Fabric Twist Tie Wreath

Lately I've been into wreaths. I never really cared for them much before - they were always the sort of project I lumped among crafts for grandmothers. But recently I've come across a whole new world of wreathing full of alternatives to the traditional adornment covered in fake flowers.

For a long time now I've been meaning to make this particular wreath. I originally saw it in the holiday issue of Gifted Magazine from Creature Comforts and fell in love with the final product. The tutorial in the magazine was actually for making fabric twist ties in all shapes and sizes for a variety of decorating elements. These could be twisted around strands of Christmas lights for a little more punch, used to spice up gift wrap, twisted round a wreath frame, and so much more. 

I couldn't find a useable image of the original wreath, but there are a few other similar projects to be found out there if you're not crazy about the look of this one. The other great thing about this project is how versatile it is. The template has leaf shapes, hearts and stars and, depending upon the color and style of fabric used, you could easily create wreaths for different holidays. Try red and pink hearts for Valentine's Day, red white and blue stars come July 4th, and neutrals in whatever shape you please for the months when no particular holiday-themed decorations are necessary.

Here's my how-to for the wreath. It is pretty straight forward and requires few materials and very basic crafting skills - just cutting, gluing, and twisting. You can also visit Gifted Magazine to see the original tutorial or search "fabric twist tie wreath" on Google for further ideas and inspiration. Happy wreathing!

Materials

• Quilting fabric (at least 1.5 yards, depending on size of wreath)
• Twist ties or floral design wire (I used probably 100 for my medium-sized wreath)
• Scissors
• Craft glue
• Wreath form (I used a traditional 3-circle wire wreath form and simply used pliers to remove a single circle - wire hangers also work if they are malleable enough to be shaped into a circle)
• Fabric twist tie template
• Sewing pins

Process

1. Cut out the desired template.

2. Using the sewing pin, pin template onto the fabric and cut out the shape. I found it efficient to fold the fabric over and over and then pin the template down in order to create 5 or 6 pieces at a time.

3. Begin to assemble the fabric twist ties. Choose two pieces of cut fabric and apply glue to the reverse side of one. Lay down the twist tie and then put the other piece of fabric, reverse-side down, on top to create a sandwich of sorts with the twist tie in the middle and the fabric pieces on top and bottom.

4. Continue to cut fabric pieces and assemble fabric twist ties until you have at least 70. 

5. Allow the fabric twist ties to dry at least 3 hours, though overnight is best.

6. Once dry, the fabric twist ties are ready to be twisted onto the wreath form. Simply twist the long skinny center of each fabric twist tie around the wreath form, allowing the shapes on the ends to show. Arrange the ends however you would like, continuing until there is no empty space left on the wreath. 

7. Hang for all your friends, family, and neighbors to see!