7.20.2011

Burlap 'Bubble' Wreath Tutorial

I mentioned in the Decorative Aged Door: Before and After post, that I wanted a wreath for my 'new' door that was full, had a softness to it, and was neutral in color.  After searching the web for awhile with no luck finding what I had in mind, I remembered a wreath that I made back in the late 90's.   That was when the light came on in my head and I realized that I might be able to update the look by using burlap.  Long story short it's exactly what I was hoping for and I love how it looks on the door!


I wish I knew where the idea for the first bubble wreath originated (from the 80's or 90's?) to give credit, but I don't have a clue.   I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I still have mine from the 90's.  It's been tucked away in a tote for years waiting to be re-made.  Obviously it hasn't been a top priority of mine.  I was really into hunter green and mauve back then, but I bet you couldn't tell. ; )

Original and Updated Versions
Note:  If you'd like to make a bubble wreath with a light-medium weight fabric, like the one on the left, you may need to run the pin through the sides of the fabric square as well as the corners.  Just run the pin around the edge like you are making a very large slip stitch.  Keep reading and you'll understand what I'm talking about. :)

Supplies Needed

1-10" foam wreath
(check your dollar store)

1 1/4 -1 1/2 yds. burlap, or other fabric

@100 pins with large heads
(You can use small headed pins for fabrics with a tighter weave. 
I used my old sewing pins and then bought a new package to replace them, now I have new pins for sewing.)

How to Make A Burlap Bubble Wreath
(I came up with a new way to fold and pin the squares that I think is easier and faster than how we pinned them back in the 90's.)


I used a white pin in the pictures to show where you will hold the fabric with your thumb and index finger when folding it.  You don't need to pin it until step five.

1. Cut your fabric into 4" x 4" squares (or close to that).   I cut one square first to make sure it was the size that I wanted and then used it as a guide to cut the rest of the squares.  

Cut the fabric into 4" strips and then cut each strip into 4" squares.  The squares don't need to be measured and cut precisely if you don't want to take the time, but should all be cut pretty close to the same size. 

2.  Fold the square in half to form a triangle.  Take the right hand corner (pinch one layer of the fabric on the very tip) and bring it to the front.  Line up the corners.

3.  Take the left hand corner (pinch one layer of fabric on the very tip) and take it to the back.  Line up the corners.

4.  All four corners should be lined up at the bottom.  It should look like a bubble now.

5.  Pin through all four layers of fabric.

6.  Pin the 'bubbles' to the wreath.  Pin one bubble on and then place the next one close to it so that it hides the pin on the one that you just added.  The bubbles should be just close enough so you don't see any of the foam wreath or the pins.


This pic of the back will give you a better idea of how it all goes together.  You'll want to bring the bubbles around the edge just far enough so when the wreath is against the glass/wall the green doesn't show from the side.  (You can cover the back with fabric first if you'd like.)


To give you an idea of how many it will take, I used just over 90 burlap squares for this wreath.




My sister had a great idea to use colored burlap (orange, red, brown) for the fall or (red, green) for Christmas.  Wouldn't that be fun?

Hopefully I've explained this so it all makes sense, but if you have any questions, please feel free to ask!   I was happy to learn through reading the comments on the decorative door post that I'm not alone in my readiness to bring back the bubble wreath.  Who knows, it might just happen!  I think it's time...do you? ; )

Updated to add:  You might also like these simple holiday additions to the burlap bubble wreath.

 Today's Fabulous Find...The Burlap Bubble Wreath




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79 comments:

Karen said...

Love it Janet! I don't remember it back in the 90's, but I think you just brought it back! Awesome:) Colored Burlap would look great too!

CatNCart Craft said...

Love it - I think it would look fantastic with a reindeer head for my Christmas decorating
Judy

farmhouse-story said...

i love burlap and this is fantastic, janet! thanks for the tut!

Anne Tussing said...

Fabulous tutorial! Thank you!

Mixed Media/ Altered Crafts said...

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing! Hugs,Tee

Leslie said...

I’ve never seen this type of wreath...and I love it. It makes me want to cuddle back up with my pillow!

Heather said...

I really love this and am planning on making one soon...great idea!;)

Amanda said...

What a great way to update a 90's wreath to make it more modern. I love me some burlap so I am definitely going to have to try this. Thanks for the great tutorial. I found you over at Serenity Now...have a great weekend!

Miss Kitty said...

Your wreath is just great! I predict it will spread like wild fire over blog land...we will all be wanting to do one. Thanks so much for sharing this (I don't remember it from the 1990's but then, I don't remember a lot of things these days).

Funky Junk Interiors said...

Wow, I really liked the effect on this one! Elegant and rustic in one package.

Shared this on FJI Facebook for SNS 91. ;)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150314656661141&set=a.192514281140.164586.175378011140&type=1&theater

Donna

Heather Bea said...

Uh Oh...I love EVERYTHING on this site! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Your Newest Follower,
Heather @ Fake-It Frugal

Paula@SweetPea said...

So cute! I remember these from the 90's. Your burlap update is wonderful. Orange and black for Halloween would be so cute!

