How to Make a Leaf Crown

People have donned crowns of fauna since antiquity. 

If you want to wear a crown of leaves, you are in good company. Crowns and wreaths fashioned from leaves have served as prominent accessories throughout history. The ancient Greeks awarded Olympic victors crowns of laurel or olive; the Romans wore head pieces made of oak leaves, and many depictions of America's Lady Liberty show her bedecked with a crown of olive branches. Crafting with live plants is tricky because they will eventually wilt and dry. However, you can readily craft a fresh wreath with thoughtful application. Use paper, silk or other fabric leaves instead to create a crown that will last indefinitely.

Things You will Need

Fresh leaves or artificial leaves (paper or fabric)

Narrow, rigid headband; or baling wire; or thin, pliable, live branch

Spool of thread

Scissors

Spool of narrow ribbon (to cover wire crown), if desired

Hot glue

Other decorative elements (nuts, small pine cones, flowers, beads or gemstones), if desired

Spool of medium-width ribbon (to add decorative bow), if desired

Amass the leaves necessary for the project. Collect fresh leaves. Press them between the pages of heavy books for one week to dry them, if desired. You can also cut paper or fabric leaves, or purchase artificial leaves from a craft store.

Prepare the foundation of the crown with an existing headband or baling wire. Use a thin, pliable branch to make a fresh leaf crown if you prefer. Wrap baling wire or the branch around the head of the intended wearer. Pull the material snug. Mark the point where the material overlaps with your fingers. Remove it from the head.

Wrap the ends of the material around itself in a corkscrew pattern where it overlaps, or tie it together with thread. Trim the ends of the material with scissors to make a single crown band.

Wrap narrow ribbon around a baling wire crown to obscure the wire, if desired. Apply a peppercorn-sized bead of hot glue on the back of the crown. Press the end of ribbon into it. Leave the ribbon uncut on the spool as you wrap the wire. Cut the ribbon from the spool when you finish covering the crown. Affix the loose end of the ribbon with another bead of hot glue.

Apply a peppercorn-size bead of hot glue to the outer edge of the crown, then press the leaf into the glue. Glue the stems of fresh leaves rather than the leaf blade whenever possible. The heat of hot glue may cause a leaf to wilt quickly if you apply it to the blade.

Tie leaves to the crown if you prefer. Hold a stem against the crown. Wrap thread around the stem and crown to secure the leaf. Leave 1 inch of thread hanging free when you begin wrapping a leaf. Cut the thread with a 1-inch tail when you finish wrapping the stem. Tie the two thread ends together to secure the wrap. Trim excess thread as close to the knot as possible.

Continue affixing leaves to achieve the desired density.

Place other decorative objects throughout the crown, as desired. Nuts, small pine cones, flowers, beads and gemstones are all suitable additions. Tie a ribbon to the back of the crown if desired.