I stopped by  Los Gatos Birdwatcher last week and saw the coolest idea: a wreath made from  nesting materials.  They covered the wreath with soft wool, feathers and other natural material.

For a few years I’ve saved my laundry lint, then tied it to a tree in a mesh bag.  Making a wreath looked like way more fun.

I picked up a frame at the craft store for a few dollars and got to work.  I wrapped the entire wreath with soft, oatmeal-colored yarn.  I pulled the yarn taught to prevent entanglement.  It also gave me a base to push bits of lint, string and wool into the frame.

Wire Wreath Frame

Wrapping Frame with yarn

Small pieces of laundry lint

I pushed the lint through the taut yarn with the round end of a small paintbrush

Having nesting material on hand is a great way to attract birds to your yard.  Spring’s coming.  Start making those wreaths and stashing them throughout the yard.

Materials:

• Wire wreath frame (any size)  I used a 6 inch frame.
• Neutral colored yarn or string
• Laundry lint (neutral)  Birds build nests in subtle colors that blend with the environment
• Scraps of yarn, or string, cut into short lengths no longer than one or two inches (to avoid bird entanglement.)

I found the cutest hook to hang it from at our local fabric store for just $3.  It’s a bird (of course).  Let me know what you think.

Nesting Wreath

Bird hook