Joselyn @ The DIY Spot said...

Beautiful!

Jamie said...

Rock on with this awesome, gorgeous wreath!!! Great job

Korrie@RedHenHome said...

This is new to me, and CUTE! I'm not generally a wreath person--but I may change my mind!

Anonymous said...

I just joined the burlap craze a few months ago. Never heard of the bubble wreath in the 90's, but I do love the modernized version you made!

Welcome said...

I lovvve this tutorial thanks so much! its perfect!

p.s. newest follower
jess :)

Jane said...

I had forgotten all about this style of wreath. (I made ribbon wreaths like this in the '70s). Thanks for sharing the updated version! I just might make a couple of these for the front door.
Jane

Unknown said...

Great job!! I love burlap!! :) Thanks for sharing your ideas! xo, Reannah

scrapfancy said...

I like the techinque. Will have to try this out. I have been collecting wreaths from thrift shops-so here we go. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Wow!!! This is gorgeous! I've never seen anything like it. I just love it! I am definitely going to be making one of these this week!!! I'm off to the store to buy burlap in the morning!!! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Anonymous said...

Wow!!! This is gorgeous! I've never seen anything like it. I just love it! I am definitely going to be making one of these this week!!! I'm off to the store to buy burlap in the morning!!! Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Tammy said...

Where has the time gone? It doesn't seem that long ago that Mauve and green were the "thing":) This looks great! Love the neutral look--I always have--I am ab it boring when it comes to color. I am your newest follower. I hope you can visit me sometime soon!

Decor To Adore said...

What an adorable DIY project! Thank you so much for sharing.

Happy Monday!

Anonymous said...

I love your wreath! And the door! I love old windows and doors! I have an old window as decoration in my house. It is on my blog if you want to check it out!
http://mylilpumpkinpatch.blogspot.com/2011/06/window-from-my-past.html

I am a new follower!

cherished bliss said...

I love this so much! Burlap is one of my favorite things! I hope you will share at my party!

http://www.cherishedbliss.com/2011/07/craft-and-tell-no-15.html

Bethany @ A Fish Who Likes Flowers said...

I LOVE this wreath!!! I will definitely be borrowing this idea. Thanks for the inspiration!

Unknown said...

Wow!! This wreath is lovely!! It sure beats the one for the 90's!!

Mariel@ www.sexymodeststyle.com said...

Wreath looks soooo nice!! I am so doing this for the fall time!


Come link this up at my woot woot wednesdays!
www.tootsiewootsieboutique.blogspot.com

Pamela said...

I want to go buy some burlap right now! I love this look and have a perfect "spot" for one.

Alison @ Oopsey Daisy said...

Janet, this is beyond gorgeous!! What a great idea--so unique!! Just tweeted! Love this!

Lindsay Haynie said...

This is gorgeous! Thanks for the tutorial, I think I might actually be able to make something almost that good!

Aaron {the girl with the boy's name} said...

Thanks for the tute! I love this wreath and WILL be making one soon. I'm also thinking red burlap for Christmas. Thanks for the inspiration.

~Aaron {the girl with the boy's name}
Mudpies & Marigolds

Amy E. said...

I love the fullness of this wreath! I'll have to give it a try this fall! I made a burlap wreath last fall and it didn't turn out as full as I had hoped. Thanks for the great idea!

Kirsten @ Mushki Loves said...

I Love this! I need one!

Tracy said...

Hi Janet --

I'm so happy I found your blog through Kara's linky party today. :) I love it!
I'd like to invite you to share your creations sometime at my weekly linking party as well. I am really trying to grow my party to include lots of creative projects just like this one. Thanks for the consideration and here is the direct link. ~ Tracy
T.G.I.F. Linky Party

Robin @ Bird On A Cake said...

I love this wreath! Thanks for the tutorial, I will be making one soon. :0)

Carrie said...

I've never been much of a wreath person, but you just converted me! I can't wait to make one! Thanks for the fab inspiration!

Beth@Wiccan Make Some Too said...

Janet...what can I say? This wreath is wickedly amazing! I would love for you to show this off at my Wickedly Crafty Saturdays! http://wiccanmakesometoo.blogspot.com/2011/07/wickedly-crafty-saturdays.html

Unknown said...

I love this wreath!! I wanted to let you know I am featuring it on my site on Monday!

http://www.thegunnysack.com/2011/07/whats-in-gunny-sack-wreaths.html

Stephanie said...

LOVE this wreath and what a great step-by-step tutorial - thanks!

Katie said...

Love this wreath! I tried it out myself and wrote about it on my blog!

http://thriftyfindsandredesigns.blogspot.com/2011/08/burlap-wreath.html

Karen C said...

I'm thinking this would look great with a few silk mums stuck in and a bow for fall. I think I will try it! Thanks for the inspiration.

Embellished Bayou said...

I loved this so much I had to make one of my own! Here's how mine turned out:
http://blog.embellishedbayou.com/2011/09/geaux-tigers-burlap-wreath.html
Thanks for the inspiration!

A Dusty Frame said...

