Add a little old-fashioned Christmas charm to your home with this beautiful dried orange garland! The orange slices look so pretty strung together with natural wooden beads, creating a cozy, rustic decoration that’s perfect for the holidays. Hang it across your mantel, drape it along a staircase, or add it to your Christmas tree for a festive, nature-inspired touch!
Making your own DIY orange garland is surprisingly easy, and your house will smell amazing while the orange slices dry in the oven! All you need are a few simple supplies to create this gorgeous homemade Christmas decoration. It’s an inexpensive way to decorate for the holidays, and you can bring it out year after year!
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How to Make a Dried Orange Garland
Materials:
- Orange
- Twine
- Wood beads
See the craft in action:
Instructions:
Step 1: Find what you need
- Gather your supplies and materials.
Step 2: Dry the orange slices
- Slice an orange into 4mm (just over 1/8 inch) slices.
- Blot the slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and then arrange them on a parchment lined tray (so they’re not overlapping).
- Bake the slices at 200F for 3 to 5 hours. Flip every 30 to 60 minutes.
- Remove thinner slices from the oven if they’re dried earlier than others. Allow to cool and sit overnight so any remaining moisture will evaporate.
Step 3: String the first orange slice
- Begin by threading a yarn needle onto a piece of twine.
- You’ll use the needle to poke through the flesh of the orange in order to string it on the twine.
- Push the needle through the orange flesh, close to one side.
- Then bring the needle back up through the orange, close to the other side. Pull the orange down the twine until you have enough length to make your garland.
Step 4: Add beads to the garland
- Make a knot in the twine on the other side of the orange.
- String wood beads onto the twine, allowing them to fall down to the knot. We used two 10mm beads on either side of a 12mm bead.
- Then tie another knot on the other side of the beads. This keeps the beads separate from the orange slices, so they won’t slide around and damage the oranges.
Step 5: Repeat the pattern
- String another orange slice onto the twine and slide it down next to the beads. Then make another knot.
- Repeat the pattern, adding beads, making a knot, and sewing through an orange slice. Continue until you’re happy with the length of the garland.
- Your dried orange garland is complete! Hang it over the mantel or place it on the Christmas tree.
Helpful Tips:
- Adjust the baking time: The thickness of your orange slices will affect how long they take to dry. Thinner slices, like the ones we made, will dry faster than thicker slices cut to 1/4 inch. Check them regularly and remove them from the oven once they’re completely dry.
- Make loops for hanging: Tie a small loop at each end of your garland so it’s easy to hang on hooks, nails, or over a mantel.
How many oranges do I need to make a dried orange garland?
The number of oranges you’ll need depends on how long you want your garland to be and how far apart you space the slices. You can typically get 8 to 12 slices from one orange, depending on its size and how thickly you cut it.
Our garland uses 8 dried orange slices, with wooden beads between them, and is about 37 inches long. The exact length will depend on how wide the slices are and the spacing between them.
For a longer garland, simply dry more orange slices and add additional beads or decorations to reach your desired length.
What other decorations can I add to my orange slice garland?
There are so many ways to customize your dried orange garland! Try adding some of these natural decorations for extra colour, texture, and Christmas charm:
- Cinnamon sticks: Add a cozy, rustic look and a lovely holiday scent. They can be tied onto the twine so they hang vertically, or threaded onto the twine horizontally.
- Popcorn: String plain popcorn between the orange slices for an old-fashioned Christmas decoration.
- Cranberries: Add bright pops of red using dried cranberries or artificial cranberry beads.
- Evergreen sprigs: Tuck in small pieces of cedar, pine, or fir for a beautiful woodland look.
- Pinecones: Attach small pinecones with twine for extra texture.
- Dried apple slices: Mix different dried fruits for a pretty, natural garland.
- Wooden beads: Use different sizes or shapes, or paint a few beads for a more colourful design.
- Star anise: Add these pretty, star-shaped spices for a festive botanical touch.
Be sure to use thoroughly dried natural materials if you want to store your garland and reuse it next year.
How long does a dried orange garland last?
A dried orange garland can last for several years or more if the orange slices are completely dried and stored properly! Any moisture left in the fruit can cause mold to develop, so make sure the slices feel dry before stringing them together.
After the holidays, gently wrap your garland in tissue paper and store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Check the oranges for signs of moisture or mold before displaying your garland again the following year.
It’s amazing how a few ordinary oranges can turn into something so beautiful! From slicing and drying the fruit to stringing everything together, this is one of those satisfying holiday projects where the process is almost as enjoyable as the finished result.
Have fun experimenting with different combinations of dried fruit, beads, and other natural decorations to make your garland your own. You might even find yourself making a few extra strands once you see how lovely the first one turns out!
Here’s even more Christmas craft ideas:
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