Something about the fall gets me in an extra crafty mood!  We recently listed our home for sale and have been having house showings and open houses, so I thought what better time to freshen up the look of my entry way than now!  After all, it’s the first impression people get of your home. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to do something along the lines of a wreath…  Have you shopped for pre-made wreaths lately? Holy Cow! Talk about expensive!  I went to a “discount home” store recently and found them ranging between $60 and $185! And that’s supposed to be a discount! Get outta here!  So, I popped into my local craft store and for under $25 picked up supplies to make not only one, but 2 wreaths! (Don’t you just love coupons?!?)

Whether you are selling your home or just getting into the spirit of fall, this wreath is sure to spruce up your front door!  But, the technique I am about to show you can be used for any time of year… If you want to make a Christmas wreath, just change out the ribbon. If you want to make a spring wreath, go with some pastels… This is where you get to be creative.  And if you aren’t the creative type, no worries, just follow along and you’ll do just fine!

Here are the supplies you will need…

Here are the bulk of the supplies for the wreath itself.

I start with one of these great grape vine wreaths that are wrapped in hay. This one is 16″. You can adjust larger or smaller depending on your door… As you can see, I started to unwrap the plastic and then seeing the mess I was making, decided to leave it. Besides, I learned the plastic actually helped the pins stay secure. I like this particular wreath because the color works well under my fabric, I didn’t need to paint.

Metalic Mesh Fabric… I love this stuff! I try and use it whenever I can! This summer I used it to top handmade palm trees for my son’s Surf’s Up Birthday Party! For my daughter’s baptism, I handed out little potted plants for people’s garden and wrapped them in little swatches of this stuff!

This is a pretty sparkly gross grain ribbon, 7/8″. And, it was on clearance for a buck! Score!

I love how it sparkles, but provides that dark burnt fallish color.

I chose this fall motif… Isn’t it pretty? They had a variety of different ones… Right now is a great time to pick up fall crafting supplies because all the stores are clearing their shelves to make way for Christmas! I got this whole 25′ spool for $5!

Now, I have to admit, I totally forgot to pick up Straight Pins for this project and if you have them, please use them… but, I improvised and used regular sewing pins and it worked out fine, I just needed to use about the double the supply as they are a bit small.

I decided to splurge on one little embelishment, it was 50% off so it cost me a wopping $1.49!

Here are the supplies for the monogram… At first I didn’t have the monogram and if you like it without it, you certainly don’t have to add it in… But, I felt like it needed a little something… So, I ran out to grab these supplies for it. A wooden “S” some metallic fallish craft paint in bronze and a $.59 disposable sponge brush.

Once you have collected all your supplies and have your work space ready to go, you will be done in no time flat, I’ll show you how I did it!

So, the first thing you need to do is cover your wreath with mesh fabric. I start by folding the fabric in half length wise.

Then I secure my starting point with pins.

Now that it is secure, you can start making your way around the wreath.

To create the bubbley affect, I stop every few inches and pop the fabric up into, well, a bubble… then I secure with pins.

The fabric is very agreeable this way.

Just continue this way all the way around the wreath.

Here is a view of the back of the wreath.

As you can see, I didn’t quite get the pop I was looking for here, so no worries, I just went back and manipulated the fabric with pins and got it the way I want it.

See, perfect.

When you come to the end of the wreath, cut off the fabric.

Now wrap the end around and secure tightly with pins.

And here is the start of your creation!

Now it’s time to add on the ribbon.  We will start with the main ribbon with the fall pumpkins.

Add ribbon by starting it off at the top of your wreath where there is no bubble… Then measure out 18″ and leave that as a “tail” and secure with pins to the wreath.

Secure with pins.

Start by securing the end of your ribbon to the wreath, leave an 18″ tail for later.

Then loosely start to wrap.

What I did was went in between every other bump so there is not too much.

At the end, bring up the ribbon and leave another 18″ tail. Secure with pins again.

Secure your knot again with pins… this is what is going to secure your bow.

Then firmly but gently tie a knot… you don’t want to disturb the pins you have placed or mess up the ribbon either.

Now onto making your fancy bow…

Depending on how large you want your bow you will fold the ribbon… for instance, I am doing 8-9″ folds.

Because my ribbon is not double sided, and I want only the print side exposed, I have to turn the ribbon with each fold like so.

Keep going back and forth folding until you have about 4 folds on either side.

Now with those left over tails you had, you are going to knot in your folds.

Take that and place it on the top of the wreath holding securely.

This is what you should have.

Once you have secured your folds with a good tight knot, you can start to fluff your bow.

Fluff, fluff, fluff… and because we are using a wired ribbon, this happens very easily

Take the “tails” you left from before and form into bow loops too.

Here is what you have when done. But, we aren’t done, so I will warn you this will need to be fluffed up again at the end!

So here is where we are at so far!

Once your main ribbon and bow are done, add on your secondary ribbon.  I wait until after the bow is done because I like to know exactly where to place the accents.

First I secure the ribbon to the back of the wreath.

So all I do here is go around in the opposite direction of my main ribbon and pop the accent ribbon into every other bubble opposite of the ones the main ribbon was in, like so… And then I secure in the back with pins again.

Now for my special little embellishment…

Now I add on my little acorn embellishment. This too is wired so super easy to use…

I place on the left of my wreath under a ribbon.

Secure with pins and done!

So here is what it looks like with out the monogram… still pretty!

But… I went one step further…

Here are the supplies for the monogram… At first I didn’t have the monogram and if you like it without it, you certainly don’t have to add it in… But, I felt like it needed a little something… So, I ran out to grab these supplies for it. A wooden “S” some metallic fallish craft paint in bronze and a $.59 disposable sponge brush.

Paint one coat, let dry.

Add on a second coat, let dry… Don’t forget the back.

You don’t want this ribbon showing really, so just a little slack is needed.

Now work with two 12″-18″ lengths of ribbon.

Tie one into a knot.

Loop the second ribbon around that.

tie the second ribbon to your wreath behind your bow allowing for just a little slack, this will be your hook for your door.

Now, that first ribbon you looped is ready for your monogram… Now, if your monogram is say the letter “N”… you will need a good heavy duty stapler to secure this ribbon to the back of your letter… but, in my case I have an “S” so it works out nicely.

Now just adjust the ribbon to make it so your letter is centered and tie off.

Now my door will be beautiful straight through Thanksgiving! Yay!

“Your new home is waiting! Let me guide you home” Lori Medeiros, Senior Loan Officer, RMS