References: https://www.homestolove.com.au/how-to-make-a-dried-lemon-garland-10768
https://www.womaninreallife.com/2015/12/dried-orange-lemon-garland-tutorial.html
Bright yellow lemons have an upbeat appeal on their own. The rich color and round shape gives them a visual appeal, along with the many delicious ways it can add to our diet and help promote health. Here’s a simple way to take a couple of lemons and turn them into tree ornaments, or a pretty garland you can hang anywhere.
Note:
- Natural colored string or twine makes a casual looking ornament – perhaps a garland for the kitchen, hallway or bathroom.
- Gold or red string makes a festive holiday tree ornament.
What You Will Need:
2-3 fresh lemons
String or twine
Parchment paper
Baking sheet
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the lemons thinly – but not so thin that they fall apart. About 1/4-inch should do.
- Press the lemon slices gently between sheets of paper towel to absorb some of the juice. They will dry faster.
- Place the lemon slices on the baking sheet in a single layer, and dry in the oven for 3 to 6 hours. The edges should still be firm, and the juice largely dried off. If they are still slightly moist, you can continue to dry them on a sunny windowsill for a day. The color will darken as they dry.
Garland:
- Arrange the slices out on a table top or counter in the order you want them to hang.
- Cut a length of string or twine that is long enough for all of them, plus half again to be sure.
- Thread the twine through an embroidery needle and thread it from the back of one slice, through the front.
- Loop the twine back and through the same piece of fruit to secure it in place.
- Allow for the desired length of twine in between – usually no more than a few inches – and then repeat until completed.
- Leave the extra length at each end so you can use it to tie the garland in place.
Individual Tree Ornaments:
- Cut 8-inch lengths of string or twine.
- Thread each onto an embroidery needle and pass through the lemon slice. Loop back through to secure it, leaving long ends on either side.
- Tie the long ends on the top to create a loop you can hang it with.
