This pinecone wreath comes from Nick Manoylovich of Weekend at the Cottage. He builds it on a plain wire wreath form with brown pipe cleaners, and there is no glue gun involved. Every cone is twisted on, so nothing melts in the sun or pops off in the cold. The result is a full, dense ring of cones that looks right on a front door from October through January.
You need a wire wreath form, a big pile of pine cones, chenille pipe cleaners, wire snips, scissors and a little florist wire. Plan on an afternoon.
Gathering and baking your pine cones
Free cones from the yard work fine, but they come with sap, dirt and sometimes bugs. Nick leaves his in a warm spot for a few days so the sap dries and the cones open up. To be sure nothing crawls out of your wreath indoors, bake them. Line a baking sheet with foil, spread the cones in one layer, and heat them at about 200 degrees F for 30 to 60 minutes until they open and the sap looks dry.
Stay in the kitchen the whole time. Pine sap is flammable. Keep the oven low and check every 10 minutes. Let the cones cool on the tray before you handle them. Store-bought cones from a craft store are already clean and dry, so you can skip this.
Frame size and how many cones
Nick uses an 18-inch wire form. A 14-inch or 12-inch form works the same way and fills faster, which makes it a good first wreath. Gather more cones than you think you need. A 14-inch frame takes somewhere around 70 to 90 cones, and an 18-inch one can take well over 100. Sort them into small, medium and large piles before you start. That sorting is what makes the finished wreath look planned instead of lumpy.
Making the cones stay put
Loose cones are the most common pinecone wreath complaint. Three habits fix it. Run the pipe cleaner under the bottom few scales, not the top. Twist it tight on the rung, then push the tails flat. And snug each cone against the one before it, so the cones hold each other up. Pipe cleaners are soft, so the back will not scratch your door or mirror.
If you see a gap at the end, tuck a small cone into it. A dab of hot glue on a tiny cone is fine for filling holes, even though the main build needs none.
Finishes and seasonal swaps
- Natural: how Nick leaves it. The brown tones work for fall and winter.
- Snow tips: dry-brush white craft paint on the scale edges for a frosted look.
- Ribbon: add a plaid or burlap bow at the bottom. Our guide to making a bow for a wreath shows the loops.
- Fall to Christmas: wire on a few faux leaves for autumn, then swap them for red berries and a bow in December.
Want more ideas? See how to make a fall wreath and how to make a Christmas wreath. Leftover cones make good pinecone Christmas ornaments.
Hanging it outdoors
A covered porch is ideal. Rain will not hurt the cones much, but wet cones close up and look thinner until they dry. A full 18-inch pinecone wreath is heavy, so use a sturdy over-the-door wreath hanger and a doubled florist wire loop. Bring it inside or into a garage between seasons and it will last for years.
