Wreath Making

I have made many wreaths in the past two or three years. There was a time I used my own inspiration to design. Somewhere along the way though, after many a failed craft show, I decided to try to recreate in my style ones I saw online. I think that was the beginning of the end of my wreath making days.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love to create. It’s just after you invest time and supplies in something you love, to find that it does not fit someone else’s style and now you must figure out if you should just hang it in your own home, or try to redesign, you get tired. I honestly started making wreaths to put a smile on others faces, by offering a great wreath at an affordable price. At the same time I figured if I worked the prices just right then I would be able to pocket a few bucks per wreath and then end up with a little profit and I could pay off some credit card debt.

Wreaths are one of those businesses though that everyone figured out they could watch a YouTube video online and make themselves. So craft fairs quickly began to be more of a meeting of the minds where instead of people telling me how beautiful my creations were, and buying them, it was an explanation of how I made something and me telling where you can get the supplies.

Do not get me wrong. The teacher in me was thrilled! I love to teach a craft to others! I like a more one on one arrangement than a group arrangement though. With a group you can quickly feel outnumbered and like you need more hands. One on one though, you can make a craft at the same time as showing someone else how and both of you end up leaving the day with a creation made with your own hands.

My favorite wreaths would be anything beach themed, and with mesh, but the possibilities are endless. I have seen wreaths made using bandanas and old cloth to some made with the tube mesh completely. All are beautiful in their own way, and would look lovely on someone’s door to greet others.

The key to making a good wreath is first to figure out what you want your theme to be. Then I suggest looking up on YouTube or Facebook videos that type of wreath. Lots of wreath makers create tutorials online to teach others the craft of making your own. Gather your supplies next and then get to work. As you make your first one, you will probably mess up a couple of times, but you will learn so much by having that hands on experience.

I also suggest finding someone in person who makes wreaths, because sometimes as you work, you will just reach a point where it just does not look right and it just needs a little tweaking. Someone with that “eye” will be able to tell you what to easily change or move to make it just right. I am in a Facebook group for wreath makers and we are all the time sharing our creations that just do not seem complete and asking for others opinions.

I will never forget showing one of the ladies in our office at work how to make a bow. She had tried before and said she just did not do it right. I showed her how I made mine and told her to just try it. Turns out she was making them perfect from the get go and did not need me to show her how to make the bow. She was just not spending the time needed to properly fluff the bow and once she knew that was a normal part of bow making, she turned into a bow making genius. She started with just one type of ribbon at a time but quickly started being braver, and making bows with the different ribbons all in one.

Making wreaths is very much the same way. Especially since many of us who make our own, make our own ribbon bow to match it as well. Sometimes the placement of items or the placement of your bow can be just a little off, and someone with an eye for design will be able to tell you how to properly balance your wreath. This is why it can be key to join an online group or Facebook group where you can get that kind of feedback that is encouraging. Be careful of the groups where people just seem to constantly put others down, or steal each others creations. I have been in those groups before too and they are toxic.

Most of the groups though have the best leadership and the most friendly individuals who remember being a newbie to the craft and remember someone taking them under their wings. Just another reason why I love to craft. I really miss that we have lost the generation that would gather together to discuss life while making a quilt. I believe there is an innate need in humans to be together and these times of teaching one generation to the next are lost on the current generation. They are not gone completely but as we are able more and more to turn to the internet to learn new things, we are missing out on some of that one on one in person teaching. Just something I have given some thought to and seen from my own experience. That in person teaching can be key though to learning the best tips and tricks that can make all the difference.