Besom and Broom making Tutorial: Cozy Autumn Nature Crafts 🍂

Hey everyone, and happy first day of Autumn to all my fellow Northern Hemisphere friends! 🍂 There's just something magical about this time of year—the crisp air, the cozy vibes, and of course, all the Earth-inspired crafts that go along with it. Today, I’m excited to share one of my absolute favorite seasonal traditions with you: crafting your own besom (or broom, for the uninitiated!).

Every year, as the leaves start to change, I find myself drawn to this simple yet meaningful ritual. It’s become a little tradition for me, one that not only connects me to the turning of the seasons but also gives me the chance to be a bit of a scavenger, gathering materials from wherever I happen to be.

I love the fact that these brooms can be made almost entirely from foraged finds—twigs, herbs, flowers—each one becoming a unique reflection of its environment. (Plus, it’s such a hit on social media—I always get so many questions about it!)

So whether you’re heading out on a nature walk, stopping by a local farmers’ market, or even just raiding your own backyard, gather up your materials, and let’s dive into this autumnal tradition together.

Get ready to create something beautiful that not only welcomes in the season but brings a bit of its magic into your home. 🏠 🪄 

 

 

Materials: 

• Foliage
• Dried Flowers
• Branches & Twigs
• Fall Ornaments: cinnamon stitcks, dried fruits, etc. 
• 5mm 3PLY Macramé Cord
• Bells
• Ribbon and Twine
• Staple Gun 

 

One of my favorite things about making brooms is the hunt for the perfect branches and twigs. Whether it’s beachcombing for driftwood after a storm or gathering windblown branches from a forest trail, there’s something about scavenging that makes this craft feel extra special. Storms are the perfect time to gather—you’ll find the best pieces right after the winds settle down!

Once I’ve collected my wood, I always start by giving it a good wash. I spray it down with fresh water and let it soak for about an hour. If the wood’s covered in sand or dirt (which it often is, thanks to nature), I use a soft brush with a little soap to gently scrub it clean. It’s a bit like giving your foraged treasures a spa treatment!

 

 

Now, here's the part you don’t want to skip—trust me on this! I like to soak the wood in a bleach bath (about 2 teaspoons of bleach per gallon of water) and fully submerge everything for about an hour. And here's why: One time, I got lazy and skipped this step when I was prepping wood for a macramé project. The next morning? My apartment was crawling with little crickets! 😝 Let’s just say, I never skip the bleach soak anymore!

 

If you’d prefer not to use bleach because you don’t want to alter the wood’s natural color (I totally get that), another option is a baking soda bath. For example, the cedar branch I’m using for this broom has such a stunning reddish hue that I didn’t want to dull it with bleach. Instead, I soaked it in baking soda water, let it dry for a couple of days, then sealed it in a plastic bag to make sure there were no hitchhiking critters before moving on to the crafting phase.

For smaller twigs, I love to boil them. I use a big stainless steel pot that’s dedicated to my craft projects, submerge the twigs in boiling water, and let them bubble away for an hour. This helps kill any fungal spores and, of course, any lingering bugs. Plus, there’s something oddly satisfying about the whole process—it’s like you’re prepping these natural materials for their grand transformation into a beautiful broom!

 

 

 

And there you have it—your very own handmade besom, ready to sweep in all those cozy autumn vibes! I hope you had as much fun crafting this as I did sharing it with you. There’s something so rewarding about creating with natural materials, and I can’t wait to see how you make yours truly unique!

If you enjoyed this tutorial and love getting creative with nature as much as I do, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll get a little dose of inspiration sent straight to your inbox every week, plus first dibs on new tutorials, exclusive tips, and behind-the-scenes peeks at my latest projects. 🌿

And don’t forget to check back here each week for more Earth-inspired crafts and ideas. Happy crafting!