How to Make a Country Heart Birdfeeder Wreath

When it comes to feeding birds in winter, its seems there's never enough birdfeeders. Bring wildlife to your door with this birdfeeder craft. By the way, it makes a great gift for a bird watching friend or family member.

There is very little craft prowess necessary for crafting this country heart birdfeeder wreath. If you can push a needle through a berry and tie a knot, you can do this craft, too.

Gather Supplies

To make a country heart birdfeeder wreath you will need:

Grapevine Wreath Base (purchase one pre-made in a craft store or learn how to make your own here)
Floss or fishing line
Large needle
Cranberries
Loaf of bread
Heart shaped cookie cutter

Prepare Heart Cutouts

Prepare heart shaped bread cutouts for the birdfeeder wreath a couple of hours ahead of time.

Using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut approximately 2 ½ inch heart shapes out of bread. If desired, cut one or more larger heart shapes to add an extra decorative touch to your birdfeeder wreath.

Place the heart shaped cutouts on a cookie sheet in a single layer and leave out in a warm, dry place for one to two hours until the heart shapes are stale and crusty. Crafting the birdfeeder will be easier if the bread is not completely dry and hardened to prevent breakage. If you need to speed up the drying process, place the filled cookie sheet in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes on 250 degrees. Turn half way through drying to be sure both sides of the bread dry.

Assembling the Wreath

To assemble your Country Heart Birdfeeder Wreath you will follow a basic pattern of berry-heart-berry, but you can arrange the pattern any way you like.

Start by tying one cranberry to the end of a length of floss.

Next, insert the needle and push the floss through one side of a heart shape. Near the top third of the heart makes the decoration hang the best, just where the large bump of the heart starts to turn down. Starting on the back side where your needle and thread came out, insert the needle on the opposite side of the heart and push through to the front of the heart shape.

String another cranberry onto the string, pushing it onto the string until it is close to the cutout heart shape.

After each series of one berry, one heart, one berry, line the group up where you want it to lay on the wreath, and tie the bunch to the birdfeeder. Be sure to tie off after each series of three, or the bread and berries will droop unattractively off the birdfeeder wreath. You do not need to cut the floss each time, just be sure to wrap the floss around a top laying vine on the birdfeeder wreath base each time, then continue stringing.

Continue stringing bread and berries and tying the bunches to the wreath until you have completed the birdfeeder circle. If you would like to add decorative interest, center a large heart-shaped cutout at the top of the birdfeeder wreath.

Firmly tie the last string and trim off any extra floss.

Embellish the wreath with wild bird berries such as bittersweet, staff vine, or winterberries as desired.

If you have heart shapes and berries left over, you can string them to make hanging ornaments for your shrubs and trees that work double duty as birdfeeders as well.

Enjoy

Bird watching is a fun and educational winter pastime enjoyed by many. Hang your completed Country Heart Birdfeeder Wreath in view of your house windows and watch feathered visitors from the warmth of your own home. You'll come to know your regular guests well and will enjoy identifying all the different kinds of birds stopping by for a bite.