Hanging Advent Wreath DIY: The Rustic Wreath That Floats in Mid-Air

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A rustic hanging Advent wreath that floats in mid-air above the table. An original DIY Advent wreath from garden branches that leaves the table free for coffee.

Today is Sunday, the first Sunday of December and the first day of the Christmas season. Advent has officially started.

So what better way to start my Christmas decorating season with an Advent decoration?

I made a rustic Advent wreath. 

A floating Advent wreath made from natural materials.

And I will be honest with you: I did not fully know if it would work when I started. A wreath is supposed to hang on a wall or lie on a table, flat and well behaved, and mine refuses to. It hovers. It sways a tiny bit when someone walks by. It makes every wreath on every table look a little bit ordinary, and I am not even sorry about it.

I think it turned out very nice. I used what I had on hand or what I could easily find in my garden. Just a wire wreath form, some branches (I used grapevine and curly willow), and some small decorations. 

Want to know how to make this rustic Advent wreath that floats in the air? 

Here you go:

How to Make a Rustic Advent Wreath That Hangs

What You’ll Need

• Large, sturdy branch for the center
• Wire wreath form
• Small twigs that have a little bend to them (I used grapevines and willow branches)
• Twine
• Wire
• Candle Clips
• Tiny ornaments
• And a container with something heavy in it.

That’s it. Nothing from a craft store that you can’t also find in your own garden or shed.

Step 1: Stand the Branch

Secure the center branch in a container. I used pebbles because it allows for constant fiddling to get my crooked branch to stand up straight, and it gives some counterweight to the whole arrangement.

Crooked is allowed. Crooked is even good. A too-perfect branch looks like a flagpole and this project is not a flagpole.

Step 2: Anchor the Rope

With a small handsaw, I slit the branch deep enough to wiggle my first piece of twine rope in. The second bit of rope I put over the top in the other direction and secured with a long nail. 

Step 3: Build the Wreath

With pieces of wire, secure your branches to the iron wreath form. I did the main part of this with the wreath form not attached. I finished it off after the next step.

Step 4: Hang It Level

To secure the wreath to the ropes (and with only two hands available), I first put some pieces of wire through the rope at the same height. I then wrapped that wire around the wreath. So much easier than trying to tie the rope to the wreath while holding it up.

When I was satisfied that the rope was evenly dispersed and the wreath was hanging level, I made a knot with the leftover rope, disguising the wire I used to attach it to the wreath.

This is the step where you fiddle. Give yourself permission to fiddle. A level wreath is worth three extra minutes of stepping back and squinting.

Step 5: Decorate

All that is left after this is decorating the arrangement.

That is the fun part! Tiny ornaments hanging from the twigs, candle clips on the wreath, four candles ready for their Sundays.

And here is my favorite detail. I put four numbers on the pot, so I can rotate it each week until it is Christmas on number 4. One decoration, four different looks, zero extra work.

H3: Keeping It Rustic (Not “Craft Fair”)

The whole charm of this wreath is that it looks found, not made. Skip anything too polished, keep the twigs a little wild, and let the wire and twine show here and there. Perfect is the enemy of rustic.

 If I’ve got you in the mood for more Advent decor ideas than check out that link, all my ideas are in that post. There are ideas for an fresh greenery Advent centerpiece, for a modern candle holders Advent, and for a long-lasting Advent wreath in that post.

The first candle is lit on my DIY rustic Advent wreath. The season of light has started.

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