Two Ways To Make Acorn Garland | Rustic and Handmade

This year decorating my little cottage with foraged and thrifted finds is a priority. Not only to make our home cozy for the cool autumn months but also because I no longer resonate with the cookie-cutter decor commonly found in stores! I wanted something beautiful, unique, and frugal for my home this autumn and acorn garland was the perfect solution to tie together the other fall elements. 

There was something so calming about wandering my neighborhood scanning the ground for acorns, it made me feel like a kid again! I would highly recommend you look for Oak trees and bring a basket on your next walk as well.

What if the tops fall off my acorns? 

I chose to simply hot glue them back on

Will the acorn garland rot in my house?

It probably will not break down significantly between now and the end of the fall. Once the season ends, you can compost or dispose of your garland in whatever way is best for you. Do not keep the acorns for next year because then will rot in your house. 

What if I don’t have twine?

Any thin neutrally colored yarn will work. I decided to use kitchen twine to make mine.

I found two simple techniques to create this cute and simple garland based on what tools you might have laying around:

Supplies: 

Acorns 

Twine (I ended up using kitchen twine but regular will due nicely)

Hot glue or electric hand drill

Method One – Electric Hand Drill

This method works great if you have an electric hand drill around or can borrow one

1. Gather your acorns (this method works for larger ones)
2. Choose a piece of twine that is the right size for the space you want to adorn with garland
3. Remember to designate about a foot or so of twine on either side of where your acorns will be strung for hanging the garland
4. Adjust the bit on your hand drill until it is small enough to drill a hole about the circumference of your twine. 
5. Drill a hole through your acorn, just below the top
6. Feed your twine through the hole to string your acorn
7. Once the Acorn is strung, tie a small knot in the twine to separate it from the next one
8. Repeat with as many acorns as you like 

Method Two – Hot Glue Gun

This method is best for people who have a hot glue gun instead of an electric hand drill 

1. Gather your acorns (this method can work for smaller acorns as well
2. Choose your twine as you would above
3. Place a small dot of hot glue on the backside of the acorn top and attach it to the twine (see image above!)
4. This exact location might take a little experimenting depending on how heavy your acorns are
5. Repeat this method with the remaining acorns until you have a garland length you like

These garlands can be draped anywhere you want to add a rustic fall accent. I chose to drape them on my mantel along with some other autumnal decor.