You know I love me a festive wreath, especially one that looks nothing like those grapevine atrocities they sell at the local craft store. Last year I showed you all how to make a TuTu Cute Wreath for Halloween, and now I present to you the Felt Pomp Wreath.
Do you remember in Kindergarten when you would wrap tiny squares of tissue paper around the eraser end of a pencil, dunk them in Elmer’s glue and stick them to a paper flower to make a fluffy gift for your mom for Mother’s Day? This is made the very same way, except with felt… and hot glue. I named it the Pomp Wreath because I learned later in life that grown children who go off to college are subjected to this same monotonous crafting again, but on much larger, tortuous levels in the form of “pomping” floats for homecoming parades and such. My husband was, apparently, the Pomp Master (I think that’s just a title I made up, I’m fairly certain he doesn’t have it engraved on a paddle or anything) for his fraternity, and I think he still has nightmares of tiny tissue squares.
What you’ll need:
1. A styrofoam wreath form (I like the squared off one instead of the rounded one because it was easier to line up the felt squares and it lays flat against the door, but I’m sure a rounded one would work fine, too. I want to say this was a 10″.) – $7.99 at Hobby Lobby- used 40% off coupon to make it a little less than $5 (you can look the weekly coupon up online and print it or you can show it to them on your phone).
2. A yard of felt- I used a lovely red with sparkles for a festive touch- $5.99/yard, on sale for 25% off, making it, what?? 5ish, I guess.
3. A 30 foot/10 yard roll of satin floral ribbon – $4.99, on sale for 50% off
4. A hot glue gun and glue sticks- if you don’t have one already, you can pick up a mini high temp gun and some sticks for super cheap, like probably less than $8
This wreath wound up costing me less than $15!
First up, wrap the ribbon around the wreath. Secure with hot glue in a couple places as you go.
Then cut your squares. I must admit, that bitch-ass rotary cutter that nearly took my finger off last month really came in handy. Cut the entire yard into 4×4″ squares. Quite easy to do if you have a 4″ wide ruler.
This task is also made a lot easier if you have a sister helping you out. The poor girl never escapes my sweatshop of crafty “fun” when she comes to visit.
We cut long 4″ strips first, then cut the other direction to create the squares.
Now you’re ready to pomp your felt. Get your glue gun ready and grab a pencil. Place your pencil on top of the center of a square of felt.
Wrap the felt around the pencil and apply hot glue to the end.
Begin glueing the felt squares around the outer edge of the wreath, attaching them fairly close together so they are nice and bunched up.
Keep that up all the way around the edge. Note- This edge will actually be the FRONT of the wreath. You will fill in behind this row next. You don’t want to make this top edge too full at the back because it won’t lay flat against the door. So just fill in one row behind the first row.
Then work on the front edge of the wreath. Starting on the inside, pomp all the way around the top edge of the front, again keeping them close together. Then fill in below that with one more row. That’s all it took, 4 rows (2 on top and 2 in the front) for me to get the fullness that I liked. It also took all but 4 of my felt squares. But if you want to do more and have more felt, go for it. Whatever fluffs your wreath.
To hang it, I just attached a scrap of felt to the back of the wreath with hot glue on either end.
We have a Command Adhesive hook on our front door that I hung it on. I contemplated adding a bow to it, but I just love the clean, simple look of the red felt. I also started out doing the sparkles on the outside of the felt squares, but realized that it would be easier to see if it was on the inside, so I switched it up shortly after I started.
I think you could do this with any color. I originally wanted a bright green, but all the store had was a very dark one, so I opted for red. If you have the patience and the tools, I bet it would look awesome if the squares were cut with pinking shears or one of the decorative edges for the Olfa rotary cutter. Or you could just keep it simple like I did. I’m quite fond of it.
I would venture to guess it took about 2.5 hours from start to finish.
There you have it! In just enough time to get to the craft store today (although Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays, sorry). Happy wreath making! Please come back and share pictures, and let me know if you have any questions.
- 48Shares
38 comments
Thank you so much for posting the tutorial. I want to do something like this for my daughter’s birthday.
I am so doing this. With green and maybe a periodic splash of red. Fantastic!
I’m sort of obsessed with this idea. Thanks. Going to buy my crack egg nog now.
I’m so trying this! Very simple & cute
I do something similar with scraps of fabric cut with pinking shears and then shoved into a straw wreath….super east to do and no burning yourself with hot glue…I just used a chopstick and wrapped the fabric around one end and pushed it into the wreath….easy peasy.
I love this! But I am feeling kind of stupid because Ikm not following where you placed the rows, ya know?
stephanie c, I don’t get it either. Also, as someone who wasn’t a part of sorority life, I don’t just “get” what it means to “pomp”.
