there are actually heart and star shaped ones too.

 

Here is one of the first one's I ever made. Super simple and natural.

 

Here is a step by step guide to making.

 

1) decide on a theme

2) Head to any craft store and pick up a wreath form

3)pick out your fabric medium (12 in) forms take approx. 3 yards

large (18 in) forms take approx. 8 yards

4)Bring all your materials home and get ready to CRAFT! the large wreaths take a lot of time, about 10-12 hours. just want you to be prepared, cause I wasn't the first time I did one ;)

5) Lay out your fabric on the floor- cut it into strips. the strips need to be about 12 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. the absolute best thing about this project is it does NOT have to be precise!!! it is actually better if it is not... it adds dimension and fluff when the strips are slightly different. I actually let my kids help me cut, then it is guaranteed to be different sizes!! I do this in small sections, as it is draining to sit there and cut all your fabric at once. just as it is draining to tie all the fabric at once!

6) Once you have a pretty solid pile cut, it's time to start tying! if you notice, the wreath spilt in 6 sections with 4 rows in each. Pick a section to start in, and pick up a strip of fabric and tie in a double knot around the top row of your first section.

7)Repeat tying until your first row is full. Now I like mine FLUFFY, so I smoosh them all over to the left, and add in strips until in can barely move the strips on the row.

8)move down to row 2 and repeat, then row 3, then row 4. Your first section is now complete!!!

9) Move on to your second section and repeat steps 6-8 about 3 bazillion times ;)

The base of your wreath is now COMPLETE!!!

 

Now is time for the fun part!!! decorating your wreath!!!

 

Here are a few examples of different things I have put on my wreaths.

 

This was the first one I ever made for a teacher! Purple and Gold are our school colors.

This is still one of favorites!!! I made this one for my little's preschool teachers one year for Christmas. Their school colors were blue and yellow, and I threw in a splash of ABC material =)

Another favorite that was a teacher gift. Mrs. Hathaway had nature themed classroom. This is one of those cheats I was talking about.... all 3 materials used were flat sheets from Walmart!!!!! So for $15 in material, I think I made 3 of these in the large size.

 

This one is very sentimental to me. My Granny was so entertained by my three kids who at the time were 6, 2, and 1. Every time we would come over, she would tell my mom afterwards "The Circus was here today!!" LOL For Christmas that year, she got us this ornament. She passed away shortly after. The next year I put the ornament up on our tree at the very top and smiled every day. Well it became time to put away the tree and I had a meltdown to pack it away... I knew I had to do something more permanent with it!

 

~To make the fabric flowers on it, you make 3 strips about 30-55 inches long (depending on how large you want your flower) time them in a knot at the top, then braid them together.

~once they are in a long braid, lay them on a flat surface, and just roll it like a pinwheel, stopping every so often to put a dot of glue to help it stick.

~Keep rolling until the flower is complete.

 

You can also pick up any kind of wood plaque at the craft store and paint it to say anything.

 

Once your flower's are made, your wood plaque is painted, your ornament is picked, or anything else you would want to see on it, figure out the placement on the wreath. Once you are satisfied with the placement, get out the hot glue gun and glue them on. Not a ton of glue is needed to stick to the fabric... but make sure it feels secure.

 

The wreaths will hang on a hook just attached to the wire of the frame, so no need to add anything for hanging. Once it is hung, take your hands and just ruffle up and fluff the material. I LOVE a fluffy wreath!!

 

You are DONE!!

 

Happy Crafting! I hope this has inspired you to try it out. Spice up your door, or your kid's classrooms. I promise every time you look at it, they will make you smile! If you try it... I would LOVE to see a pic of your creation!!!

~Michele~