a little patriotic wreath...

one of the things i hear quite a bit when we get a new visitor to the shop is 'ohhh i just love this fabric but i don't sew!' well, good news! there is so much fun to be had with fabric even if you never intend to touch a presser foot! here is a scrappy patriotic wreath for all you that want to get your no-sew craft on with some fabric! just an embroidery hoop, patriotic fabric and a pair of scissors are all that is required to make this super fast, super easy fabric project!

here is the supply list for a 4" (inside diameter) wreath:

one 4" embroidery hoop

3-5 fat eights or 9x21" cuts of fabric (available at mixfabrics.etsy.com)

a pair of scissors

a ruler is optional

to make strips, simply fold the fat eighth in half and cut along the fold to make two 9x11" pieces of fabric. next you can use a ruler or just eye it, and start cutting 1" strips along the length (the 11" side) of the fabric.

this will yield around 18 strips of fabric. repeat for the rest of the fabric. i ended up using three different fabrics and used about 54 strips which achieved the fullness that i wanted with my wreath. 

at this point you are ready start attaching the fabric to your hoop! you can separate the top and bottom of the hoop but i chose to keep them together for easy hanging when it's completed. fold your strips in half and make a loop with the middle, lay your hoop in between it and the tails of your fabric, pull the two tails through the hoop and you are well in your way! 

as you add more strips, you can bunch the fabric strips together to make a fuller wreath, i layered in contrasting fabrics on top of each other and spaced them evenly for desired effect.

i think it would have been fun to add some ribbon and/or ric rac in with the fabric as well, don't you? my finished wreath is enjoying a spot in my merry little fabric shop among the festive fabrics but will probably make it's way into the front of a bicycle or on the side of a wagon on the 4th during our town's bike parade. make sure to visit again for more ways to enjoy using fabric in your no-sew crafty projects! 

til next time!

~alanna