Handmade Holidays: Poinsettia Wreath

You know what's one of my favorite pieces of holiday decor? A wreath. I love how versatile they are, and my friend Meg is here today with a tutorial that demonstrates exactly that. You can see more DIY projects from Meg on her blog, plus she and her husband are doing some serious work on their house. Definitely peek over there when you're done. In the meantime, let's get our wreath on!

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Paige!  Thanks so much for having me in your Handmade Holiday series this year.  I’ve been getting a lot of great ideas and fell in love with the earrings Kristen shared Tuesday from Etsy!  This year I’m putting a handmade touch on many of my gifts, including one of my favorite things to give – Holiday wreaths!  A live wreath welcomes you at the door with that seasonal pine sent!  This year I thought that would be the perfect gift for my neighbors. 

We ordered the wreaths before Thanksgiving in support of the local Boy Scouts which was a bonus way to give back to our community this holiday season.   When looking up ideas on how to decorate them I really wanted something that was part gift, so the entire wreath wouldn’t have to be thrown away after the Holidays.  I also wanted something super easy so I could fit this project into my already busy December.
 

I decided to make felt poinsettias.  I used a template from Better Homes and Garden found here. For two wreaths, both with one large and two small poinsettias I used two pieces of white and two pieces of red felt.  Iron one of each color to interfacing, making it more rigid to be the base of the flowers.  I used Pellon 808 craft fuse.  Using the template, which I just cut on paper, cut out the bases for 6 flowers.  Cut the petals from the felt without the interfacing.

When all of your pieces are ready – hot glue the base of the petals to make them pinch in (very technical directions, I know.)

Then hot glue the petals to the base of the correct size flower.   On the large flowers I had leftover sparkle pompoms from another project to accent the center.  You could use a bit of the opposite color felt instead.

Better Homes and Garden suggested fabric glue held with clothes pins until it dries, but I prefer to use my glue gun whenever I have the chance, and it’s much faster!  Instead, I glued a clothes pin to the back of each poinsettia.  This is how I attached them to the wreath, and now they can be used over and over again each year.

I had A LOT of extra pompoms and made a garland too with a needle and thread!  

Happy Holidays from 18 Preston to you!!!