A Cinnamony Twist for Your Holiday Wreath

This DIY geometric ‘himmeli’ decoration will spice up your home with fragrance

Corynne Pless December 16, 2015

Houzz Contributor. Los Angeles, California.

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This unusual and traditional handmade Finnish himmeli wreath smells amazing and lasts into the new year. Himmeli, from the Swedish word himmel, meaning sky or heaven, are geometric decorations. You may have seen himmeli wall decor or hanging planters. They’re often crafted from straw, but other materials, including metal pipes, are used as well.

Inspired by the beauty of traditional himmeli designs, I made this wreath out of cinnamon sticks, which give it a seasonal scent while preserving its geometric pattern. You can make it, too, by following the steps below.

Corynne Pless

Cinnamon Himmeli Wreath

Supplies

120 cinnamon sticks, each about 2½ to 3 inches long (I bought four 9-ounce boxes for about $20 total, with plenty left over)
Wire (I bought 4 ounces of 24-gauge gold wire)

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1. Lay three cinnamon sticks in the shape of a triangle. Cut a long piece of wire, about 2 feet to start, and run it through each stick. Twist the wire back on itself when you reach the starting point, keeping the triangle shape.

Note: As you run out of wire, cut a new piece, twist the ends together and continue creating the wreath.

2. Lay four more sticks in the shape shown above and continue running the wire through the sticks to connect them. At this step, you’ll run your wire through more than one stick to connect all sides.

3. Tighten the wire pieces to hold the shape.

4. Add two more sticks as shown above and secure them to the original sticks with the wire.

5. Connect the last stick to the two bottom corners as shown so that it lifts the pentagon, making it more three-dimensional.

At this point, all sticks should be attached and the wire tightly secured.

Corynne Pless

6. Lay five sticks in the shape of a star next to your pentagon. You’ll be adding these sticks to the joints or corners of the pentagon.

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7. Cut a piece of wire 2½ to 3 feet long and begin attaching the sticks one at a time to each corner, creating a three-dimensional structure as shown.

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8. Continue adding each stick, securing them one at a time.

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9. Once you’ve added all five sticks, you’re done with the hardest part! Repeat the process until you’ve made eight pieces.

Lay the pieces side by side to begin to form your wreath.

Corynne Pless

10. Cut a piece of wire about 20 inches long and fasten the individual pieces together. Twist the ends of the wire together and trim any extra length.

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11. Once you’ve completely fastened your wreath, secure any loose edges.The key to keeping your wreath strong and sturdy is tightly fastening all the connecting pieces.

The tighter the wire, the more polished the piece will look and the more securely it will hang on your wall or door.