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How to Make a Grapevine Wreath

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A grapevine wreath is the perfect, simple gift for anyone who likes a rustic touch in their household.
A grapevine wreath is the perfect, simple gift for anyone who likes a rustic touch in their household.
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"Simple Gifts" by Jennifer Worick is full of inventive DIY projects to make the sweetest handmade gifts for anyone — men, women, children and pets.

Create handmade and heartfelt gifts by following the simple tips and instructions provided by Jennifer Worick in Simple Gifts: 50 Little Luxuries to Craft, Sew, Cook & Knit (Voyageur Press, 2010). Not only does Worick outline eco-conscious gifts for any holiday or occasion, she also provides resourceful ideas for gift wrapping. The following excerpt from chapter 5, “Wood Shop,” will teach you how to make a rustic grapevine wreath to add that warm, loving feeling year-round.

You can purchase this book from the Capper’s Farmer store:Simple Gifts

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I enjoy fresh, fragrant pine wreaths, but I hate that I have to toss them after the holidays. I much prefer to craft a wreath that can pretty up my home year round. And I’m not alone. Many of my loved ones have wreaths concocted from all sorts of materials on permanent display in their houses and apartments. Wreaths denote a warm and loving home and, made out of rustic grapevines, make wonderful all-season hostess or housewarming gifts for wine enthusiasts. Ask a local winery to set aside some grapevines for you during their annual harvest, and quickly whip up a few wreaths for friends and family. If you find yourself with a surplus, dried fines make wonderful kindling for a fire.

Make a Rustic Grapevine Wreath

SIMPLY PERFECT FOR: Any grown-up who likes rustic adornment in the homestead.

You’ll need:
Half-bushel (13 kg) of pruned grapevines
Wire cutters or scissors
Craft or florist’s wire
Newspapers (optional)
Hot glue gun (optional)

STEP 1:
Set aside your longest vines. Lat out the rest of the vines and wrap an 18-inch (45.7 cm) length of craft wire around one end of the vines. Twist the wire to secure the bundle. Are the vines of different lengths? That’s good. Twist a couple of the secured vines together and bend them until you have roughly the wreath size you desire. Now join the loose ends of the twisted vines to the wreath with a 6-inch (15.2 cm) length of wire. Continue in this manner with the rest of the vines, twisting and securing a couple at a time at different places along the wreath.

STEP 2:
With your long vine, tie it to the back of the wreath with a small length of wire. Now wrap it around the vines of the wreath (probably eight or nine times, depending on the length of your wreath), which will secure them nicely. Tie the other end of the wrapped vine to the back of the wreath with wire. Now you can clip the wire you used for all of the interior vines, as you won’t need them any longer to hold the wreath together.

STEP 3:
If you like, glue a few vines together for additional security. Plug in your hot glue gun and lay newspapers on your work surface. Secure the ends by gluing vines together with a hot glue gun; hold in place while the glue hardens, which should take about two minutes.

STEP 4:
Thread a 12-inch (30.5 cm) piece of craft wire through a vine or two on the back of your wreath. To make a hook for hanging, create a loop with one end of the wire and then wrap the other end of the wire around the base of the loop, securing the loose end of the loop. Your rustic wreath is ready for hanging.

Wrap It Up

Since this is made out of grapevines, present it with a lovely bottle of wine, slipped inside a felted wine bag.

Reprinted with permission from Simple Gifts: 50 Little Luxuries to Craft, Sew, Cook, & Knit by Jennifer Worick and published by Voyageur Press, 2010. Purchase this book from our store:Simple Gifts.