Floweret Christmas Wreath

This has been a very busy pre-holiday week but I am proud to have squeezed in my Christmas Wreath! I couldn't have done it without the loving help of my husband, who diligently cut leaves and flowers while I sewed them. This project was very fun to make, as each completed piece of the puzzle made me jump with enthusiasm and kept me going. I have a small door, so I made a small wreath, but you can adapt the design to whatever size you want, with bigger pieces, more flowers, you choose it!

For this wreath you will need:

• green and red felt (match your colors to look "Christmasy");
• batting (quilt stuffing)
• green and red embroidery thread
• 3 medium size buttons (I used equal buttons, but I kind of wish I had a variety)
• cardboard (anything you find lying around roughly the size of your wreath)
• hot glue gun (I have the cheapest glue gun ever, but it works!)
• zigzag scissors (I love my new Fiskar scissors and I highly recommend them if you are looking to get a pair)
• regular scissors
• x-acto knife (to make it easier on your hand)
• wired ribbon (your choice of pattern)

First, cut 9 sets of leaves on the green felt using your zigzag scissors. To cut both sides simultaneously, making sure they match, I used a technique I found at Wee Folk Art's Blog and it worked pretty well. The back pieces got a little fuzzy when I peeled off the tape, but nothing that a little trimming couldn't resolve and it saved a lot of time.

Then, do the same thing for your flowers, but with regular scissors. Each flower has two layers of different sizes to make it more 3-dimensional. I chose to make 1 big flower and 2 smaller flowers.

Once you have all your pieces cut out, you can start sewing with the embroidery thread. I used 2 threads for thickness. For the leaves, first sew running stitches down the middle, lengthwise, from one end to the other and through both pieces. To close the pieces together, use simple whip stitches. Remember to leave an opening to stuff the piece with batting before closing it completely. For the flowers, join the two layers together by sewing the button through them. Sew it tight to get that 3-dimensional effect.

Now it's time to assemble the puzzle! You'll need a somewhat hard ring to serve as a base. I used cardboard from a package I received this week and it worked pretty well. I drew a 12'' diameter ring and cut it with an x-acto knife. I started using scissors, but the cardboard was a bit too hard and made it difficult. I also recommend that you make your ring no wider than 2 inches, to allow it to completely hide behind your felt pieces. Assemble the pieces on top of your ring to get an idea of the spacing between them. Once you are satisfied with how the wreath looks, it's time for the hot glue gun action! No need for too much glue... you can always go back and reinforce it if needed. Glue the leaves first and then the flowers.

Lastly, pick a beautiful wired ribbon and make a nice bow. I chose a simple faux bow, but you can play with it and choose what you think looks best on your wreath.

Now your wreath is ready to be enjoyed by you, but mostly by your neighbors!

Very Happy Holidays!