How to Make a Grapevine Wreath

Co-authored by Jeanne Walker

Last Updated: October 21, 2021 References Approved

Grapevine is a popular wood used in making homemade craft wreaths. You can find the vines in the wild, buy them, or grow them yourself, and easily turn them into a beautiful wreath used for decorative purposes.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Getting the Grapevines

1
Find grapevines. You can buy the grape vines in some craft or floral shops. However, they also grow in many places in the wild. You can get them from an arbor or even from a neighbor who grows grapes.
- Grapevines often grow along fences, trellises, and walls. You may also find them in the woods or on a roadside.^{[1]
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- It’s easiest to find grapevines in the end of August and the earliest days of September, although people find the vines from mid-summer through late fall.^{[2]
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- You can also buy them for about $30 in flower shops.^{[3]
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2
Plant your own grapevines. Instead of hunting around for them, you could just plant your own. You will also get some actual grapes out of this method!^{[4]
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- Go to a nursery and purchase the grapevines. You want to choose vigorous 1-year-old plants for planting.^{[5]
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  Research source}Plant in early spring, and erect a trellis to train the vines to grow up.
- Plant the vines in a spot with full sun, about 6 in (15 cm), and water the base of the plants regularly.^{[6]
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3
Shear the grapevines. Once you’ve located the vines, use a pair of sharp shears to cut them. Then pull them out and away from their growing spot. Gather and untangle the pieces of the vine, and organize them into a bundle.
- Remove any dried leaves or fruit from the vines. Then, pull out the canes, but try to leave the curling tendrils because it will make your wreath look better.
- For a large wreath, you will want about 10 vines, six to eight feet long. For smaller wreaths, use thinner and shorter vines.^{[7]
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Tie the bundle for transport. Some people turn the vines into wreaths immediately after collecting them. That’s because it’s easier to mold them when they aren’t dry.
- If you don’t make the wreath right away, loosely wrap the vines in a bundle and tie them with twine or string.
- If you wait too long and the vines become brittle, simply soak them in water for a couple of hours, and they should be easier to twist.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating the Grapevine Wreath

1
Loop the vines into a circle. It will be easier to shape the grapevines if you use them right away after collecting them. Basically, taking a few of the thick vine strands, wind them around into a circular shape.^{[8]
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- Make the first ring the size you want the wreath to be in the end, perhaps about 30 inches across. The first ring is the most important for this reason.
- Hold the thicker end of a strand in one hand, and loop the vine around in a circle as if you were winding up a garden hose.
2
Continue twisting the vines. You will continue the process over and over again to continue making the grapevine wreath.
- Every time you wrap the vine around the newly formed circle, twist it four or five times around the other pieces that are already in the circle.
- Continue the twisting until you reach the end of the vine. Loop the vine around in the circle until you’re about midway through a second circle.
3
Pull the strand through to the inside of the ring. This will help you to anchor the wreath together. It can sometimes take several attempts to do this.
- Once the ring is secure, start wrapping the vine around the wreath in a spiral. Continue spiraling until you get to the end of the vine.
- Tuck the loose ends into the body of the wreath. Because the vines are stiff, you probably won’t need to hold the circle together with string or wire.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing the Grapevine Wreath

1
Let the wreath dry. Set the wreath somewhere so it will dry. This way it will take and hold its shape. It’s a good idea to store the wreath in a warm, dry place.
- The wreath will shrink a little bit as it dries, so make it bigger than you want.^{[9]
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- Do not hang the wreath while it's still drying or it could warp into an oval shape.
- It usually only takes a few days to dry a grapevine wreath, as long as there is low humidity. The green grapevines will turn brown as they dry.
2
Decorate the vines. You can leave the vines in a natural state or you can spruce them up with craft items to make them look better. Attach the items with a hot glue gun or florist wire. ^{[10]
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- For instance you could add baby’s breath, dried flowers, ribbon, ornamental birds—the possibilities are endless.
- You could also add holiday-themed items like plastic berries and bows.^{[11]
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- You could even spray paint your grapevine wreath for an extra-colorful display!
3
Hang the grapevine wreath. Now that you've finished your project, it's time to hang the wreath. First, choose the spot where you want to hang it. You can hang a grapevine wreath on a door or wall or outside on an arbor.
- It's easy to hang the wreath. Simply hook one of the top grapevines on a nail. You could also loop a piece of wire through one of the top vines.
- Twist the pieces of wire together, and then hang that onto the nail. You could also use a glue gun to glue a ribbon loop to the top of the wreath.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you harvest grape vines for wreaths?

Jeanne Walker
Florist
Jeanne Walker is a Florist and the Owner of Fringe Flower Company, a floral design shop that specializes in weddings, special events, and daily deliveries. Fringe Flower Company, based in Walnut Creek, California, provides customized hand-tied and vase bouquets along with potted plants, succulent gardens, tulip french buckets, and wreaths. Jeanne also conducts floral design workshops and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jeanne Walker

Florist

Expert Answer

You can shear the grapevines year-round, but they'll be easier to work with if you do it in the spring or summer, which is when they're more malleable.
Question

Can you only use grapevines to do this?

Community Answer

You can also use American Wisteria or Honeysuckle to make similar craft wreaths.
Question

How long should you soak the vines in water?

Community Answer

If you vines are brittle and already dry, soak them for two-three hours in water to make them more pliable again.