How to Make an Easy Twig Wreath (a Free DIY Project)

Get the instructions for this easy DIY wreath project. Use it indoors or outdoors! It’s made with free twigs from the yard and is quick and easy to make.

I love wreaths. All kinds of wreaths. And I have been making wreaths for as long as I can remember. But one specific kind of wreath has been haunting me lately. I have seen lovely twig wreaths on mantels, on front doors, and as part of seasonal decorations. 

I was inspired and I wanted a twig wreath of my own. 

Badly.

Then I came home from a recent trip to Barcelona to find this.

A big heap of cut-up branches and twigs on our terrace. My guy had been pruning trees and cutting up the leftovers so they would fit in our compost bin.

My head started spinning, what if….. So I told him to leave that pile there because I had plans for it.

Next thing I started putting little bunches of twigs to the side. I couldn’t help laughing at myself while I was sitting there sifting through this heap of garden waste. Had I finally gone over the deep end, was this crafting thing getting out of hand, was there hope for me yet. Ah well, I did it anyway.

I thought making the wreath would be a quick and easy project. This is how it turned out.

Oh My Gosh, this is the saddest excuse for a wreath I have ever seen. Total bust! It looked hideous like something a bird that had been sipping too much Vodka would make as a nest. It isn’t round! It isn’t even! It is UGLY!

Hmm, back to the drawing board…

Here is my second version:

Better, much better, not perfect yet, but a good start. It helped that I found a ring base that was actually round and that I took a bit more time in arranging the twig bundles.

Since then I have been adding twigs and tweaking my twig wreath and I have given it many makeovers through the seasons and for different occasions.

A twig wreath is THE ABSOLUTE EASIEST WREATH to decorate with. Once you have the base of your twig wreath you can simply add in all kinds of decorations by wiggling them in between the branches or using a bit of hot glue. It is so easy and quick to change the basic look of a twig wreath. It is one of my absolute favorite decorating accessories by far.

Let me show you how easy it is to make a Twig Wreath! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Read my full disclosure policy.

So do you want a free twig wreath of your own?

Let’s get to it.

How to make a Twig Wreath from Scratch

Making a twig wreath is easy and fun. The bulk of the materials you use are branches and twigs you can collect for free in the yard. Other basic materials are a metal wreath form, pruning shears and floral wire. Optional or decorations you can add to your twig wreath for fun.

Materials To Use

• Wood clippings from the yard
• Pruning shears
• Floral wire (brown is best)
• Wreath form

Steps For Making a DIY Twig Wreath

Step 1. Harvest your material

Find yourself a pair of pruning shears (I have and love this one), your coat, and head outdoors. Start collecting twigs. Easiest is to get the ones that have fallen to the ground, but if those aren’t enough then use your shears to cut branches from bushes and small trees. Or do like I did and go hunt for your twigs after someone has been pruning the yard. Collect more than you think you’ll need.

Step 2. Make bundles

Cut your branches into smaller sticks and compile the twigs into little bundles. Use floral wire to hold the bundles together. It helps the final look if you try to make the natural curves of the twigs point outward. Don’t cut the floral wire short.

Step 3. Attach the bundles to your wreath base.

This step turned out to be crucial (see my failed attempt). Attach your bundles to a wire wreath base. For a smaller twig wreath, a single metal floral loop will suffice. If you want a really full and large twig wreath I recommend using one of those double wire wreath form. If you have some extra length of floral wire that is holding the bundle of twigs together you can use that to tie the bundle to the metal frame, or cut a new piece.

Step 4. Keep adding and arranging your bundles for a full look.

Attach all the bundles in the same direction. Make sure that you hide the floral wire underneath the next bundle. Alternate adding bundles on the outside and the inside of the metal frame.

Step 5. Step away and assess from a distance.

Check out your progress from time to time. Keep adding bundles until your DIY twig wreath is as full as you want. Trim the ends and unruly bits to finish the shape. Add a hanging loop and you are done!

Step 6. Optional! Add embellishments and decorations to your twig wreath to use it in your seasonal decor.

