Using floral wire is fundamental to creating durable and beautiful wreaths, securing materials firmly to the frame.
Floral wire is the essential tool for attaching greenery, flowers, ornaments, and other decorative elements to your wreath frame, ensuring they stay in place season after season. It provides flexibility and strength, allowing you to build layers and textures effectively.
Attaching Materials to the Wreath Frame
The primary use of floral wire is to bind your materials directly to the wreath base. This is typically done in manageable bunches or "bouquets."
Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Prepare Your Materials: Gather small bundles of your chosen materials – think of them as mini-bouquets. These could be evergreen sprigs, faux flowers, berries, or other decor.
- Position the Bunch: Lay your “bouquet” on the wire frame where you want it placed.
- Secure with Wire: Take your floral wire (often paddle wire, which is on a spool) and wrap it around the stems of the bunch and the wreath frame together.
- Wrap and Pull: Wrap the paddle wire around the bunch three to five times. Each time you wrap the wire, be sure to give it a substantial pull. This tight winding is crucial.
- Maintain Tension: This tension is what holds your wreath together. Continue adding bunches sequentially, overlapping the ends of the previous bunch with the top of the new one, and securing each with several tight wraps of wire.
- Finish Securely: Once you've worked your way around the frame, tuck the end of the wire or twist it around the frame to secure it neatly.
Types of Floral Wire for Wreaths
Different types of floral wire serve specific purposes in wreath making:
- Paddle Wire: This is the most common type for attaching materials. It's on a spool, allowing you to wrap continuously without cutting, and is available in various gauges (thicknesses). A thinner gauge is more flexible, while a thicker gauge offers more support.
- Stem Wire: Straight, pre-cut pieces of wire used to add support to weak stems, attach individual items like pinecones (by wrapping around scales), or create wire "stems" for items without them. Also comes in different gauges.
- Floral Pins (Greening Pins): U-shaped pins used to secure moss or other flat materials to a foam or straw wreath base, not typically a wire frame directly.
Tips for Working with Floral Wire
- Choose the Right Gauge: Use a gauge strong enough to hold your materials but flexible enough to wrap easily. 22 or 24 gauge is common for paddle wire.
- Keep it Tight: Always pull the wire taut as you wrap to ensure everything is securely fastened.
- Hide the Wire: Position your materials so that the wire wraps are concealed by the layers of greenery or flowers.
- Protect Your Hands: Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin, as wire can sometimes cause irritation or small cuts.
- Use Wire Cutters: Don't try to break the wire by hand; use proper floral wire cutters for clean snips.
By following these steps and maintaining good tension, you can effectively use floral wire to create a sturdy and beautiful wreath.
