Loopy Burlap Ribbon Wreath

Instructions

1. To create a high-low look, the foam wreath is covered in large and small loops of burlap ribbon. Use a ruler and floral shears to measure and cut the following lengths of 2 1/2″ wide natural burlap ribbon: forty 6″, twenty-five 8″, and thirty 10″. (Note: Keep lengths separated into three groups.)

2. With foam wreath flat on a table, plan to use 6″ lengths around out outside and inside edges. Plan to use 8″ and 10″ lengths to fill in the top surface (front) of the wreath, creating a high/low look.

3. To make loops from lengths, start with one 6″ length. Fold in half (without creasing), bringing together two raw ends. Pinch together ends while fan folding them with fingers. (This will create gathers at the base of the loop.) Insert one end of the floral pin through gathers. (See Fig. A Photo.)

Insert both ends of the floral pin into the outside edge of the wreath so that crossbar between pin ends secures folds. (See Fig. B Photo.)

4. Repeat making loops from 6″ lengths, inserting them into the outside edge of the wreath, side-by-side, all around wreath. (Note: Pins will be about 2″ apart from each other so that ends of loops just touch. You should not be able to see foam between loops.)

5. With the remaining 6″ lengths, make loops and insert them into the inside edge of the wreath, the same as you did on the outside. (Note: Spacing between pins maybe a little farther due to loops touching each other, based on inside dimensions of wreath circle.)

6. When the outside and inside of the wreath are covered, use the same fan-folding process using 10″ lengths to make loops and insert on the top surface (front of the wreath), randomly positioning. (Note: Unlike doing inside and outside edges of a wreath that went in a line going all around the wreath, for surface loops, place them all over, at random, but still approximately evenly spaced. Make sure loops angle every which way.)

7. Use 8″ length loops to fill in between 10″ length loops on the surface. Adjust loops as needed by removing pin and loop together and re-insert into place. If any are loose, hot glue. If any foam shows, add loops.

8. Refer to photo to position flowers in the lower right corner and hot glue to loops to secure. Also hot glue butterfly onto the flower.

9. Cut each 2 yds. length colored ribbon into eight 9″ lengths. Find the middle of the ribbon and weave one side of the floral pin through the ribbon to insert into the wreath in random places. (Hint: To make it easy to balance colors, select one color and insert eight lengths all over the wreath. Then insert eight lengths of the second color and finally, the last color. This makes it easier to see where colors can go.)

10. Use a wreath hanger to hang, or make a hanger from the paper clip: Slightly separate curved ends of paper clip 1/4″. On the top back, insert a shorter, rounded end up into wreath, creating a hanger loop with the longer end of a paper clip.