Grapevine Wreaths

Rugged yet classic adornment

Grapevine wreaths are easy to make; with annually pruned vines wrapped around a wire form and decorated in a rustic style or with seasonally appropriate decorations they can enhance your rustic look in a big way.

Large grapevine wreaths can be used for a dramatic feature or focal point in an entry way, on a door or above a mantel.

My favorite aspect of grapevine wreaths is the rustic and charming texture, which even if they’re left undecorated are very attractive.

They are one of the easiest ways to give your home a country look, while also fitting into even a classic or modern space. 

Here’s how to make a grapevine wreath:

Make sure you have a lot of prunings of grapevines to choose from. Luckily, many vineyards will prune their vines in the fall to make tying in easier, so if you know someone who has a vineyard, make friends with them. This is the perfect autumn project, alongside carving pumpkins and assembling corn decorations.

• Make a loop with galvanized or other type wire – I use either coat hanger weight wire which has enough strength to hold its shape, or thick fence building wire.

• For a large grapevine wreath, use a length of wire about one meter. This will give you enough to twist the ends together and make a hanger. Make the rest of it into a circle, the size you would like your finished wreath to be.
  

• Use two sets of pliers to twist the wire tightly.

• Start winding the grapevines around – either in groups of three, or singly. Each one will add more bulk, and you can fill in the lighter spots with an extra length or two. If your grapevines are really brittle, soak them for a while in a tub of water, even overnight if necessary.

I usually wind the grapevines the same way, although criss crossing vines on a grapevine wreath is also effective. It’s a different texture, more like a braid than a spiral.

More great ways to decorate a grapevine wreath:

To decorate your grapevine wreath, think outside the box.

Rustic tin cut outs, such as stars, moons and other shapes.

Berries, or dried fruit slices, seeds such as sorghum or millet seed heads, especially for a large grapevine wreath hung outside will attract chickadees and other small birds during the winter. Hang this on the outside of a window to help the birds out in two ways: for a meal, and to prevent window strikes.

Attach greens such as Paxistima myrsinites (Oregon Boxwood), Arctostaphylos (bear berry) and fir branches along with pine cones to make a lovely Christmas display for your door.

A large grapevine wreath above the mantel, with a similarly styled grapevine garland or swag pulls the look together. Use the same type of colors or materials as a complement.