Looking for a fun and easy fall wreath idea? How about a fabric wreath made from scraps and some faux and real flowers. This fall rag wreath is a fun craft project and very easy to make.
I have been crafting. I made a fun little project, just because. I love how my little fall fabric wreath turned out. I think it might just inspire some Fall Mantel Decor with a Wreath Focal Point. You can make yourself a fabric fall wreath too. Let me show you how I made mine.
She is nice isn’t she? I like how my little rag wreath turned out, even though I didn’t have a clear plan going in. I had this vague idea that I wanted some soft and soothing colors. And I wanted to use what I had on hand. No buying any materials this time round.
I guess I love it when a (non-existent) plan comes together.
To start I just rummaged around my craft room, the basement and the shed. Basically everywhere where I keep my ‘stuff”. My most important, can never part with it, because you never know when it comes in handy, stuff.
I picked up things that looked good and somehow fell in the color range I vaguely had in my mind. I looked for things that felt autumn to me, like they belonged in a fall wreath.
I ended up with fabric and burlap, lace and feathers, some fake flowers and raffia and some planting pots. It looked good together.
Except those fake flowers. They were definitely a tad too bright and white. So my first order of business was to tone those down a bit. I gave them a bath. Let me show you how to tea dye faux flowers to give them a neutral and vintage look.
To give bright faux flowers a vintage look, you can give them a tea bath. Put your face flowers in a bowl. Boil water and get a couple of tea bags. Cover the faux flowers with boiling water and add the tea bags. Let steep for at least a couple of hours or overnight. The color of your faux flowers will receive into a nice neutral and vintage hue.
While my flowers were enjoying their hot batch I used the rest of the water to make myself a cuppa and I went on with the next step.
Ripping the fabric into strips. I cut and I ripped until most of my fabric was turned into a pile of scraps. And then I started knotting. To make the rag wreath I made fabric scraps that were about 10 inches long. I advise to leave the fabric scraps a bit longer than you will ultimately want them, simply because all that tying and knotting is so much easier with a strip that is a bit longer.
Rip and cut way more strips than you think you might need. Because you want to really stuff the scraps in tight.
This is how she looked at this stage.
I thought she looked pretty already. I could totally imagine stopping at this point, like I did when I made my fabric Christmas wreath back in the old days. But as much as I liked the fabricky goodness a vision was coming alive and I wanted to see how my flowers were doing in their bath.
Pretty good actually.
The soaking had definitely tuned that white down in to a lovely natural soft pinky/brown. I just didn’t like those bright yellow hearts. So I tried to tone those down with some ink (didn’t work so well, but it did give the petals a nice edge). In the end I just dabbled some craft paint on them with a brush. That did the trick.
And then the assembly began.
Some hydrangea Annabelle from my garden…..
Tea died flowers….
And some squiggly bead/berry branches I found in my florist’s stash.
I simply pushed the flower stems through the knots in the fabric and when necessary added a bit of florist wire to secure them.
More DIY wreath ideas
<<<< white and silver winter wreath >>>>
<<<< how to make a twig wreath >>>>
<<<< how to make an autumn hops wreath >>>>
This was a fun project. And I loved how my fabric wreath turned out. It is only fitting that she is the star focal point in my fall mantel decor featuring birdcages and a vintage mirror. Fall is definitely sneaking into my home, and every day a few shells and sea stars are moving out and some pine cones and scented candles are moving in. This little wreath fits in perfectly
That’s it!
Bye.
PS UPDATE This fabric wreath lasted until next years Fall too, when I repurposed her into a hydrangea wreath.
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Marie@InteriorFrugalista says
As always, your talent blows me away Marianne! Very pretty indeed.
Marianne@Songbird says
Oh thank you! That is so sweet of you to say.
Midsommarflicka says
That’s a real beautiful wreath! And I love how you dyed the flowers, what a neat idea!
Have an awesome week!
Love, Midsommarflicka
Marianne@Songbird says
Thank you! Tea dying is an old trick but it works every time. And it is fun too.
Erin says
That turned out gorgeous, I love the colors… I may have to try something like that!
Marianne@Songbird says
Yes do! It is a fun wreath to make.
Marianne@Songbird says
Wow, I hopped over. Yes we definitely must have drank from the same well. Her wreath is beautiful too. I think that my jump off point through, came from a wreath I did years ago for Christmas. https://www.songbirdblog.com/fabric-scrap-wreath/
I went in this time wanting to use my fabric and the hydrangeas from my front yard, and this is how it turned out. You are right great minds must think alike.
Alison says
Beautiful wreath and a great idea with the flowers. I never thought it would work with artificial! I’m inspired, thank you!
Dolores says
Love your wreath, great job on distressing the flowers. They’re perfect with the hydrangeas.
Jeanine says
So pretty! What did you use for the wreath form?
Edi YourChicagoConnection says
Now I got all excited and I am out into the yard, clipping some branches that need clipping anyhow, to make the form for the wreath, then I get some hydrangeas from outside, and I must have some silk flowers in my arsenal of
“stuff” and I will go for it, yours turned out so pretty that I got all excited to make one of my own, once finished I intend to put it in the middle of the dining room table, and place a lovely large candle in the middle, thanks for the great idea…
Edith YourChicagoConnection
Marianne@Songbird says
Happy that I inspired you 😀
Linda says
I see hydrangea there and that is one thing I have a LOT of. I love your wreath. It’s Fall and delicate at the same time. Just beautiful. I’d love to have you link up at What to do Weekends (great weekend project, right?).
Linda
http://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/09/what-to-do-weekends-37.html
Gwen says
I’ve been wanting to do a kind of rag wreath tearing strips from some of my dear Papas old undershirts. I bleached them white again and want to make a small wreath for the back of the dining chair for Christmas. You’ve inspired me to use perhaps the brown tiny tweed checked fabric from the hemming of his suit of the 1970’s (yes, he’d saved it) to make the flowers. And if its small I won’t need quite as many strips of fabric. I’m trying to only use the things in the little suitcase he kept his darning in so I have a few of his flat cotton socks I could also use for strips plus he had lots of string and various kinds of thicker threads I can add! Thank you for the inspiration!!! I miss my Papa. He was so kind, wise, Godly, loving, and full of fun and laughter. He would say Oh my, my Lelah Pa Lelah! I’d have never thought to make that out of my old socks and undershirts. He’d have smiled and checked it out and been tickled. My Swedish Papa. I’ve been missing him so much these days.
Marianne@Songbird says
Oh that is such a great and truly lovely idea. I think these rag wreaths and garlands are perfect for using up sentimental bits of fabric. I just know that your Papa would love it. Things used are so much better than things just ‘kept’ in my book. It will be as if he is with you during your Christmas meal if you have your lovely little wreaths hanging on the chairs. Good luck with this project. Will you let me know how it turned out?
Laura@Elegant Nest says
Love the way this turned out! The colors and textures are perfect. So nice when things just organically come together and end up so pretty!
Jessica Christian says
I love it, love it, love it! No I am actually love struck to this! Such a beautiful & elegant wreath it is. The advent of fall has surely enhanced that creative flame in you! Super!!!
Love
Jessica x