- 1). Cut attractive, 8- to 10-inch spruce branches with pruning shears at a 45 degree angle. Cut the branches shortly before placing them in your wreath so they look and smell as fresh as possible. Cut branches with pinecones still attached, and cut off additional cones if desired. You can also find more cones on the ground around the tree.
- 2). Shake the pinecones to release any loose seeds and pluck out any remaining ones with tweezers. This will prevent your wreath from shedding seeds later.
- 3). Place the spruce branches in a vase of water and leave them in a cold place such as the garage, refrigerator or outside in cold weather until you are ready to insert them into the wreath.
- 4). Cut a 6- by 40-inch piece of chicken wire with wire cutters. If desired, cut the wire a few inches longer or shorter to alter the size of the wreath. The chicken wire will form the base of your wreath.
- 5). Soak sphagnum moss in warm water and wring out any excess. Use enough moss to completely cover one side of the chicken wire. Spread the damp moss evenly onto the chicken wire.
- 6). Roll the wire into a tube while the moss is still damp, then bend the two ends of the tube together to form it into an inner-tube shape. Insert wire into each end of the chicken wire and tie the ends together to secure the shape.
- 7). Insert the spruce branches clockwise all around the tube until the wire and moss are completely covered. Insert the angled end of the pine branches 4 or 5 inches deep so they go through the chicken wire mesh into the sphagnum moss. When the wreath is compete, the pine branches should stick out 4 or more inches, completely covering the wire frame with an attractive, symmetrical arrangement of green pine needles and cones.
- 8). Spray shellac evenly over your wreath to make the pine needles shiny and to trap in the natural moisture from the needles.
- 9). Wrap floral wire around additional pinecones and stick them evenly around the wreath, over the needles. Add as many pinecones as you like.
- 10
Spray the pinecones with shellac for a shiny finish.
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