These are wonderful for making garlands, adding to stove top potpourri, adding to wreaths, or dressing up your gift wrapping. Don’t forget you can actually eat them too, or even add one or two to a steaming mug of cider, tea or just plain hot water. Not to mention, very inexpensive!

Here are some ideas for fruit:
Oranges
Grapefruit
Limes
Lemons
Apples
Pears, etc.

Things you need:
Twine, yarn, string, wire, ribbon
Yarn needle
Scissors

What to do:
Using a sharp knife or mandolin cut fruits into thin slices about 1/8 – 3/16 of an inch thick. I find that thinner slices dry quicker.

Dehydrator method:
Place slices in a single layer on dehydrator trays, and because every dehydrator is different, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Oven method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Place a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Place your fruit slices on the rack. This keeps them elevated while drying so air can get underneath the fruit and dry evenly. Dry in the oven for about 2 hours. Remove when completely dry, and cool before using.

Air dry method:
Place a cooling rack over a sheet pan. Place your fruit slices on the rack. This keeps them elevated while drying so that air can get underneath the fruit and dry evenly. Place tray out of the way in a cool dry place. Depending on where you live, this can take anywhere from two days to a week to dry.

Thread needle then string fruit slices onto twine. You want to make sure you make a complete stitch through the fruit. Weather you make a garland or use as a single fruit ornament. Leave enough string after the knot to affix to your pine garland, Christmas tree, or to tie in a loop, etc.