How to Make a Dried Citrus Garland
Make your own dried citrus garland from natural materials. This is classic, eco-friendly, non-plastic holiday and seasonal decoration that anyone can create!
Servings 1 garland or swag
Equipment
- Large Needle, as for leather working
- Heavy Twine
- Drill with small bit, optional
Ingredients
- Dried Citrus Slices
- Cinnamon Sticks optional
- Star Anise optional
- Whole Cloves optional
- Whole Nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Twine
- Cut a length of twine - for this tutorial, I used about 4" (or about 1 meter).
- Tie a simple loop at one end. You will hang the garland from this loop.
- Thread a heavy duty needle (like a leather stitching needle) with the open end of the twine.
- Assemble the Garland
- Using thoroughly dried citrus slices, poke a hole at the top center of each citrus wheel with the needle.
- Pick a location several inches away from the end loop where you'd like to hang your first citrus slice. To help the citrus hang straighter, tie a knot in this place.
- Then, thread the first citrus slice through the twine until you hit the knot.
- Stop and tie another knot. This will place a small knot on each side of the citrus to help stabilize it.
- Repeat the process by tying another knot in front of where you would like to place the next citrus slice. Thread the slice, and stop and tie another knot.
- You may also add bunches of cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, or whole star anise to the garland at various intervals. Each whole spice will combine with the citrus smell to produce a heavenly scented garland to be used straight through the winter.
Notes
If you have a drill with a very small bit, you may drill a hole at the top of whole nutmeg and string the twine through to include it on the garland.
These garlands will last for many years if kept away from mice and extreme heat.
When I want to re-activate the smell, I’ll often string one near the wood stove in winter.
Shaking them slightly as you walk by will also stir the scent of your garlands.