Made It: Scrap Fabric Wreath

Hello! Some time ago I'd bookmarked a blog post about making scrap fabric wreaths. The blogger had commented that it was a good take-along craft, so I decided to make one of my own while on a recent trip. 

The project requires only a wire wreath form and tons of scrap fabric pieces. I bought a 12" wire wreath form at a thrift store for a dollar, but they can be found in stores where craft/floral supplies are sold as well. Larger diameter wreaths are available; 12" is just what I happened to find. 

The directions call for the fabric to be cut into 1/2"x5" strips. I soon decided that I had some leeway here - if I had a scrap that was a bit longer or shorter than 5", it didn't matter. Same with width - since the strips are tied close together on the wreath form, a bit wider or narrower than 1/2" is fine. 

I don't have a rotary cutter, as the blogger did, so yeah, it did take quite awhile to cut a bagful of fabric strips. But I did this step at a time when I wasn't feeling the best and didn't have the energy to do anything more strenuous. 

And I did get some satisfaction from using bits of fabric that were too small to be practical in many other projects. It was also a good way to use up scraps whose colors or patterns weren't among my favorites. All fabrics used just became part of a harmonious whole. 

 Before we left, I tossed the strips into a drawstring bag and then put that bag and the wreath in another bag. As soon as we were on the freeway heading south I pulled out the bag of fabric strips and began tying them onto the wreath form in random order. 

The only problem with doing this project in a car was the inevitable bits of frayed fabric that came off from some of the strips and deposited themselves on my lap, the car seat and the floor. These were easily picked up, but I'd recommend taking a towel along to cover one's lap. 

The tying-on process was simple and actually felt somewhat soothing. After one busy day of sightseeing that included almost nine miles of walking, it was a relaxing activity. 

I guessed pretty well as to how many fabric strips to cut - I covered almost all of the wreath form while on the road. Cut up a few more strips to finish off the project at home, and ended up with this:

Turned out nice, I thought. As the blogger had done, I used a variety of colors, but as some of her commenters had mentioned, this project could be made with a specific choice of colors, such as those for a particular holiday. And one commenter said she'd make a wreath with fabrics to represent the team colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Close-up of the wreath:

I think it adds a cheery bit of spring-like color, which is nice on a day like today that saw a fresh bit of snow of the ground! 

If you'd like more information on how to make this wreath, read THIS.