Songbird

Where Creativity and Nesting come Together

My Fall Wreath {she is a romantic}

By Marianne@Songbird

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Hello lovely ladies,

I have been crafting. I made a fun little project, just because. No plans for it yet, except to enjoy it. I did my first true Fall project and made a Fall wreath.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn

 

She is nice isn’t she. I like how she turned out even, or should I say especially, since I didn’t have a 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.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_fabric_flowers

 

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.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_gathering_supplies

 

I ended up with fabric and burlap, lace and feathers, some fake flowers and raffia and some planting pots. It looked good together.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_supplies

 

Except those fake flowers. They were definitely a tad too brightly white. So my first order of business was to tone those down a bit. I gave them a bath.

 

tea_dying_faux_flowers

 

A tea bath. I put them all in a bowl. Put the kettle on and brewed some tea. Well actually I just hang a bunch of teabags in the bowl and filled her up with boiling water. As I was doing that I realized that I wasn’t even sure if these flowers could stand the heat of the water, but they were fine. I used the rest of the water to make myself a cuppa and while I left the flowers to simmer in the tea water,  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.

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.

This is how she looked at this stage.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_fabric_scraps

 

I thought she looked pretty already. I could totally imagine stopping at this point, like I did when I made my first rag / fabric scrap 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.

tea_dyed_faux_flowers

 

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…..

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_fabric_scraps_flowers

 

Tea died flowers….


 Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_hydrangea

 

And some squiggly bead/berry branches I found in my florist’s stash.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_hydrangea_tea_died_flowers

 

I simply pushed the flower stems  through the knots in the fabric and when necessary added a bit of florist wire to secure them.

This was a fun project. I don’t really have a place for her yet. But I am sure that won’t be long anymore. 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 will fit in, in no time.

 

Fall_wreath_craft_autumn_neutral_colors

Oh and those flower pots and feathers? Didn’t use them and they have been put away for another project some day.

That’s it!

Bye.

 

PS UPDATE To see my mantel decoration featuring this wreath CLICK HERE

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18 Comments

  5. Alison says

    September 16, 2013 at 3:16 pm

    Beautiful wreath and a great idea with the flowers. I never thought it would work with artificial! I’m inspired, thank you!

  8. Edi YourChicagoConnection says

    September 16, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    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

  10. Gwen says

    September 17, 2013 at 8:28 am

    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

      September 24, 2013 at 11:41 am

      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?

  11. Laura@Elegant Nest says

    September 28, 2013 at 9:25 pm

    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!

  12. Jessica Christian says

    October 3, 2013 at 1:24 pm

    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