As the seasons change, so does my home decor. I have used my homemade twig wreath many times in my decorating, both inside and out. She has been the star of my Christmas mantel decor, welcomed guests in my fall hallway, fancied up my front door in Spring, and worked its magic in my winter decor as well. I have used pine cones, ribbon, leaves, and (faux) flowers to give my basic twig wreath a seasonal look. And I even used glitter and spray paint to make my twig wreath the star of my decor.

I have used my basic twig wreath so many times I lost count. Through the years I added more and more bundles of twigs, filled her up with bits of vine wreath, added bigger sticks, leaves, and berries. I dusted her with spray paint and fake snow and kept changing her as I saw fit. She has grown in size from a smaller wreath to a large wreath as a result. I haven’t used her in a while but I still have not parted with her. She is waiting for at least one more transformation.

How to Decorate a Twig Wreath

A twig wreath is a basic, neutral wreath with a bit of a rustic and natural vibe. It fits in easily with lots of decor styles. You can glam it up with paint, glitter, and shiny baubles, or tone it down with pine cones and acorns. You can add burlap bows or striped ribbon for a farmhouse look, or add shells and sea stars for a coastal look.

Let me show you some of the ways I have used my wreath in my home decor in different seasons.

Twig Wreath Spring Decor

For the first transformation of my rustic twig wreath, I used a hot glue gun to attach small easter eggs and stuffed little feathers and rustic birds in between the branches.

Using hot glue is the way to go here because it dries really fast and with a little heat it will melt again so you can remove your decorations easily.

Another spring season I reused my twig wreath in combination with a feather wreath tucked inside. This twig wreath spring mantel decor was so easy and yet so pretty. My twig wreath reappeared as a spring wreath with faux flowers on my front door the next year.

Summer decor with a Homemade Twig Wreath

The following season I moved my twig wreath outside to my front door. If you can put your twig wreath in a dry place it is sturdy enough for outside use. I am sure a bit of rain won’t hurt but if you want your twig wreath to last as long as mine has, it will need some shelter from the worst of the elements if you are going to use it outside.

For my summer wreath decor, I simply loaded my twig wreath up with faux greenery like eucalyptus and berry branches and lots of pretty flowers.

Fall Twig Wreath Ideas

The most perfect season to use a twig wreath in your decorations is of course fall. The autumn season with all its moody colors and natural wood tones is the perfect combination for a rustic wreath like this.

When you add just a few sprigs of berries to the bottom of the wreath and scatter some (faux) colorful leaves around the wreath it already looks so perfect for autumn.

But if you really love a colorful and luscious fall wreath…

Take a look at this one!

For this fancy fall wreath on my front porch, I simply loaded her up with lots of embellishments. Everything is simply stuffed into the twigs and sits pretty solid. It is also easily removed when the next season rolls around and you need your twig wreath to take on yet another look.

For a more fall twig wreath idea see this rustic twig wreath with pinecones or my twig wreath entryway decor.

Twig Wreath Winter Decor

One of my favorite reincarnations of my DIY twig wreath is when I used her in my winter decor. For the winter season, I gave her a dusting with white paint and fake snow and then added lots of cool white decorations (found at the clearance aisle after Christmas).

Can you believe that is basically still the same wreath that I made at the beginning of this post? Trust me, it really is! She just grew and grew through the years and became bigger and more beautiful every time I used her.

Twig Wreath Christmas Inspiration

If you like a bit of a Christmas rustic look then a twig wreath is your way to go for your holiday decor. The first time I used my DIY twig wreath for Christmas I decorated my Christmas mantel with the wreath as my focal point. I layered the twig wreath on a vintage mirror for extra oomph. I also added a stretched-out vine wreath to the inside to give her a bit of extra volume. A light dusting of spray snow and some sparkly Led lights moved her right into the Christmas mood.

The second time my twig wreath reappeared on the Christmas scene she got a more elaborated makeover. This time I painted her white and added lots of bundles of twirly branches to really give her some added volume. The red berry branches (with a bit of glitter), made her a perfect Christmas wreath on my front door.

I hope I have convinced you that you need a twig wreath in your life. Making a twig wreath yourself is easy if you follow the steps in my tutorial. But just in case you are not in a DIY mood, or you can’t find a buck load of twigs easily, I collected some of the best twig wreaths you can buy online

Where to Buy a Twig Wreath

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