Woodworking can take many forms. From it’s initial God-given state of natural beauty to enhancing it’s attributes, it’s what you do with it that counts. Whether you are making furniture, carving, turning a live edge bowl, or just creating a simple work of art, Woodcraft is always about the wood, and helping you make it work for you! During the holidays is an especially great time to enhance your home, place of business, school, or place of worship with a touch of detail to the season. With a little planning in acquiring the vines, you can make a wreath with little to no cost and minimal tool usage. Add your imagination and creativity, and watch your project come to life!
Starting with dried flexible grape vines, you can make a wreath for any occasion. Typically planted in March and harvested in the September/October Fall time frame, grapevines can be used to create many different shapes, forms, sizes and layers depending upon what you wish to decorate and use it for. If you happen to pick the vines later in the season, they can still be made flexible by soaking them in water overnight.
When you think of a wreath, it may bring to mind the Christmastime festivities. In addition, wreathes can also be used for other seasonal decor such as Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, as well as for weddings, memorials, or even just a warm gesture to hang from a lamp post or fence that says “Welcome.”
Early historical use of wreathes were known as laurel wreathes and worn as stature or accomplishment symbols in Ancient Greek and Roman times. Take your imagination to the next level and support your favorite accomplished team with pride! Go Bucks! OH-IO!!
What’s really terrific about this traditional project, is that anyone can do it. It’s great to involve kids of any age, and is also therapy for your hands in building something beautiful to use or give as a gift.
Just a small warning when picking grape vines in an unknown area, be careful not to be picking Poison Ivy, as they tend to resemble in leaf structure. You wouldn’t want to give someone a Poison Ivy wreath by mistake!
In this video, Woodcraft Product Manager, Kent Harpool steps out of the witness protection program and allows us to video him in this wreath construction. Kent used to build these as a child and shares his traditions with us.
Woodcraft does not sell grapevines, but has many other types of products you can build ornaments with to adorn your tree, mantle piece or wreath for any occasion. Many choices await you at Woodcraft to make ornaments such as birdhouses, scrollsaw items (gift boxes, poinsettias, flat & 3D), turned decorations using Tru-Stone, wood, acrylic bottle stopper blanks, and other offerings like the kaleidoscope kits and ornament plans to make an assortment of holiday cheer. Don’t forget about that handcrafted tree topper!
To properly complete your projects, be sure to check out all the fine finishes at Woodcraft to use on your handcrafted ornaments. On wood when turning, we have the General Finishes Wood Turner’s Finish, Mylands High Build Friction Polish,and the Hut Crystal Coat which is also available in the Turner’s Finishing Kit. For your 2D, 3D and Scrollsaw items, we have an assortment of lacquer, polyurethane, and waterbase varnish offerings. And for those Tru-Stone and Acrylic ornaments, there is nothing better than the NEW Mirka Polarshine Turners Polish, specifically made for Woodcraft. This unique 4-step quick and easy polishing system eliminates those fine scratches, and brings a very high durable luster for a shine you won’t believe. Just apply a very minimal drop of step 1 through 4 evenly over the surface, leaving each step haze over the previous step, and buff all 4 out with a soft Microfiber cloth. Behold, an amazing shine!
Stop at your local Woodcraft store or go online to start a craft or woodworking project today!
auf Wiedersehen! …Frank
