Texas Longhorn Yarn Wreath Tutorial

Yarn wreaths are my new favorite way to adorn my door. They’re quick, cheap and easy to make — the perfect recipe for a holiday wreath. I made my first yarn wreath last year, and have whipped out versions for Valentines Day, Independence Day and various other occasions since then. The technique is simple once you get it down an it’s a project you can whip out in a short evening (two episodes of Downton Abbey to be exact).

This fall I decided to kick off football season by crafting a Texas-inspired wreath for my favorite Longhorn. Since it was a gift for a guy, I decided to move away from the argyle and felt flower style wreath I’d done in the past. (I made this TCU wreath last year for my Horned Frog-loving little sister.) After a bit of searching on Pinterest, I found a Greenbay Packers wreath that would serve as my inspiration. I loved how the yarn mimicked the stripes on the team’s shoulder pads and thought it has a much more masculine feel than the argyle.

If you’re looking to recreate this project, I’ve got you covered. It’s is easy to accomplish and with a few quick supplies you can easily create your own! Here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies

• Green Foam Wreath, 12-inch, $5.99 at Michaels (Tip: Use one of their ever available 40% off coupons to cut the cost!)
• Yarn in your team colors, $2.99-$4.99 per skein at Michaels (for this one I used white and burnt orange)
• Wide Satin or Grosgrain Ribbon, $2.99 at Michaels
• Two colors of felt in your team colors, $0.29 per sheet at Michaels
• Foam sticky letters, I forget how much these were at Michaels

Tools:

• Hot Glue Gun
• Flexible tape measure
• Pen
• Scissors

1. Choose your color palette – If you’re making a football or team inspired wreath, your team colors are an easy place to start. I had trouble finding burnt orange felt, so instead I decided to use burnt orange yarn. (There are many more color choices in yarn than in felt.) For the felt, I stuck to neutrals, grey and white.

2. Go shopping – Gather all your supplies. Another good part of this craft: it’s cheap. My total expenditure for this project was less than $10! (I happened to already have white felt, yarn and ribbon. The benefit to crafting a lot is you tend to have leftover things you can use for future projects!)

4. Measure & mark your wreath – Using a flexible tape measure, measure the circumference of your foam wreath. (Finally, a good use for that 9th grade geometry class!) Divide that number into three and mark your wreath using pen or marker in three even sections. Next, mark off where you want your white stripes. I put them just below the top third I marked off and made each section 3 inches wide.

4. Wrap your wreath in yarn – This is, by far, the most time consuming and tedious part of the project. Start by hot gluing the end of your yarn to the back of the wreath. Wrap the yarn around the wreath, pulling tightly until you cover the first third of your wreath. Again, hot glue the end then switch colors. Repeat until you make the pattern in the picture and the entire wreath is covered.

Tip: For faster wreath wrapping, wrap the yarn through the center of the wreath five to seven times before pulling it tight. Repeat and continue.

4. Add Your Team Logo – Use a sharpie or felt pen to trace the shape of your team logo or mascot onto the felt color of your choice. (I found a longhorn online, printed it in the size I want then cut it out so I could use it as a stencil.) Cut out your shape. (I’ve found it’s easier to use stiffened felt to make the cutting easier.) Next, hot glue your shape to another color of felt and cut around it leaving a quarter to half inch border. Hot glue your team logo to the wreath wherever you think it looks best.

5. Make the bunting  – Using leftover grey felt, cut out diamond-shaped pieces to use for the your bunting. I drew the first one free-hand and then used it as a stencil for the others. (Note: Stiffened felt is not best for this part.) Next, fold them over a piece of rope or ribbon to make little flags. (I had the white rope lying around from a previous project.) Next, adorn your bunting with foam sticky letters (they’re in a Varsity-looking font and all!), spelling out your team’s name or mascot. Finish by fastening the bunting to the back of the wreath with hot glue.

6. Tie it Up – A pretty bow is the perfect way to top off your new wreath. To tie the bow, make a slip knot around the wreath, then tie the ribbon to your wreath hanger. Tie a bow on the front of the wreath hanger.

Tip: I found it helpful to practice the knot and bow before cutting the ribbon so I’d know how much ribbon I was going to use before cutting it off the spool. 

And there you have it: a quick and easy project that’s full of team spirit! Have you attempted a yarn wreath before? If you have any tips, tricks or need any advice on making your own, share your questions and experiences in the comments below!