Add a rustic touch to your holiday decor with this easy twig and pinecone garland without spending a dime! Then hang it up in under 2 hours. Any twigs and pinecones you find outdoors can work. Here’s how!
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Christmas decorating has been on my mind lately. Coming up with fresh, new ideas takes a little forethought, so the best thing to do is really get off the computer and play!
Today I had a hankering to come up with a new Christmas garland for the fireplace mantel.
I’m no stranger to DIY garlands. Some of my favorites I’ve made for the holiday season are:
Other favorite DIY garlands:
This simple yet super effective twig garland HERE
Mason jar lid garland with twigs and pinecones
However, I wanted a fresh twist! So I snooped around outside and came up with how to make an all-season twig pinecone Christmas garland for free! In under 2 hours. And it’s as cute as can be, with all the rustic natural vibes making this a timeless design.
So here’s what I did!
Make an all season twig pine cone
Christmas garland for free!
Supplies you’ll need:
Craft wood branches or scavenged from outdoors (I used grapevines)
2 hours of Survivor is always a bonus
Gathering twigs and pine cones
.
1. Gather up pinecones and twigs from outdoors.
The twigs are from a grapevine near my shed that’s just lost all its leaves. I simply broke the branches at their natural joins, and threw them in a basket. Done!
However you can also collect or purchase thin twigs of equal thicknesses and cut them to size, much like I did with THIS twig garland. It worked great!
The pine cones were gathered from one of my daily walks along the road and allowed to dry.
How to tie the twigs together
2. Start with about 2 arms length of cotton twine or jute twine .
3. Finding the middle of the string, place a twig in the centre, then double knot it in place.
4. Continue with twig / double knot / twig / double knot, etc until you reach 7 twigs.
How to add pinecones to the garland
5. Tie in a pine cone on next.
6. Continue tieing on 7 more twigs, 1 pinecone, and keep repeating until you achieve your desired garland length.
7. To end the twig and pinecone garland, or to join two garlands, triple knot the end, then start another garland.
8. Tie the small garlands into one big one.
View a video tutorial of the steps from the original twig garland post HERE.
Hanging the twig and pinecone garland in a window
The twig and pinecone garland is VERY rustic, but that’s what I love about it most! It offers a wonderful woodsy look wherever you hang it!
While I did make the twig and pinecone garland for Christmas decorating, I think it definitely has a winter garland vibe thanks to those bare twigs!
Or a no season in particular thing. Just a woodsy, rustic, twiggy garland that can be hung anywhere anytime!
I think the rustic Christmas garland looks wonderful hanging in a window teamed up with empty picture frames! It’s a neat look!
Other garland embellishments
View the vintage windows Christmas mantel how-to HERE
Old windows Christmas mantel with pinecone garland
However since I really wanted just a simple twig and pinecone garland for my fireplace mantel, this is how and where it ultimately landed!
This year’s Christmas mantel was all about vintage windows teamed up with real evergreen branches and faux snow. It’s a fun look that looks rustically perfect with a rustic garland, don’t you think?
I hope this inspires you to give this easy garland tutorial a go! Think you’ll try?
Visit all my other DIY garland projects HERE
See all my Christmas decorating from one page HERE
Make a free DIY twig and pinecone garland for Christmas decor
Tools:
- Miter saw optional if you need to cut
- Hand pruners optional if you need to cut
Instructions:
- Cut all twigs to the same length.
- Start with 2 arms length of twine or string.
- Tie a twig in the middle of the string.
- Place another twig, then double knot it into place, then repeat until you reach 7 twigs.
- Position a pinecone into place, tie it, then continue with 7 more twigs, pinecone, etc. until you achieve the length desired.
- Double knot the end of the garland. You can even join 2 short garlands into one large one.
- Hang on a stair rail, fireplace mantel, on a Christmas tree, or wherever you wish!
I love it! I loved it last year and I love it even better this year with the pinecones! BTW I love the oval frame in your front window too 🙂
Susan
Love it!!!
especially when its free
deezie
Thanks Susan! The one time a broken mirror worked in my favour. 🙂
OH! I Love it! I need to go for a walk in your neighborhood – I’ve been looking for some pinecones…
Great job!
-breida
Cute! Makes me want to go for a walk…but the temps have gone from 70 yesterday and to the 30’s today. It would be a great day to do one, If I had the supplies already in the house.
Love this, Donna! The view surrounding your wood shed is spectacular!
How creative you are! I love the rustic look of this garland. In 2 hours…..wow! Blessings!
Thank you for the pretty inspiration. I have wild grapevine growing on the fence in my backyard and love this idea!
Sooo cute! Love this cute garland, my parents have lots of grapevines at their house, I might have to borrow some! 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration! xx Holly
You are so very outlandishly creative… Just WOW! And a big thank you.
