Wreath Making Supplies: A Basic Tool Kit for Beginners
The handful of tools that most wreath tutorials rely on, what each one does, what can stand in for it and which ones can wait.
Tutorial at a glance
Materials
- Wire cutters
- Scissors
- Paddle wire
- Floral tape
- Floral pins
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Ribbon or twine
- A wreath base
A short list of wreath making supplies covers almost every beginner project: something to cut with, something to bind with, something to fix small pieces in place, and a base to build on. Most tutorials use the same eight or nine items in different combinations, so a small kit goes a long way.
This guide explains what each tool is for, which ones you need from the start and which can wait until a project asks for them. If you have not chosen a project yet, read the guide to choosing a first wreath, because the method you pick decides which half of this list matters to you.
The Starter Kit at a Glance
These are the items that appear again and again in wreath instructions. The last column shows what can stand in if you do not have the real thing yet.
| Supply | Used for | Substitute |
|---|---|---|
| Wire cutters | Cutting wire and faux stems | Old pliers with a cutting notch |
| Scissors | Ribbon, fabric, paper, yarn | None, keep a sharp pair |
| Paddle wire | Binding bundles to a frame | Cut lengths of floral wire |
| Floral tape | Wrapping bundle stems | Fine wire or twine |
| Floral pins | Pinning moss and leaves to foam | Short wire bent into a U |
| Hot glue gun and glue sticks | Paper, felt, cones, flower heads | Craft glue for paper only |
| Wired picks | Giving cones and pods a stem | A length of floral wire |
| Twine or ribbon | Hanging loops, ties, bows | A loop of wire |
Cutting Tools
Wire cutters are the one tool worth buying before anything else. Faux flower stems have a metal core, and floral wire dulls and notches scissor blades quickly. A small pair of side cutters handles paddle wire, floral wire and most faux stems. For thick stems, cut partway, then bend the stem back and forth at the cut until the core snaps.
Scissors do everything else. Keep one sharp pair for ribbon and fabric only, since paper and glue residue blunt the edge and a dull blade frays ribbon ends. A second, older pair is fine for paper, cardboard and twine.
Binding Supplies
Paddle wire is thin, flexible wire wound on a flat paddle. It lets you bind bundle after bundle around a frame without cutting, which keeps the whole wreath under one continuous tension. Green wire disappears into foliage. A fine to medium thickness is the usual choice: thin enough to pull snug with your fingers, strong enough not to snap when you tug it.
Floral wire also comes in straight cut lengths, handy for wiring a single cone or making a hanging loop.
Floral tape is a stretchy paper tape that sticks to itself when pulled. It does not hold weight. Its job is to wrap the stems of a small bundle so they stay together and so the wire underneath has something to grip. It is most useful on dried flowers and on thin hoops, where bare wire would show.
Fixing Supplies
A hot glue gun fixes light, dry materials: paper, felt, cones, cut flower heads, ribbon ends. Check that the glue sticks match the diameter your gun takes. Follow the product label for how the glue should be used and how long to hold a piece in place.
Floral pins are U-shaped wires that push into foam or straw like a staple. They hold moss, leaves and ribbon wraps, and they can be pulled out again, which glue cannot. They are useless on a wire frame or a hoop, where there is nothing to push into.
Wired picks are short wooden sticks with a fine wire attached. Wrap the wire around a cone, a pod or a small cluster and the pick becomes its stem, ready to push into foam or tuck into a grapevine base.
Twine is the simplest fixing of all. It ties bundles to a hoop, makes a hanging loop and covers a binding point neatly.
The guide to attaching materials with wire, glue, picks and pins shows how each of these is used and which base it suits.
A Base and Ribbon
Every wreath needs a wreath base, and the base changes which tools you reach for. A wire frame pairs with paddle wire or tied strips. A foam ring pairs with pins and glue. A grapevine base needs very little beyond wire cutters and a little wire. Before you buy one, read the comparison of wreath bases so the base matches the method you plan to use.
Ribbon earns a place in the kit because it does three jobs: it makes the bow, it makes the hanging loop and it wraps a foam ring so gaps do not show. Wired-edge ribbon holds a shape when you bend it, so it suits bows.
What Can Wait
You do not need the whole table for a first project. Buy by method:
- Tied wreaths: scissors and a wire frame.
- Wrapped wreaths: scissors and a foam ring, plus a few pins to anchor the ends.
- Wired wreaths: wire cutters, paddle wire and a frame or hoop.
- Glued wreaths: scissors, a glue gun and glue sticks.
Floral tape, wired picks and floral pins can all wait until a tutorial lists them.
Tip
Keep the kit in one shallow box with the wire cutters and scissors on top. Most of the frustration in a first wreath comes from hunting for a tool with one hand while the other holds a bundle in place.
Safety Basics
Two items in the kit cause nearly all the small injuries in wreath making: the glue gun and cut wire.
- Glue gun. The tip and the melted glue burn. Rest the gun on its stand over a heatproof mat or a scrap of cardboard, never on its side. Press small pieces into the glue with a wooden skewer, not a fingertip. Unplug the gun when you step away.
- Wire ends. A freshly cut end is as sharp as a pin. Bend each one back and push it into the wreath, on the back and away from where a hand will hold the ring. Cut wire close to the table so the offcut does not fly.
- Small parts. Pins, picks, wire offcuts, loose berries and fibers belong well out of reach of young children and pets, during the work and afterward.
- Gloves. Wear them for vines, sappy stems and evergreen needles.
Frequently asked questions
What supplies do I need to make a first wreath?
It depends on the method. A tied ribbon or fabric wreath needs only scissors and a wire frame, while a wired greenery wreath needs wire cutters, paddle wire and a frame. Buy for the one project you have chosen and add tools as later projects list them.
Can I cut floral wire with scissors?
It is better not to. Wire notches and dulls scissor blades, and a damaged blade frays ribbon and fabric. A small pair of wire cutters handles floral wire, paddle wire and the metal core of faux stems.
What is the difference between paddle wire and floral wire?
Both are thin, flexible wire. Paddle wire is wound on a flat paddle so you can bind many bundles around a frame without cutting. Floral wire sold in straight lengths is better for single jobs such as wiring a cone or making a hanging loop.
