Pine Cone Garland

An official DIY project:

A Fall Pine Cone Garland

As promised, I am posting a tutorial on how to make your own Fall pine cone garland.

If I can do it, you can do it.  Promise

First off gather lots of pine cones. Use your pine cone hunting dog if you have one.

                                      

Carlos being his usual helpful self.

Make sure you get the pretty ones, not the ones that the squirrels have chewed on.  Since this is Fall, this is also the perfect opportunity to throw on your son's hand me down flannel shirt and favorite ripped jeans. 

Unless you are in Texas.  

If that's the case, just keep on wearing your shorts and tank tops. I do not want to be responsible for anyone having a heat stroke.

Pine cone perfection.

Then get in the car and drive 35 miles round trip to the store to get jute twine and little eye hooks. 

Or maybe that's just me.  Everyone else run up to the Michael's or Hobby Lobby that is around the corner, probably within walking distance. 

It helps to get a couple of different sizes of pine cones. But watch out. 

Those little ones are poinky. *

                                         

The cast of characters. Large and small pine cones,

jute twine, eye hooks, scissors and gloves.

Wearing your gloves (because those tiny splinters are a pain to remove if you don't) carefully screw an eye hook into the top of each small pine cone.

For the larger pine cones I cut lengths of twine about 8 inches long, looped the twine around the top of the cones and tied a knot, leaving the ends hanging off in equal lengths. Then I took the ends and wrapped them around my finger into a knot, making a loop of twine at the top of the cone. 

                                        

Eye hooks on the small ones, wrap and tie a loop on the large ones.

Cut a piece of jute around 9 feet long. Any longer and it gets difficult to handle. 

Starting in the middle, string the cones onto your long piece of jute and tie them in place as you go.

If you don't tie them, they will all end up lumped together once you hang your masterpiece. 

I varied the numbers and sizes as I went but generally did two or three large ones interspersed with one small one.

At the ends I just tied on a large pinecone with the remaining jute. 

And...truth in construction. The eye hooks did not always stay in the small pine cones. If I had been very organized and committed  I would have added a drop of wood glue to secure the eye hooks.

Once I hung the garland, I realized a few small pine cones had fallen off.  Instead of trying to put them back on- I just tied a large pine cone in its place. This is definitely a no-sweat garland.

If you are feeling particularly festive, you can add berries or ribbons. 

I was only feeling celebratory and held back, restraining myself to just a bit of greenery.

The finished project.

Awww. 

Look at that cute little face staring out the door.

And I see a little bald spot on the left side. 

May need to go tie on another pine cone.

Maybe I will add the berries and ribbon after Thanksgiving, updating my Fall garland into Christmas garland.  If the wind doesn't tear it apart first.

Detail pic. 

Cute and rustic, perfect for a cabin in the woods.

*Poinky: A combination of pointy and spiky. Coined by Boy when he was about 2 or 3.  It's such a perfect word that our family has used it ever since.  Bunny was quite indignant in Second grade when her teacher told her it wasn't a real word. She had no clue.

Another word Boy came up with that I think should enter the general lexicon: Movie-ater.   Movie theater shortened into one manageable word. So much more convenient. It's another word that I use all the time.