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Holiday garlands are a simple way to add seasonal color and texture to your home. Hang them along a mantel, window, picture frame, curtain rod, or doorway. These five DIY ideas range from a detailed felt advent calendar to quick pom-poms and an easy ornament display, so you can choose a project that fits your time and materials.
1. Advent Stocking Garland
Small felt stockings can turn a garland into a reusable advent calendar. This project involves cutting and hand-stitching, making it a good choice if you enjoy embroidery, crochet, or other detailed crafts.
Supplies
- Felt in two colors
- Fabric scissors
- A stocking template
- Embroidery needle and floss in coordinating or contrasting colors
- Optional trim, such as rickrack or small pom-poms
- Ribbon, yarn, or a crocheted cord for hanging
How to make it
- Use a stocking template to cut out 24 stockings in each felt color. After cutting the first stocking, you can use it as a pattern for the rest. Felt-on-felt tends to shift less than paper on felt.
- Decorate the stockings with contrasting felt pieces, embroidery, or other simple details. Add numbers from 1 to 24 if you want to use the garland as an advent calendar.
- Attach the stockings to a cord with miniature clothespins, or make small slits at the back of each stocking and thread ribbon through them.
Plan the colors and decorations before cutting all the pieces; this can help keep the set consistent. Since the hand-finished details take time, make the stockings in batches and store the garland carefully between seasons.
2. Easy Pom-Pom Garland
For a soft, lightweight decoration, make small yarn pom-poms using a large fork. This method needs only a few supplies and works well when you want a delicate garland for a window or shelf.
Supplies
- Yarn
- Sharp scissors
- A large fork, slightly bigger than a standard table fork
- Ribbon, yarn, or cord for hanging
How to make it
- Wrap yarn around the fork until the bundle looks full.
- Pass a separate piece of yarn between the middle prongs and tie it tightly around the center of the bundle. Slide the yarn off the fork.
- Cut through the loops on both sides of the tied center. Keep the center tie intact so the pom-pom stays together.
- Trim the yarn to even out the shape.
- Use the yarn tails to tie each pom-pom onto a ribbon or cord. Alternatively, trim the tails and thread the pom-poms onto yarn with a needle.
Make a few pom-poms first to check their size and spacing before producing the full garland. Keep scissors pointed away from your hands while trimming.
3. Wooden Word Banner
A wooden word banner adds a simple, natural detail to seasonal decor. Choose a short message such as “PEACE,” or use “PEACE ON EARTH” if you have a wider area to decorate.
Supplies
- A letter template
- Very thin basswood sheet or birch veneer
- A sharp craft knife and spare blades
- Wood stain and a rag, brush, or paper towel
- A straw, scissors, and glue
- Ribbon, rope, or yarn
How to make it
- Print or draw a letter template and use it to guide your cuts in the thin wood. Make several light passes with a sharp blade instead of pressing hard; this helps reduce the chance of cracking the wood.
- Apply wood stain according to its label and let the letters dry completely.
- Cut short pieces of straw and glue one to the back of each letter. Once the glue is dry, thread ribbon or yarn through the straw pieces to hang the banner.
Work on a stable cutting surface and keep your free hand clear of the blade’s path. Follow the stain label for application and drying instructions.
4. Glittery Snowflake Garland
Polymer-clay snowflakes can be made into a sparkling garland, individual ornaments, or gift toppers. A cookie cutter makes it easier to create matching shapes in different sizes.
Supplies
- Polymer clay in a color of your choice
- Snowflake cookie cutter
- Toothpick or skewer
- Baking sheet and oven
- Craft sealant or decoupage medium
- Glitter and a brush
- Ribbon or string
How to make it
- Warm the clay by kneading it in your hands, then roll it to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out snowflakes and reuse the scraps by rolling and cutting them again.
- Pierce a hole near the edge of each snowflake with a skewer. Make the opening large enough for the ribbon or string you plan to use.
- Bake the shapes according to the clay package instructions.
- Let the snowflakes cool and harden completely. Brush on a coat of craft medium and sprinkle glitter over it before it dries.
Check that each hole is open before the finish dries fully, then thread the snowflakes onto a thin ribbon. Tie a small knot around each one to help prevent it from turning. Small jewelry rings can also be used at the holes for a more finished look.
Follow the clay manufacturer’s baking directions, and use the clay and baking equipment as instructed. Keeping the shapes a similar thickness helps them bake evenly.
5. Ornament Garland
An ornament garland is the quickest of these five projects, though its cost will depend on the ornaments you choose. New decorations work well, and secondhand ornaments can offer a varied, collected look.
Supplies and steps
- Ribbon
- Ornaments with hooks or hanging loops
Thread the ribbon through each ornament hook. Tie the first ornament in place, then add the others close together for a full garland. To create more space between ornaments, tie each one at its chosen position so it does not slide along the ribbon.
Check that the ribbon and attachment points can support the ornaments before hanging the garland. Use lighter ornaments for delicate rails or narrow branches, and secure the garland so it cannot fall into a walkway.
Choose the Right Holiday Garlands for Your Space
These holiday garlands offer different looks and levels of effort: felt stockings suit a reusable advent display, pom-poms are a quick yarn project, and wooden letters, clay snowflakes, or ornaments can create distinct seasonal accents. Before you begin, measure the area you plan to decorate and choose materials that are suitable for its location. Store handmade pieces in a dry place after the season to help protect them for future use.
—Mandi
