DIY: Halloween Wreath Tutorial

I don't think I've ever made a DIY wreath before in my life, but I do have an almost fetish-level interest in holiday decorations. I admire them mostly from afar, at stores and in other people's homes, and stick to minimal seasonal cheer around my own place. The main reason for this is that I tend to focus primarily on how I'll need to store the rarely used decor and visualize myself one day packing it and moving it to a new place. It just seems like so much extra work! 

I did this for SIX YEARS at our last apartment, more regretful with every passing holiday, and when we moved into a new place last winter I promised myself I'd dive into holiday decorating, regardless of how many Christmas ornaments I may or may not have to store in a kitchen cabinet. This is my first holiday decorating at the new place so I jumped right in with a cheerful Halloween wreath. 

Want to make one too? Read on!

WHAT YOU NEED

Round Wreath Form

Black Yarn & White Yarn

Halloween Trinkets {I got these from Michael's}

Scissors

Not Pictured:

Hot Glue Gun, Glue Stick, Scrapbook Paper, Pencil, String, White Paper, Ribbon

HOW TO DO IT

I wanted a black and white striped background, so I opted to wrap yarn around my wreath form. Alternately, you could use felt, fabric or maybe even the leg of some striped tights.

To use both colors, I simply tied the two yarn strings together on the back of the wreath when I was done wrapping each section and continued on with the new color. I just eyeballed the sections. You could also glue them periodically, but I didn't. When you're done wrapping, just tie the end of your yarn to another piece of wrapped yarn in the back {bottom picture}. Make sure to knot it well.

To make the bunting, cut diamond shaped pieces from burlap-print scrapbook paper {A}. Then use a glue stick to glue the shapes to brown scrapbook paper {B} and cut out the shape, leaving a brown paper border all around {C}. Next, just fold the diamond into a triangle and crease the edge {D}.

Next comes the letters! You can obviously write whatever (a simple "BOO" makes for a much easier project, I can say with hindsight). Draw your letters to fit on your bunting {A} and cut them out {B}. Glue to the bunting and finish your other letters {C}.

To make the bunting, open your triangle and place the string against the crease {A} before gluing the triangle and pressing it closed {B}. Continue to string all the letters {C}. I made mine in two rows.

Next, start hot gluing your Halloween trinkets and bobbles (glitter heavily recommended) around your wreath. Keeping your glue gun on a paper plate makes things slightly less messy, but I still managed to hot glue my pajama pants to myself, so maybe don't listen to me.

Glue the bunting around the wreath on each side so it hangs across the middle. I also added some glitter ribbon that I had on hand between the stripes.

Then just tie a ribbon loop around the top of the wreath so you can hang it.

Done! Wreath accomplished.

Have you made any DIY Halloween decorations this year? Found any awesome Halloween trinkets at the dollar store? Why is 'bunting' such a funny word?

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