Kids Make Gifts! Handmade Citrus Garlands

Looking for a joy-filled project with a handful of benefits?

• Keep your kids busy
• Makes the whole house smell amazing
• End up with inexpensive holiday gifts

Keep kids busy with this fun, beautiful project they can give as holiday gifts. Let us show you how to slice, dehydrate, thread and package citrus rounds into sun-inspired holiday garlands!

Project: Handmade citrus garlands 

Materials and tools:

Citrus fruits (oranges and grapefruits are easiest to work with)

Dehydrator

Fishing line

Large sewing needle

Large cellophane bags

Labels (pictured is the Apothecary Neat style in shapes 17 and 03 in the color orange.)

 

Instructions: 

1. Wash your citrus fruits, then slice them into roughly 1/4 inch slices so you end up with cross sections, as pictured.
2. Lay these flat on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate 24-48 hours until they are completely dry.
3. Gather your dried citrus discs and working on a clean surface, thread your needle with fishing line. 
4. Run your needle through the white part of the citrus from one side (we’ll call it side A) to the other (side B).  
5. Then, on the opposite end of the disc, run your needle from side B to side A. 
6. Repeat the last step, starting again by piercing on side B and running the needle through to side A. This step keeps the disc from sliding too easily along the fishing line. 
7. Repeat steps 4-6 until you have a garland with 6-10 discs. 
8. Leave plenty of line on one end, and tie a loop into the line for easy hanging.
9. Package these up into cellophane bags, label them with the sweetest labels you can muster, and deliver with a bright citrusy grin.