Christmas Wreaths, c.1850s-1870s

After compiling a bunch of early Victorian Christmas decoration info, I had to try some of the instructions out. Fortunately, Christmas at Fort Steilacoom is just around the corner, so I had motive and opportunity to try making some historically accurate decorations. Also the means, because I was given a bunch of rosemary and holly that some friends needed removed from their garden.

I based these wreaths on instructions in the 1858 Practical Hints on Church Floral Decorations and the 1875 Illustrated Queen Almanac. Between them, wire, buckram, and string are all mentioned at the basis for building wreaths, along with the idea of using no base at all beyond the branches themselves. I went with an option from the later source, and made my wreath forms out of old crinoline wire. I did however cheat and close the loop with scotch tape and narrow wrapped wire rather than sewing it into place.

Wreath number 1, with the first round of rosemary on the base.

For the first wreath, I put a base layer of rosemary on the wire form, wrapping it around with even thinner wire. Most of the rosemary pieces I had were very long, unbranching, and pliable, so this worked well. On the second pass, I added a row of rosemary on the inside of the crinoline wire to cover it, and put my first layer of holly on the outside, choosing the most flexible pieces than could bend to the curve of the wreath.

Nearing completion of the first holly layer.

Even with a gloved hand holding the wreath (I needed the other free to manipulate wire), the holly had its revenge. Just the sources warned me. I didn't like how narrow the whole wreath was with just one layer of holy. For the second layer, I chose smaller pieces, and set them on tangent to the wreath, aiming to get each secured with one or two passes of the wire, and letting the ends stick out. I also worked my two pieces of ivy into this layer, wrapping them around the holly to help secure it in place (along with the wire). The ivy mostly disappears into the holly thicket, but it pleases me to have an song allusion built into this wreath.

Second layer of holly being added to bulk out the wreath.

When I couldn't add any more holly pieces without pricking my hands even more (getting the wire wrapped tight through a layer of holly being the most hazardous part), I called it good. I finished the wreath with 6 bunches of three artificial holly berries made earlier that evening.

  

Holly wreath aptly modeled by the door of an 1858 house.

After using all my other greenery, I has a moderately large pile of those long, flexible rosemary branches left, so I used the rest of the crinoline wire to make a second wreath frame, and started covering it with rosemary. The first layer went just like the holly wreath, though I did both the inside and outside rosemary layers at the same time. From there, I wrapped a second layer of rosemary directly over the whole (no wire, wrapping the very bendy branches themselves), and for the third layer placed the branches on straight, wrapping a red velvet ribbon around to secure them. I let the very ends of each branch stand out to give the wreath more width, and liked that well enough that I did a fourth pass sticking additional branches into the ribbon loops and letting the ends fan out. To complete this wreath, I made a four-loop bow of the same ribbon and tied it with wire over the join where I'd started and ended the ribbon-wrap. 

Rosemary wreath on the door of a different 1858 house.

 

I'm generally satisfied with how both wreaths turned out, though it took a while to get all the rosemary residue off my hands and to forget the holly's prickle. I'll probably do this again if the opportunity presents itself. The swags (for which I have no explicit documentation beyond the general use of 'boughs' and 'greenery') are much faster than the wreaths--I made three of those in about 15 minutes, and spent the rest of a 4-hour session on these two wreaths and the berries--but I think that they have a lot of character and add a fun visual effect that neither a swag nor a neat, professionally-made wreath has.