I saw on a craft show one time where they were making grapvine wreaths, and they got a peice of wood, like plywood, the size that you want the wreath to be, then they hammered or screwed some nails into the wood into a circle, again the size that yo want the wreath, then when you are read to make the wreaths just weave it around the nails making a circle, tucking the ends when you ned to start another peice, then whenit is the size you want, just work it off of the nails, and if you need to , wrap some wire arond it places to secure. You mght also hve to soak the vine tomake it more bendable. I hope this helps!!! Have Fun.I have gathered vine to make an arbor and added white x-mas lites, it was so pretty!!

I just wrap the vine around my thumb and elbow (like a rope) and then go in and out with a short length--trim as needed. Much easier to assemble as you pick it.

If you wrap the grapevine soon as you pull it from the trees that would save alot of time and energy. Its pliable.

Wrapping it as soon as it's pulled has always been the easiest way for me. I do the same thing with Kudzu vines. I've been using them in place of grapevine wreaths for the last couple of years because we're drowning in the stuff down here and I had to come up with something to do with it!

Do you remove the leaves or leave them on?

I let some leaves on it adds to the wreath.

I've made grapevine wreaths for several years now and find that (as others noted) using them when you first pull them IS easiest, as they will snap like matchsticks when dry. I always just cut a length about twice as long as I need to make the wreath as big around as I want (for example if you want your wreath to be 12 inches diameter cut a length about 24 inches diameter) and then using the vine make a circle the size you want and start wrapping it around itself and tucking in and twisting in more until you achieve the thickness you desire. Hope this helps.

The house we moved into has a row of grapes about 20 ft long. I wondered if I am supposed to trim them down so that they grow back up again, or do i leave last years growth out on the fence for them to grow more from last
years vines.

any help would be great, its mid march here, and there is not yet any signs of growth on the vines.

The absolute largest wreath I ever made was LARGER than a hula hoop...honest! How I wish I had a picture of that one...made it for a co-worker of my daughter's.
My spouse helped me in the construction of that wreath...(he passed away suddenly in 2001, so this is a good memory of something we did together...smiles)...he was a plumber/electrician/heating.ac. mechanic & came up with a great idea for a 'base' to wrap the freshly-pulled grapevine around...He soldered a scrap length of copper pipe together to form a ring, and voila, 4 hours of pulling vine, and wrapping the copper 'ring' with wild grapevine, and my customer was more than happy with my product for her.
Something else I've made from grapevine is a hanging basket. It has to hang, because it isn't flat-bottomed and very rustic looking. How to make one? Make two similar-sized wreaths, similar being the operative word. One wreath is slightly smaller in size...Slip the smaller one perpendicular inside the larger wreath...the smaller one forms the bottom of the round-bottomed grapevine wreath and the handle on top. (hard to describe, Lordy I wish I had a picture of one of my rustic grapevine baskets, too)...I put a lightweight annual potted plant in my basket & hung my basket from a sturdy rod iron garden hook. It made my "approach" on my home in Ontario, Canada, look inviting and "original".
I'm now in the southern USA...how I'd love to find some grapevine here to entwine & have a blast with.

Grapevine Hints I'd humbly offer to this forum:
l.) Two people 'harvesting' is much easier than one. One person pulling & the second person clipping with some wire clippers/pruning shears!
2.) Pull from a free-standing grapevine "patch"...grapevine that wraps around fences break into small pieces & is harder to pull in one long strand (no kiddin', huh?)
3.) To "wilt" the leaves on fresh grapevine, I used to lay my grapevine in my backyard in the sun for a day before crafting with it...and stripped MOST of the leaves before wreathing.
4.) I never stressed over wild grapevine having a mind of its own...after all, it IS "wild"!

have fun with vine!
i certainly have, in the past!!!

sincerely,
a Canadian born & raised vine-crafter,
Judy in Louisiana.

I have made wreaths with grapevines after they had been harvested for several days. I first soaked them overnight in a tub of water. That made them pliable enough to handle without cracking.

I Love using grapevine wreaths to decorate. i srated my own business trying to get it to take off.. ALot of People still use them everywhere

Here is a link that might be useful: My Wreaths

Hello all!!! I would like to make one of those wreath trees that you can decorate from season to season. Some I have seen have lights? Looks like it would be easy to make but, what make it stand up? Granted... I have not used my grapevine to a good use other than to save my Hibiscus trees from strangulation by cutting it out and disposing of it. Any info would be appreciated...Thanks...Karen

I don't have any real grapevines to harvest But, I actually buy grapevine garlands from A.C. Moore and use them for everything. I integrate that into the fresh green garlands I make for my front door using Magnolia Leaves, and all the Christmas Tree Cuttings I get free from Home Depot, then with these curly grapevine garlands wrapped loosely around the greenery, then little white lights. I love the look. After Xmas I discard the fresh greenery and save the garlands. Here is a picture of my hayrack on my patio wall with the garlands wrapped around it. Love this stuff. Pauline
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Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Pictures and Stuff

paulinep, WOW, I just viewed your pics. What lovely gardens you have. Everything is just beautiful! I would love to come to North Carolina to take that garden tour.
Great job with your grapevines.
Cheri

Cheri, thanks, I hope you can find the time to come to Wilmington for the Garden Tour. All information is at
following website. More gardens there with descriptions and pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Arboretum Website, click on Garden Tour

Judy,
Thanks for the info you supplied to make a basket out of grapevine...I plan to start that project today..by the way..Its good to have wonderful memories of loved ones who have passed on. Take care..Karen

Judy,
I made the grapevine hanging basket . I love the touch it added to my flower garden by the steps in back of my house. I also put and old teapot in it with Thunbergia/(black eyed susan vine) that I started this year. Ill never misuse gravine again..Got my mind rarin and wondering what else I could do with it. I'd love to send pic but my daughter borrowed my digital camera..so for now ...just believe me when I say its really charming..Again Thanks!!!!Karen

There is so much that you can do with the vines.. I use the wreaths to make a hanging birdbath. Buy a clay saucer that fits the size of the wreat. You can use wire or twine to hang from a tree, post or where ever you want.. I get tons of comments on them.. If you don't have access to the vines you can buy some, soak them for a day and make what you want .

Enjoy............... Susie

Great forum-
My daughter is getting married in August of 2008- and wants the ceremony and reception to be here in the back yard- a mother's dream. I would like to circle the old gazebo (canvas and net covering rotted away years ago) and my deck with long swags of grapevine with those little "twinkle" lightsworked into them. I have LOTS of wild grapevine in the surrounding forest to harvest- just don't know how to "twine" to make it look like a long swag.
Her own design of centerpieces is large Ikea glass vases, filled wtih riverstones, with TALL leafless branches inserted- and votives hanging from those branches in little "flowerpot" clear glass holders. Work-intensive, but it's nice to rediscover that your daughter loves her fiance, nature, economy, and hand-crafted touches "from the land" that she was born and raised on.

I make grapevine holiday wreaths. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to ship these? I have looked for appropriate boxes to ship them in but haven't found anything. Has anyone shipped these type wreaths and knows what boxes to use? Any help will be appreciated.