How To Make A Festive Felt Boxwood Wreath

~This post originally appeared in the home & lifestyle blog, Pastels and Macarons ~

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always adored boxwood plants. There is something so delicate, yet strong and beautiful, about them. For me, they are just about the most perfect plant to incorporate into holiday décor, from clippings used to adorn gifts and place cards to long garlands and, of course, wreaths both slender and robust.

(For an easy-to-follow primer on making your own fresh boxwood wreath, click here).

For this project, however, I decided to apply the classic look of boxwood to create a Scandi-inspired crafted version.  Turning to felt, I interpreted the delicate green leaves into soft white ones that have the advantage of not dying out! I knew it would be the perfect complement to my Christmas décor which, for the past couple of years, has been a mixture of whites and creams and mixed metals of gold and silver.  I love how these soft hues contrast so well with the deep green of our Christmas tree and other greenery sprinkled throughout our home.

(To see last year’s Christmas home tour, click here).

If you are looking to create a wreath that will last, why not try this felt boxwood version for your home this season?

MATERIALS

For this project, you will need the following materials:

• basic white felt (12 inch x 14 inch)
• 14 inch embroidery hoop
• glue gun
• scissors
• small spoon (oval or ‘bowl’ end measuring 1 inch x 1.75 inch)
• pen or pencil
• ribbon

STEPS

Step 1:  Trace & Cut Leaves

First, using the small spoon begin tracing leaf shapes on your felt.

For a 12 inch by 14 inch square of felt, you should be able to create up to 46 tracings.

Next, begin cutting out the leaves, taking care to cut just inside the tracings.

For this project, you will need approximately 90 leaves (using 2 sheets of basic felt).

Step 2:  Give Shape To Leaves

Once the leaves are cut, it’s time to start giving shape to them! This part is a lot of fun, but takes a bit of time. Taking your glue gun, place a dot of glue on one end of a cut leaf, as pictured below.

Pinch the base together, waiting a few seconds to allow the glue to dry.

Repeat for each of the remaining leaves.

Step 3:  Glue Leaves To Hoop

Once you’ve created your leaves, you are ready to make your wreath. This wreath is made up of two rows of leaves, corresponding with the two rings of the embroidery hoop. First, mark the mid-point at the bottom of the hoop.

For this wreath, the leaves will radiate outwards from the mid-point. Taking the first couple of leaves, add a dot of glue to the base of the backside of each leaf and glue directly onto the outer ring of the mid-point of the hoop.

Begin adding your leaves, alternating between the outer and inner ring. Each leaf is placed slightly in front of the previous one in a staggered formation. This creates a more natural and realistic look.

Continue adding leaves in this fashion, alternating from the inner to the outer circles of the embroidery hoop…

…making your way up both the left and right sides, until you reach the top, mid-point of the hoop.

Use the last couple of leaves to cover the bald spot at the top…

…and at the bottom.

Before hanging your wreath, take a closer look to make sure you are happy with your creation.

Step 4:  Add Ribbon

Once you are satisfied, add a festive ribbon and hang your wreath!

This festive felt boxwood wreath is the perfect modern Christmas craft to do this season. Not only is it a chic and pretty addition to your holiday décor, but it is a DIY that will last.

Happy crafting everyone 🙂