Project Sweater Wreath

Wreaths aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, mainly because they can require a lot of maintenance. But artist and crafter Kirsten Schueler found a way to create a wreath that wouldn’t require any upkeep, and would allow her to recycle some leftover materials. Working with an old wool sweater and a foam wreath form, Kirsten cut pieces of the sweater and hot-glued them to the form to create a unique sweater wreath that can be used throughout the year.

instructions

1. Wash the sweater in the washer with some old towels, using the maximum amount of soap and the hot wash/cold rinse cycle. You want to really rough up—felt—your sweater, so don’t be shy: Use the machine’s maximum settings. Dry it on the maximum settings also.
2. Once the sweater has dried, turn it inside out and cut it up along seam lines using a sharp pair of scissors. Cut away any decorative details, ribbing, and thick seams. Then, using a medium hot steam iron, press the sweater pieces on both sides, until they are flat and smooth.
3. Cut leaf shapes out of the sweater pieces, with as little waste as possible. Don’t worry about all the leaves being identical in shape and size—once they are on the wreath no one will notice and it adds visual interest when they are all a bit different.
4. Let your low-temp hot glue gun heat up while you prepare the wreath. Cut or tear 1-inch strips of fabric. When the glue gun is ready, wrap the fabric strips around the wreath form, tacking the fabric into place with dots of glue as you go. Wrap neatly and tightly, trying to avoid wrinkles.
5. Attach the leaves to the fabric-covered wreath, layering them like shingles all in one direction. Attach each leaf with a dot of hot glue. Sometimes I like to layer the leaves close together and sometimes I give them a bit more space. Either way, layer them so you can’t see your fabric covered wreath form. Cover only the front part of the wreath, leaving about an inch uncovered on the back to help it lie flat against a wall or door.