway.
Recent times have seen a spike in creativity with artists trying different materials to make the traditional decorations. These may have brightly colored needles that are bold and make a statement at the same time.
How to go about making your wreath for this festive season?
The best way to start making your wreath is by buying a frame or a base for the decoration.
- Choosing a suitable size for your house and doorway will make a difference.
- Once you have decided on the size of the wreath, the next thing that you will want to be sure of is the material of the base. There are straw bases that are available in the market to use, or else, you can choose a metal wireframe as well to build upon. Gardening twine or florist wires are needed to wrap around the frame that will hold the branches and the leaves.
- Getting some fresh fern from your florist or snipping some fresh ones from the garden, if that option is available to you, is the next step. There are also many artists that choose to use synthetic materials for creating little works of art. Depending on where the wreath is going to be hung, materials can make a difference.
- In case you are set on using real fir leaves for the holiday wreath, cut them into small twigs of manageable lengths that can be wrapped around the frame; they have to be large enough to be able to adhere to the shape, which is around four inches. For regular-sized wreaths, the maximum number of branches that you may need is around three to four cut into small twigs and branches.
- Holly berries are another typical feature of a holiday wreath and these are available in abundance before the festivities begin for the season.
- Next, wrap the gardening twine or the florists’ wire around the frame of the wreath. The wire has to be wrapped from the center of the wreath then back toward you until the entire frame has proper wiring.
- Then, starting with the first branch, pinning it with one hand to the frame, wrap it in a fashion so that ends of the branches are facing upwards at back. All the end should be pointed upwards, so as to not have trouble when trying to hand in on the doorway.
- Once the first branch is set the way you want it to be, use the wire to hold it in place tightly. Repeat with the next branch and so on until the base has been covered.
- Move the wreath in a clockwise or an anticlockwise direction, depending on your preference and cover the wreath. The larger branches are to be used for the front, while the small twigs and branches can be sued to cover the insides of the wreaths
- Once the branches are pinned in place, making sure that all the wires are tucked in, it is time to decorate and put it up as decorations. Using a wired ribbon is the best option so that the festive bow does not lose shape and sag during the festivities.
- Tie the bow and pin it using one-sided German pins, and the florist wire to keep in place. At this point, the bow will be tied to the top with two edges hanging down.
- Using pins, stick the holly leaves on two sides of the bow and at the bottom, opposite to the bow and some of the holly berries around the wreath; cut the extra hanging ribbons from the bow, and ensure that it is a neat snip at an angle.
- Your wreath is ready to be on the door. You can add more decoration to the wreath as you like, without overdoing it to maintain the classical look.
Platforms for handmade wreaths
If you are keen to start selling the handmade wreaths for the festive season, there are platforms that you can use. There are various holiday and Christmas markets, that are a good place to have a small counter or a stall to showcase your creativity and products.
Online portals are the common way to proceed nowadays, with Etsy being the first option that you turn to. Kinnexus is a local platform; this is available only for the artists of Calgary to showcase and sell their beautifully crafted products.
As an artist, the most crucial point of creation is passion and love for the product, besides showcasing and selling it. If you are keen to exhibit and sell your beautiful creations, it is advisable that you check Kinnexus
, and join the rest of the local artists in exhibiting your products online to prospective customers in Calgary and get the best results.
1088 Words
Nov 05, 2019
3 Pages