I wasn’t a part of sorority life, either, FYI. You wrap the felt around the eraser end of a pencil, put glue on the end and stick it on the wreath. There is a picture showing exactly how to “pomp.” As for the order, it really doesn’t matter. I’m just telling you how I did it, but this is sort of a hard thing to mess up, I would imagine. I started on the edge along the top of the wreath, then did one row behind that. Then lay the wreath flat and on the edge of the front of the wreath, where it meets the edge of the top of the wreath, go all the way around and then fill in one row below that. Does that make more sense?
I apologize if you took my sorority comment in the wrong way. You mention your husbands fraternity so I assumed you were alluding to fraternity/sorority life.
I love you and your blog, but I may have said a large cuss word at this post. Pomping still gives me nightmares and I’ve been out of college for eight years.
While the wreath is darling, I could not even finish reading your post. If I wasn’t pregnant, I’d need a glass of Scotch to get this taste out of my mouth. ::shudders::
That is really adorable! I might have to make one of those 🙂
Beautiful!
And by pure coincidence, last week, Dave discovered a large bolt of red felt in the back of our storage unit that I had forgotten… maybe I’ll have him bring it home for me! 🙂
These is awesome, I’ve never even done this with tissues…. maybe I should start there and my three year old can help and then I can graduate to felt
This was super cute and super easy! I posted a picture of mine on my blog. Thanks for such a fabulous craft!
http://cursesandblast.blogspot.com/2010/12/im-back-from-outer-space-just-kidding-i.html
That is super cute… I just may have to attempt some sort of craftiness, as I am needing a wreath, but everything looks so “meh” to me right now. I’m sure I’d be proud knowing I tried to make my own! Thanks!
So, just to update, I made your wreath. Came out really cute! I can’t wait to hang it on the door. Woot woot!
http://kikiandcat.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-craft-some-stuff.html
Thank you for posting this! I wanted to make an indoor Peace Wreath like this – http://www.garnethill.com/felt-peace-sign-wreath/189265 – but wasn’t about to drop $80 to $100 on one. My daughter and I ended up making green wreaths like yours adn they look so nice! We MAY take a stab at the peace wreathe after the holidays… Thanks again and Merry Christmas!
I drooled over your lovely sparkly red pomp wreath. So much that I ventured out to get the supplies to make my own. And it turned out pretty good! Now, if only I could find a place to hang it…
You can see it here.
http://babygsjourney.blogspot.com/2010/12/crafty-much.html
Thanks for sharing the instructions!
[…] was inspired by this DIY felt pomp wreath over at Baby Rabies this month and last week (or so) I got together with my friend & neighbor […]
This is beautiful. I may have to run to Michaels tonight!
[…] are lots of great ideas out there. One which I remembered from last year was this tutorial and decided that it sounded easy enough to follow. I checked with my very friendly and crafty […]
Thank you for the fabulous crafty inspiration. Great instructions and a fun craft afternoon for me.
http://familyhodges.wordpress.com/2011/12/18/a-christmas-wreath/
[…] right now. I bought a bunch of sparkly red felt for like 75% off (yay!!) in hopes of making this wreath for Christmas. SO CUTE! My glass of wine is calling me… I hooked up with House of Hepworths for this […]
This looks super easy wqay to make a wreath.
[…] it nearly 3 years ago for Kendall’s 1st birthday party. The wreath above the fireplace is our Christmas felt pomp wreath that I added rainbow ribbon to. The picture collage on the fireplace is made from a canvas […]
It’s a joy to find someone who can think like that
A good many valuables you’ve given me.
Kudos to you! I hadn’t thought of that!
Stellar work there everyone. I’ll keep on reading.
That’s more than sensible! That’s a great post!
Wham bam thank you, ma’am, my questions are answered!
It’s a pleasure to find someone who can identify the issues so clearly
Ege / 13 Ekim 2011Çok güzel olmuş. Ellerine sağlık murat abi. Şu aradaki espiriler tam dozunda yerinde olmuş. Röportaj da çok iyi olmuş. Devamını isteriz durmak yok Cevaplamak için giriş yapın
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This card is absolutely stunning! The colours capture Autumn just right.I’d love to be able to attend one of your workshops. But living on the other side of the big pond ie in England, UK reading your tutorials will have to do. Hugs, Pauline
Jag tycker också stämningen saknar något, och att allt känns lite kliniskt. Lite för stelt. Lite för rent. Det är bara när det regnar, och under spelets intro, som jag verkligen får den rätta Noire-känslan.
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Felice, io continuerei così…Non omologarti anche tu.Leggo travaglio, blondet e mlti altri, e devo dirti che solo qua trovo veramente informazione aperta, senza pregiudizio alcuno…I tuoi lettori aumenteranno molto…Con stimaDaniele