Make a Ribbon Wreath

This home decor item is a simple and easy project to make, even for the person who isn't that craft-oriented. It's also great as a craft for supervised children who have the ability to use scissors and tie a simple knot. Whether you're working with a wire hanger or a wreath form, this project is ideal for the winter holiday season, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or any other seasonal event you'd like to use a wreath for. Let's get started!

Steps

With a Metal Wreath Form and Ribbon

  1. Cut your ribbon into 7-8" (18-20 cm) pieces. For a 12" wreath, you'll need about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of ribbon total. Basically, cut loads and loads of ribbon. Most ribbon fabrics will work, but the stiffer the better. At such a short length, most will stay erect and fluffy. As for widths, you'll find it's easiest to work with ribbons around 1" (2.5 cm) wide or less.
    • Experiment with a bunch of different colors. Think about using a zinger fabric -- a handful of more muted colors and one color that really pops.
    • Cut the ends at an angle. This is not only pretty, but keeps them from fraying as easily.
  2. Tie knots of ribbon around the wreath form. Take one color and tie a handful of pieces at different points around the wreath. After a dozen or so are tied, switch colors. This guarantees an even gradient to your wreath.
    • Tie 'em tight! You don't want them coming undone. And make sure you cover all parts of the frame -- there might be some small pieces that aren't in the main circle, but provide structure.
  3. Adjust the ribbons and squeeze in more. Once you think you're getting done, scrunch the ribbons together. New spaces should form for you to tie in more. There should be some overlap -- this will make your wreath voluminous and full.
  4. Add any finishing touches, if desired. Though your wreath is beautiful now (and ready to hang!) you may add a few touches if you'd like. Does it feel like it's missing anything?
    • A thin sheen of spray glitter can add a nice touch to ribbon that's otherwise solid-colored and uniform.
    • A giant bow on top may make your wreath seem more wreath-like and less like, well, a circle.

With Plastic Bags and a Wire Hanger

  1. Prepare the plastic ribbons. Cut a bunch of plastic bags into strips of about 2 inches (5cm) wide by 5 to 6 inches (5-7.5cm) long. Any longer and your wreath will lose its body and oomph.
    • How many ribbon pieces you need depends on the size of the wreath you're going for. Somewhere in the realm of 400 should do the trick if you're working with a standard-sized wire hanger.
    • For ribbons, colored plastic bags work well, but so do strips of cut or torn fabric (such as cotton, flannel, worn denim, old neckties, etc.). Avoid t-shirt fabric, soft knits, satin or silk, as these materials are too loose and slinky to hold up under their own weight.
  2. Form the hanger. While holding the hanger by the hook in one hand, grasp the hanger in the center of the bottom hanger bar with your other hand. Gently stretch the hanger until the hanger forms a crude squarish-diamond shape.
    • You could also make a crude heart shape if you're making the wreath for an event such as Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. It won't be perfect, but the ribbon will disguise any imperfections.
  3. Work it into a circle shape. With both hands near each other, as if you were trying to break a pencil in half, bend the wire all the way around the diamond until the wire forms a rough circle. The circle does not need to be perfect, as it's going to be covered in ribbon soon.
    • Don't worry about it being a perfect circle, but do try to get it so that it lays relatively flat on a surface. If one side juts up more than another, it'll look wonky when hung.
  4. Start tying on your ribbon. Randomly select one to three strips of the plastic "ribbon" and tie onto the wire form. You can go in a specific order or you can go as haphazardly as you like. At the end, you may not be able to tell if there was a pattern at all.
    • If you're not sure if you have enough of a specific color or colors, tie around the wreath at different points (3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock for example). That way the color will stay evenly spread even if you do run out.
  5. Continue to attach the ribbons to the wire until the circle is completely covered. As you near the finish line, push the ribbons closely together at the knot, towards the hanger hook. Add more if space presents itself while adjusting
    • If desired, consider mixing a few strips of colorful ribbon in with the plastic ribbons (grosgrain ribbon, fabric hem tape, fabric bias tape, or simply cut strips of fabric).
  6. Twist, turn and fluff the plastic ribbon to create fullness. The plastic strips are very malleable and can be molded easily. And if one isn't cooperating, simply take it off!
    • If you'd like to decorate it, do so at this step. Glue small buttons, paper cut-out shapes, candy hearts or pinwheel mints to the tails of the focal ribbon for accent.
  7. At the neck of the hook, tie a brightly colored or glittery ribbon into a bow. This takes your project from a pretty, fluffy hoop to an actual wreath decoration. Alternately, you could tie the ribbon at the bottom, but using the hook is much, much easier.
  8. Hang the completed wreath by the exposed hook at the top. And you thought using a hanger was being cheap. No, it's being resourceful! Could it be any easier?

Tips

  • If you'd rather not use plastic, strips of scrap fabric or fabric ribbon will both work similarly.
  • Suggestion to supervisor of this activity: If you're working with a group of youngsters, toss all the plastic strips into a bag or box. Mix them up and distribute a community pile of strips in the center of a work table.
  • Randomly space leftover artificial flowers (with wire stems) among the wreath "branches" to add interest and additional color.

Warnings

  • Children should be supervised at all times while working on this craft, just to ensure safety with scissors and wire. Younger ones may also need to be shown how to tie the ribbons on initially.
  • Keep plastic strips and plastic bags away from the face and mouth.
  • Keep an eye on children using scissors. Special children's safety scissors can be purchased.
  • Use precaution when manipulating the wire hanger. The J-shaped hook can cause severe eye injury if an eye is struck with the hook. Gentle pushing into shape is advisable.

Things You'll Need

With a Metal Wreath Form & Ribbon

  • Metal wreath form
  • Ribbon
  • Scissors
  • Ruler

With Everyday Items

  • A wire hanger
  • Plenty of plastic bags
  • Scissors (safety scissors for kids if desired)
  • Ruler
  • Colorful ribbon for the hanger neck
  • Ornamentation that can be affixed to the wire (optional)

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