Fun Fabric Wreaths

[azemigh]

Got together with my swimming buddies last week to make fabric wreaths. These are straw wreaths covered with 4 inch squares of fabric punched in with a crochet hook or screw driver. I've decorated the red one with a bow, bird, flowers and berries to take to my in-laws this week and my mom wants the green one, so I'll decorate it for her when we get back.

[paddlegal]

OMGosh Rachelle! Fabulous wreaths.

[katymjo]

Oh, I really love these!
Kathryn.

[ChristyB]

I used to make these all the time.

I just remember how tired my hand was after punching all the little squares in.

yours came out great

[pbp908]

I remember these! We also made pillow wreaths - sewed small pillows and tied them onto wire wreath frames. Those were a little bit easier on the hands.

[nchoney]

Great job... I remember doing these but using styrofoam bases... they work well to make little trees, too.

[pamcook]

So pretty!
I've never made one.

[tlscrap]

Those are beautiful!

[nancine]

those are so pretty, I've never tried that!

[azemigh]

It really is quite easy; these are 14 inch straw wreathes, leave the plastic on or it won't work and you'll have a big mess of loose straw. You need about 4 or 5 yards of fabric depending on how full you want it, cut into 4 inch squares. I tore the fabric into 4 inch strips, then layered 3 strips together and cut the 4 inch squares. I did not use a ruler and was not precise with my cuts; some frayed edges and non-uniform edges gives it a more whimsical, country look. I used about 20 velvet squares randomly at the end and these I cut on all sides with pinking shears as velvet ravels terribly. I used a crochet hook at the start, but this was a little too blunt and too much work so I used some comfortable scissors that had a fairly blunt tip when used closed. Some of the girls used a philips head screwdriver and this worked great too. I also poked them some from the right side of the fabric and some from the wrong side, it's really whatever your preference is. I would say it took about 4 hours to do all the poking and I was able to do it on my lap while watching tv. The back is left bare so it will lay flat against the wall, but you could cover the whole thing if you wanted to hang it so it's visible from all sides.

[ScrappinJen]

My sister went through a phase of making these for every season. I think she gave me a patriotic one. always wanted to give it a try but never did. Yours are lovely.

[ChristyB]

Rachelle,
The times I made mine I used pinking shears for all of the fabric as I could cut multiple squares at a time.
I also used a Phillips screw driver to poke my fabric in. It is what fit my hand the best.

[mpizzazz]

These bring back memories, Rachelle. My Mom made them and I'm not sure if she used straw or styrofoam. She did them for all seasons in different color fabrics. She even made one for her hairdresser with some of her own old beauty supplies punched in on wire like hair curlers, scissors, clips, etc. It was cute for awhile but they don't age well if they are out all the time and get dusty and fade. Just for a holiday ike Christmas or Easter is better.

[troublesmom]

They are beautiful! Would love to give it a try sometime. Maybe next year well before the holiday.

[jmp1022]

beautiful wreaths