We had so much fun making these garlands over the weekend. Dad, Tobe and I all took part in the process. We originally planed to make and save them for Christmas decor but after they were completed, we couldn't resist stringing them on the stairs. In doing this, I realized that they are also a perfect fall decor. Now that halloween decorations are down, these are perfect to fill the void until our Christmas decorations are up.
It is our tradition to wait until after thanksgiving to put up Christmas decorations but every year, the wait seems longer. I am always so tempted to just put them up, but so far I have also managed to hold off until the evening of thanksgiving. When we finally cut and put up our tree, we will reuse these orange slices to decorate the tree. We will also add them to wreaths and garlands.
We used 7 oranges total for all the slices seen in the picture above. It is very easy to make but does take some time to dry in the oven.
Materials:
Oranges
String (Yarn, thread, or jute)
Large needle
Method:
Preheat oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit
Cut the orange in thin round slices. Do not cut too thin.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange orange slices on the baking sheet and bake until it is completely dry.This can take up to 6-7 hours. They need to be tuned over after 3-4 hours. They may need additional turns towards the end of the process.
Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
String the slices to make a garland. I used just regular thrive, multiple to form a thicker string. Thread the needle with your string through the needle and then piece the orange slice toward the top. Tie a knot to secure it in place.
Space each slice to your desirer for a thicker or thinner look.
You can use your garland o n your Christmas tree, wreath or garland. It can also be stringed by itself as decor as we did in the top picture.
