DIY: Make Your Own Bike Wheel Wreath
Quick and Easy Holiday DIY Project for the Cyclist
Make all your biking friends jealous this holiday with this awesome wreath. Not only can you finally put that dented bike rim you’ve had in the garage to use, you will also be able to show everyone in the neighborhood just how much you love cycling (as if they couldn’t already tell).
So grab this short list of supplies and make yourself a holiday wreath that you can really be proud of—or better yet, make one for someone else and give a sweet, homemade gift this holiday.
What You’ll Need:
Bicycle wheel (used, broken, dented, 20”, 24”, 26”, 27.5”, 29”… use whatever you can find!)
15-20 ft (about 4.5-6 meters) of pine garland, depending on wheel size
6 ft (about 2 meters) of decorative garland or ribbon in whatever color matches your style (change up the colors and make a wreath that could hang on your door all year long!)
1 glue gun (with glue sticks)
A few ornaments/ flowers/ other decorations
1 Bottle cap and wine cork (if using a rear wheel)
1 large bow
How to Make it:
1) Clean wheel to eliminate grease and dirt. I prefer Simple Green or blue Dawn dish soap.
2) If you are using a rear wheel and do not want to remove the cassette (gears), place cork and bottle cap in hub space. This closes that open, hard to clean space and keeps everything intact.
3) Depending on what kind of pine garland you have, you may need to divide the garland to reduce bulk when wrapping it around the rim. Take the pine garland and wrap it around the rim and through the spokes in a spiral. Work around to the other end and tuck the ends into each other.
4) Wrap the decorative garland evenly around the rim.
5) Place the wheel cassette side up (if it’s still attached). With the glue gun, place the ornaments or flowers around the rim. Glue them where you desire.
6) Place the large bow in the center over the hub.
7) Hang it up and enjoy it!!
Meet the Artist: Kellie Muddiman
Kellie spends her days working a high-stress job as a Cardiac Specialist and finds relief by riding her mountain bike when she can and busting out the welder in her garage. Kellie makes everything from jewelry to elaborate chandeliers out of used bike parts. The art she makes can truly be described as upcycled masterpieces, as most of the materials she works with have been donated from local bike shops. She will give the mechanics a bin to place unwanted parts in and goes around collecting them every-so-often. As a thank you for the donations, you can see her beautiful bike wheel wreaths, bike ornaments and other sculptures proudly displayed at bike shops surrounding Charlotte, North Carolina.
Kellie is pictured with one of her favorite pieces of holiday bike art. Below you can see some close-ups of this masterpiece.