Creating a Single Color Wreath
Begin with pipe cleaners. Wrap several pipe cleaners around a metal wreath frame. Evenly place several colored pipe cleaners around a circular metal wreath frame, spacing the pipe cleaners roughly 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) apart. Attach the pipe cleaners by simply twisting them onto the first or second wire from the center of the frame. Twist them enough so that they are securely held in place, but make sure to leave at least 2 inches (5 cm) of free pipe cleaner on each end. Use a color that roughly matches the color of your deco mesh ribbon so that the pipe cleaners blend in better. The exact number of pipe cleaners you use will depend on the size frame you use. Set aside any extra pipe cleaners you have, as they may come in handy later on.
Attach the deco mesh ribbon to the frame. Pinch one end of the ribbon together and fix it onto the wreath using one of the pipe cleaners. Place the pinched end in the center of one pipe cleaner and twist the pipe cleaner around the end to hold it in place. You should use a large roll of fairly wide deco mesh ribbon. For a standard size wreath, 10-inch (25-cm) ribbon should suffice. Arrange the deco mesh ribbon so that it overlaps the pipe cleaner, partially concealing it. The pinched end of the ribbon should rest along the frame. The remaining ribbon should come out from the other side, over the pipe cleaner knot, and over the end. This should conceal both the pipe cleaner and the end.
Connect the ribbon to the next pipe cleaner. Gather 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) of ribbon with your hands, pinching off the length with your fingers. Attach this pinched portion to the middle of the next pipe cleaner and twist the pipe cleaner around the ribbon to hold it down. This should form a little "bubble" of deco mesh. If the bubble is uneven or appears flat, gently "fluff it up" by bending it with your fingers until the bubble appears even.
Connect the ribbon to each pipe cleaner. Follow the same pattern to complete the wreath. Pinch off 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) of ribbon, attaching each length to the wreath by twisting the next sequential pipe cleaner around the pinched portion. The pipe cleaners will be partially concealed by the bubbles that are formed from the ribbon. If you want to conceal them completely, use wire cutters to snip them off, leaving enough to prevent the twisted portions from unraveling. Use the same length of ribbon for each segment. If not, the wreath will look uneven and sloppy. Finish the wreath by cutting the ribbon and connecting the cut end to the starting pipe cleaner. Curl the end of the deco mesh ribbon into itself to maintain the proper shape and to prevent raw edges from being exposed.
Add a second layer. The wreath can be left as is, but if you want it to look fuller, attach a second layer of the same deco mesh ribbon to the frame. Add more pipe cleaners, placing them in any empty spaces created by the first layer. Try to position the pipe cleaners evenly apart. Fix the second layer to the frame with the same method used to fix the first layer on. Pinch even lengths of the ribbon and twist the new pipe cleaners around these pinched-off portions.
Attach additional decorations. Depending on the occasion, you can attach small ornaments, feathers, fabric flowers, small flags, or a variety of other crafting decorations to the wreath. Use clear-drying craft glue to attach light decorations, like feathers. These decorations can be glued to the frame or to the ribbon. Use a hot glue gun to attach heavier decorations, like ornaments, directly to the frame. Do not attach these decorations to the ribbon. You could attach holiday ornaments to a green wreath. A large red bow can be glued to the bottom center. You can make a Halloween wreath by attaching black ornaments, plastic spiders, and fake webbing to the wreath.
Using Multiple Colors
Attach your first color. Wrap the end of the deco mesh ribbon around the frame, holding it in place by wrapping floral wire or a thin piece of metal wire around the end. Fold the end of the ribbon under itself to mask the raw edges. Use wire that roughly matches the color of your metal frame or one of the ribbon colors. For standard size wreaths with multiple colors, 6-inch (15-cm) deco mesh ribbon should be a good size.
Wrap the first ribbon around the frame. Wrap the ribbon around the frame. Take the length around the starting point, over the top of the frame, and then wrap it around the frame once more. Each connecting point should be roughly 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) apart. Space the points evenly apart. The length of the ribbon used to reach the next connecting point should be about double the length of the frame leading to the connecting point. For instance, if the connecting points are 2 inches (5 cm) apart, you should use 4 inches (10 cm) of ribbon to reach that connecting point. "Fluff" or bunch up the deco mesh ribbon as you go along to create volume. Tie the ribbon to each connecting point using thin wire. Finish off the end by bringing the ribbon to the starting point and connect it to your original wire. Fold the end of the ribbon under itself to hide the raw edge.
Add your second color. Position the second color ribbon so that it fills in the gaps left by the first ribbon. The metal frame should be mostly hidden by the time you finish. The connecting points of the second ribbon will fall beneath the "fluffed up" or "bubbled" portions of the first ribbon. Space the second ribbon in sections that are even with the sections used for the first ribbon. Attach the second ribbon to the frame by using the same thin wire used to attach the first ribbon.
Weave in other colors. Use additional deco mesh ribbon to fill in any remaining gaps on your wreath. Three or four colors will usually look best, but you can use fewer or more depending on the look you want. You could also fill in the gaps using a color already used on your wreath. Attach additional layers of ribbon using the same method used to attach the first two layers.
Glue on other embellishments. Use a hot glue gun to attach heavy decorations, like ornaments, directly to the frame. You can use craft glue to attach lighter decorations, like feathers or foam letters, to the frame or to the ribbon itself.
Creating Curly Deco Mesh
Curl your deco mesh ribbon. Unroll a length of deco mesh ribbon, curling it as you go so that it forms a tube. The diameter of the tube should be 9 to 10 inches (23 to 25 cm) wide. Cut the deco mesh to separate the curl from the rest of the spool. You will need roughly 72 individual curls of deco mesh ribbon to create a full wreath. For a less full wreath, however, you can use 36 to 54 curls. At minimum, this project requires two rolls of 21-inch by 10-yd (32-cm by 9.1-m) deco mesh ribbon. You can use more than this if you want more colors.
Form bunches of deco mesh curls. Hold four curls of deco mesh ribbon together at the center. Fix them together with a pipe cleaner that matches one of the colors. For a smaller, less full wreath, create bunches with two or three curls of deco mesh. Twist the pipe cleaner around the deco mesh curls enough to hold them together securely. Leave enough excess pipe cleaner at the ends to fix the ribbons onto the wreath.
Attach the first bunch. Tie the center of the bunch to the inner ring of the frame by twisting the pipe cleaner ends around the wire. Twist the pipe cleaners enough to hold the deco mesh in place. Fluff up the curls once the bunch is attached. Gently bend and position the curls so that half face inward diagonally and half face outward diagonally. For this project, a 24-inch (61-cm) metal wreath frame works best.
Attach the remaining bunches. Place the bunches around the frame, spacing them apart evenly and twisting them in place using the remaining pipe cleaner ends. The bunches should be placed a little more than 1 inch (2.5-cm) apart from one another. It may help to leave a little bit of "wiggle room" between the pipe cleaner and the metal frame. Doing so will allow you to glide the bunches around and reposition them as needed. You can always make the twist tighter after the bunches are all arranged as you would like them to be. Attach the bunches to both the inner and outer wires of the frame for a full wreath.
Fluff the curls. Bend and reposition the curls so that some face diagonally inward and others face diagonally outward. The end result should be a full wreath with no empty space in the center and none of the wire frame visible.
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