plaited wheat napkin ring Credit: Johnny Miller
plaited wheat napkin ring Credit: Johnny Miller
plaited wheat napkin ring Credit: Johnny Miller
plaited wheat napkin ring
Credit: Johnny Miller
When decorating your place for Thanksgiving this year, think beyond the basic bundle of wheat (starting from $7, drieddecor.com). Our gluten-friendly ideas welcome the harvest home in new and unexpected ways—and they are a breeze to finesse. Trust us, you’ve never seen amber waves quite like these.
Plaited Places
As with any family gathering, homebound decorating starts at the dining table. The loops of this napkin riff on traditional compass braids. Once you’ve mastered the six-step weave, you can make one for every member of the household. Then, set the table with our choice of complementary tableware—Astier de Villatte Simple Dinner Plate ($88, abchome.com), West Elm Blair Flatware in Gold (from $40 for a five-piece set, westelm.com), Il Buco Vita Pienza Tumbler ($36, ilbuco.com), plus the Boxwood Linen Belgian-Linen Dinner Napkin in Pink Quartz ($29, boxwoodlinen.com).
Get the Plaited-Wheat Napkin Ring How-To
autumnal wheat hurricane lantern Credit: Johnny Miller
Field Feels
To bathe friends in warm autumnal light, enlist hurricane lanterns. Dot a natural grosgrain ribbon (from $3 a yd., suchgoodsupply.com) evenly with hot glue, and place the end of a dried stalk on each dot. Lay another ribbon on top, press lightly, and let dry. Wrap the ribbon around a small glass vessel ($16, vasemarket.com) with an LED candle inside, securing the ends with hot glue, and drop it into a bigger one to help the wheat stand up straight. For a set of them, we like Martha Stewart’s Flameless Pillar Candles with Remote ($59 for two, qvc.com). Place it on a bar or buffet, or arrange a few down the middle of the table to cast dreamy prairie silhouettes around your dining room.
wheat grid wreath hanging from white barn door Credit: Johnny Miller
A Graceful Grid
Greet the season—and neighborhood—with a chic spin on a round wreath. Unlike Thanksgiving wreaths of years past, this one has a modern geometric look from the intersection of wheat bundles.
For this project, gather a dozen bundles of six 9-inch stems, two bundles of four 12-inch stems, and one bundle of four 15-inch stems. Secure each with floral wire into bundles, and arrange them in parallel diagonal rows and perpendicular rows, making a diamond shape. Further reinforce all points of intersection with wire, add a dot of glue, and cover each with natural twine, then hang your finished creation with mauve organdy ribbon ($3 a yd., mjtrim.com). Or assemble a few (they’re that quick) to preside over your dessert spread.
Get the Wheat Grid Wreath How-To
table runner with wheat fringe Credit: Johnny Miller
Fringe Festival
Right about now, rustic burlap runners are as ubiquitous as turkey basters. For an elegant look with a real edge, add this trim: Thread dried stalks of wheat into the long sides of an existing runner or length of burlap, using the stems like an upholstery needle; the material’s loose, open weave makes it easy to maneuver them over and under.
Upend tradition and lay it across your table, rather than down the middle. (We cut one store-bought runner in half to make two table-wide pieces.) Bingo: Both place mats and tabletop décor are covered. Then, set the table with wheat-colored tableware—CB2 Axel Dinner Plates ($10 each, cb2.com), Mepra Dolce Vita Vintage flatware (from $154 for a four-piece set, theluxuryartmepra.com), Il Buco Vita Pienza tumblers ($36 each, ilbuco.com), plus Boxwood Linen Belgian-Linen Dinner Napkins in Dijon ($29 each, boxwoodlinen.com). To enjoy your handiwork for years to come, roll the strips in tissue paper and store in a cool, dry place.
wheat embroidery on towels Credit: Johnny Miller
Thankful Threads
Show your gratitude to a tireless host—or give your own kitchen a fall accent—with an embroidered tea towel. We used Rough Linen Orkney linen tea towel ($23, roughlinen.com). You don’t need to be an expert seamstress to reap what you sew: This straightforward motif is easy to freehand. Just thread a needle with tawny-colored embroidery floss, and make two columns of straight stitches, starting at the top of each wheat shape. Taper the horizontal lines so they widen and then slightly narrow as you work your way down, and switch to vertical stitches for the stem. If you plow through them quickly, plant a few on cocktail napkins or an apron, too.
Styling by Marisa Sellitti
autumnal wheat hurricane lantern Credit: Johnny Miller
autumnal wheat hurricane lantern
wheat grid wreath hanging from white barn door Credit: Johnny Miller
wheat grid wreath hanging from white barn door
table runner with wheat fringe Credit: Johnny Miller
table runner with wheat fringe
wheat embroidery on towels Credit: Johnny Miller
wheat embroidery on towels
