A WREATH FOR ALL OCCASIONS
History
The making of wreaths is an ancient and honored art that began about a thousand years before Christ. A crown of oak leaves adorned the warrior, ivy rewarded the poet, and statesmen were dignified under their laurels. Laymen did not wear these crowns, only men of distinction. Roman generals were crowned as they returned from war with wreaths made of grass and wild flowers from the battlefields.
At Christmas the wreath is symbolic of Christian immortality. The circle and the sphere are symbols of immortality. Traditionally, the wreath has been worn at festivals, at sacrifices, at weddings, and banquets. The priests wore henbane, vervain, and rue, plants long associated with the other world and religious rites. Crowns for victors were made of laurel (Laurus nobilis), oak, olive, parsley, palm, and poplar. Brides wore coronets or orange blossoms, myrtle, or rosemary. Funeral wreaths were made of daffodils, poppies, and other plants that meant remembrance or everlasting life, as amaranth, statice, tansy and yarrow.
Adelma Grenier Simmons
Herb Gardening in Five Seasons
Today, wreaths are enjoyed as decorative accessories throughout the year and throughout the house, inside and out! Nothing says "Welcome" as a wreath on the front door!
The fabric wreath I offer will be especially charming with color/prints coordinated to the room, or made from quilt scraps... as scrappy as you like. Also, made from the exact fabrics to match a stunning quilt. I have made these wreaths for Valentine's Day and Christmas, and most recently patriotic using prints for the season along with muslin and/or solid color fabric. A neat kitchen wreath can be made from herbal prints and muslin and/or light weight burlap, with fresh garden sage tied on!
Directions: The wreath pictured above is 16" in diameter. Made on a wire frame (inside diameter 12", outside diameter 16")
WIRE FRAMESIf using a smaller wire frame, adjust the number of fabric pillows you make accordingly. You will need 37 (total) pillows for the large (16") wire frame.
13 Plaid - 12 Flower - 12 Muslin (4 of which have hearts stenciled on). Cut fabric 2-1/4" x 4-1/4" (1/4" seam allowance). Sew around each pillow, right sides together. Cut a slit and turn pillow right side out, making sure the corners are completely out, then stuff lightly with poly. Tie on (use a knot, not a bow) to wire frame with jute (slit side toward wire). Please notice the wire frame has three surfaces, inside, outside and top. Begin tying the pillows around the inside surface, then around the outside surface, and finally the top. Adorn with stick cinnamon if you like.
for wholesale beads ... Click here!
WREATH EMBELLISHMENTS