Love it. I have seen the twig one before but have not done it yet. I also love the part about survivor.
It’s lovely! What a great idea. And as always, I can’t get enough of your backyard. That fabulous shed you created, the trees, the view. I could sit there all day and get lost in the peacefulness.
Yep, that’s MY kind of Survivor challenge too… much better than an eating challenge – which is this week – GAG.
Love your rustic style. I gathered a whole basket full of pine cones on Friday as they were predicting snow – last year I left it too late and had to dig them up from under a foot of the white stuff. This year I am all set for awesome projects like this! Thanks Donna!
Love the garland! The best things are free. Very Festive
I love this idea! Not many pinecones here in Central Florida, but I’ll definitely have to grab some in Louisiana when I visit the family! Thanks for sharing!
I love it Donna, I want to make one. No grapevine at my disposal, but will use a thrift store grapevine wreath. Oh, and a 2 hour cheesy Christmas movie will make me happy while I work!
My only concern using a wreath would be the twisted branches. Perhaps if you straightened them out it could work! I’d also be tempted to hunt around for straight tree branches you could cut down to size. I’d love to try that next. 🙂
Adore it. My kind of price too! – Pat
Do you think you could use Bittersweet vines for this?
I admit to not knowing anything about bittersweet vines. If they are stiff enough, I’d think so!
Love this, Donna! Very cool. Pinned it!
Thanks so much Erin! Glad you liked it!
What a unique DIY project! I’m so bored of all the cookie-cutter ideas for Christmas I’ve seen on Pinterest so far. This rustic beauty is a must make! Thanks for the great idea.
You’re welcome! It’s truly as easy as it sounds.. you’ll love it!
I really like this Donna. I think it is an all season garland that would look fabulous both indoors and even for outdoor decorating. I’m going to make one for my outdoor fireplace… thanks for the tutorial.
What a fabulous idea!! 🙂
Love the garland idea! Just a correction on your cones —the cones in your photos are fir cones.
Another use for them is to glue an appropriate size poppy seed head on the top of the cone. I usually poke a small hole in the top of the poppy seed head and put a loop of gold thread in with hot glue, then glue a set of maple seed “wings” on the back. Sometimes i add tiny twig arms which I glue under the scales of the cone,and put some gold paint around the “crown” of the poppyseed head, and on the little “tabs” on the scales…angels. Spruce cones also make good angels.
Thanks for your website. Lots of great things! JJ
Fir cones! I had no idea! I thought they were all just pinecones! I should just stick to junk I think! haha Thanks so much for your creative take as well on this!
This is so darn cute. Thanks for the inspiration Donna!
I love the garland and will hopefully attempt it soon. Your empty frames framing the beautiful view look perfect. I really enjoy reading your blog, you have great ideas!
oh so lovely!!!!
Love the garland…and the look of the fireplace. Going to give it a try. 🙂
Also, your shoes…what are they? Too cute!
Haha! They’re a Dr. Scholl slip on runner thing. They truly feel like slippers! They don’t have the black corduroy any longer (I should have bought 2!!) but they may have others close. Got these at Sears 2 years ago.
Fabulous! And the more I stare at the twigs,the more I realize if you spray paint them a cream color,they would look like bones!! For a great Halloween garland!!
Greetings from southern Ontario, Donna! I found your blog a year ago & just had to take time to say how much I love your unique ideas!! They are clever, so original & not the “same old” you see everyone copying from Pinterest. I love your Christmas tree, garlands, mantel & your “gear Christmas tree” & like that your projects aren’t strictly December items that have to go in storage in the New Year. I’m having a bit of a dilemma and am asking your opinion …. I moved into a condo and find that the glam look (mirrored tray, mercury glass candleholders, etc.) really suit the living/dining areas BUT I adore your natural woodsy look too. Do you feel the two can be combined? I like the contrast of say, a fancy gilt frame leaned against a stone fireplace so maybe my instincts are saying “yes” but would like your thoughts too whenever you get a chance to reply. Keep up your fantastic (and unique!!) work!
Hi Elaine! I absolutely think sparkle and rustic can combine! Try more tarnished finishes if that’s more your thing? I’ve always loved the juxtaposition of new and old, so I don’t really go by any set rules. Just do what I like! 🙂
Yes, letting silver pieces, etc. acquire some tarnish sort of “marries” the two – the glam AND the rustic – doesn’t it! Good idea, Donna!! I’ll be looking forward to more of your posts and would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Thank you for sharing the twig garland. I am going to make a couple for next year. My granddaughter gave us a beautiful little great granddaughter. Now I am making hair bands and bows.love your blog.
Thank-you Jonita! Your creations sound amazing! You’ll love the garlands, they look good all year around too!