Yarn Ball Wreath

Well, as it is....I'm a bit of a wreath admirer...

In fact, I've made so many different kinds of wreaths over the years that I usually end up taking them apart to up-cycle my wreath forms, and re-use the materials (which, I'm sorry to say, have been mostly artificial flowers, which then became topiaries....which seem to be popular now that I've pulled all those apart too). 

So when I saw a wreath that was made to look like a bunch of balls of yarn, I thought I'd tackle trying to make one for myself.

In the end I decided to embellish it with some bits of gathered burlap...mostly because I ran out of foam balls and the closest store is 30 minutes away...

I bought some foam craft balls from the dollar store, which came in packages of 8 or so...I choose some that seemed to be the size of tennis balls, and some the size of ping pong balls. Then from my limited collection, I choose some colours and started to string up the foam balls into balls of yarn.

Once you have finished wrapping your ball, and your content that you've covered up any signs of the foam, make a slip knot and run a floral pin (staple) through the loop, then tighten the loop once you've pushed in the pin.

The finished product really will look like balls of yarn. Keep going until all the foam balls are covered.

Next your going to need a hanger (if you follow my method), or a metal wreath form that you can simply hot glue your balls to. 

I chose a hanger because 1) I had one, 2) it was cheap, and 3) I planned on securing my first round of balls by putting the wire through the foam, and then hot gluing the fillers.

I started with a larger ball, putting the wire through the foam, leaving a third of the ball inside the wire and two thirds outside. I continued on this pattern, alternating not only my 2/3 outside, 1/3 inside...but I used small ball/ big ball so that I had a nice, tight fit.

I finished up by adding in the remaining balls to the wreath with hot glue, and then I gathered three pieces of burlap (I think what I had was something used for upholstery and rug making) into nice little embellishments that filled in some space left out from a lack of more yarn balls, BUT, I really like the difference in texture they gave, and the addition of fabric without relying on a hanging ribbon or a bow embellishment. 

Sometime I'll have to find some old wreaths I've made and see how they have changed over the years....Look out, though....Easter is on it's way....and I still have to see that idea come to fruition.