Celebrate nature with a rustic wreath like Annabel Igoe’s sweet mini design
Celebrate nature with a rustic wreath like Annabel Igoe’s sweet mini design. To add additional colour to your wreath, tie small bundles of dried or faux flowers to the willow stems using florist’s wire.
You can also customise your wreath according to the season. Simply attach different foliage with small pieces of wire.
You will need
Use long, thin willow stems for your wreath. The stems should only be as thick as your little finger. If the stems are freshly cut, you can start to work with them directly. If the stems are dried, you will need to soak them in water for a couple of days to prevent them from snapping when you bend them.
Begin with three long stems and twist or braid them together loosely. Arrange the willow stems so that the ends are staggered slightly and don’t line up.
Bend your stems to form a circle and cross over the ends. Work carefully and bend as you go along to avoid any kinks or sharp bends. If you can, bend the stems around a branch, or alternatively, around your knee.
Once the stems form a rough circle, hold them together with one hand, and intertwine the ends with your other hand. This step can be a bit fiddly. Alternatively, you could tie the stems together with some jute string until everything stays in place.
Keep adding more willow stems to build up your wreath until you reach a shape you’re happy with. Try to distribute them evenly and balance out any weak spots. Twist the stems in different directions to strengthen your wreath and weave them in and out of the wreath to hold them in place. Some of the stems will need more bending than others until they keep the desired shape.
Once you’re satisfied with the shape of your wreath, tidy up any protruding ends by weaving them into the wreath orsnipping them off with some secateurs. Finish your wreath by inserting dried olive sprigs around the circumference.
Craft guide courtesy of Annabel Igoe. Photo Katie Lee