I love making wreaths! I’m at the point now where I have multiple wreaths for each season and holiday and always find myself wanting to make more. My mom made wreaths and swags all the time in the 90’s. Back then pretty much everyone had some kind of dried floral wreath somewhere in their house. I’m so glad that wreaths are making a comeback, but in a more modern way.
I made this modern floral wreath on a metal hoop, using silk flowers and wire.
If you’ve never made a wreath before you may have no clue where to start and be completely intimidated. Don’t worry! This post will walk you through wreath making basics and guide you to making the wreath of your dreams.
1. Decide on style.
Wreaths can be traditional, contemporary or minimalist and made with almost anything. They can include wood, wire, yarn, pine cones, shells, cork, beads, rope, balloons, flowers or greenery. The possibilities are endless! A great place to start is by browsing on Pinterest.
I really love that wreath forms can be left exposed, like this faux succulent wreath I made using an embroidery hoop.
2. Choose a wreath form.
Once you’ve decided the style and materials, you have to choose a wreath form. There are many different forms to choose from and each has a different purpose. Some are decorative and can be intentionally left visible, while others, like styrofoam forms, should be completely covered. Check out my guide below on the different types of forms.
3. Gathering your materials.
Now the fun begins! Buy or collect your materials. Michaels is my go to destination whenever I want to make a floral wreath. They have isles and isles of beautiful faux flowers and greenery and often have great sales! Not all wreaths have to be floral though. Here are some of my favorite alternatives to floral wreaths.
1) Brass thumbtack wreath from Rosyscription
2) Balloon wreath from Jen’s Own Road.
3) Spring embroidery hoop wreath from Delineate Your Dwelling
4) Hand dyed rope wreath from The Knapp Family
I created this fun crayon wreath for our daycare provider using a flat wooden form.
4. Putting it all together
The two main methods to constructing a wreath are using wire, or glue. Typically when creating a floral wreath, floral wire is used to wrap the stems around the form. This method is very sturdy and the green floral wire is usually completely hidden in the foliage. However, not all wreaths are floral and not all wreath forms are completely covered. Hot glue is a great alternative when making all kinds of wreaths, but may not be as permanent especially if you plan on hanging your wreath outdoors in cold temperatures.
Here’s a quick fall wreath tutorial from Darby Smart, that uses both wire and glue.
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I’m in love with the new pompom wreath I recently made to hang on my front door.
Now that you have the basics of wreath making down, you may find yourself making wreaths non-stop. Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest for wreath-making and other craft inspiration.