LOL! My bubble wreath looked almost exactly like yours;) I think even some of the same fabric;)

What a great idea to update it--never even thought of it! Thanks! My mom (original bubble wreath maker) is going to love this!
Lizzie

Tiffany Woodall said...

LOVE THIS ... I've featured you on my blog today. Come check me out.

www.countrygirl27048.blogpsot.com

lkjasbrf said...

I loved this wreath so much that I had to make one of my own! Here's where you can see mine! http://katscutesies.blogspot.com/2011/10/autumn-wreath.html

Thanks so much for the tutorial!

I am now a follower!

Megan said...

OMG!!! I have been searching far and wide on how to make this exact wreath!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! This is on my list of things to do immediatly!!! It looks amazing!!! I am so excited I want to take off work and go home and make this wreath NOW!!! :)

Collette's Place said...

Awesome wreath! I am making one for my freshly painted bedroom! Love your blog, keep up the awesomeness :-)

Collette Grace
collettegrace@ymail.com

Collette's Place said...

Also, I featured this on my Facebook site The Wonderful World of Collette!

Gina @ MoneywiseMoms said...

Thanks for the great tutorial! This would be a great way to upcycle used sheets and other large pieces of fabric.

Colleen G said...

Hey I just wanted to say thanks for this!!! I made it this weekend and LOVE it! But my bubbles look nothing like yours - I couldn't figure out why! I am happy with how it turned out, but couldn't figure it out! Here it is if you want to peek... http://clgdesign.blogspot.com/2011/11/burlap-wreath.html

Anonymous said...

Here it is NOVEMBER and I just found your tutorial on your Burlap Bubble Wreath! This e-x-a-c-t-l-y what I've been looking for and had no idea what it was called! Just gorgeous and now, thanks to you, I get to make my very own! Thanks so much for sharing this tutorial with us!

Janet said...

To Luvin' the Hubs: You're welcome! It's a fun wreath to make. I'm not 100% sure that it was called a bubble wreath back in the 90's, but I couldn't remember for sure so I just called it that. The name seems to fit. Glad you found it. :)

poseypapers said...

Thank you so much for sharing this. I remember making these back in the 90's, now that you mention it. But I totally love how you updated it. Will be making one this weekend!!

Unknown said...

Thank you for such a great tutorial! I'd love to share it on our Trendy Tree Blog with links back to you and credit of course))). Excellent work!

Unknown said...

made this last night and i love it! it was so quick and easy!

Janet said...

I'm glad it went well for you Lauren! It really is an easy wreath to make. :)

Karie @ The HoB said...

Love this bubble wreath! I made one this fall!!

Kim @ Too Much Time said...

Just found this on pinterest an am in love! I need something big and rustic over my headboard and this is just the thing:)

Tals said...

Hi! Thanks for posting this tutorial. I mentioned you in my blog. http://creativecreations-tals.blogspot.com/2012/01/bubble-burlap-wreath.html

I put the link to your blog underneath the picture of my wreath above the couch.

I'm not sure how to make the link work though :(

Anonymous said...

Love this tutorial. Thank you. Just one question, Don't the pins fall out of the wreath? Did you use any glue?

Janet said...

To Sarah: You're welcome. :) The pins actually stay in really well. I don't know how they would do on the outside of a door with the wind, but inside, they stay put without the need for glue. If one of the bubbles were to pop out, you would just need to adjust it so it fit better and place the pin in a new spot on the foam wreath.

{Repurpose Universe} said...

best directions I've seen so far for this - thank you!!!!! I'm pinning this - I MUST try this! Thank you for sharing!

Judy's Junktion said...

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I had all the supplies and was ready to make a burlap wreath, but could not find one I liked until now! Love it! I have never made wreaths before, I have now! It turned out so cute. I Did a 14" foam wreath with white burlap and it has one large starfish to the side to go with a beach decor.

Thank you so much! Judy

Janet said...

To Judy: You're welcome! I'm sure your wreath looks so pretty in white with the starfish! Thanks for sharing your idea!

Unknown said...

This is genius!

Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl said...

Mentioned you on my blog.
New follower!

Kitten88 said...

I want to make one of these like yesterday. I think I could use different ribbons to make a new bow for every season.

Kitten88 said...

Would a dab of hot glue work along with the pins to help make the wreath a bit more acceptable to weather?

Janet said...

To Kathleen: You know, I haven't ever tried hot glue, but I bet it would help keep the bubbles in place on windy days. It doesn't hurt to try. If you have problems with the hot glue melting your foam wreath, you might could try wrapping it in fabric first before you start adding the bubbles. Have fun and let me know how it goes! :)

BeanBugCrafts said...

Thanks so much for the tutorial. I found your post from the 36th Avenue and have pinned it for later. Thanks for sharing!

Anna @ Bean Bug Crafts

W and J said...

I made it this week and LOVE it so much!!! The messy, non-uniformed look is absolutely perfect. Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial! I ended up adding a monogram and a berry bunch that I had to fall-ify it! ;) Hanging on my front door as of today! :)

Kayli @ Head Over Heels said...

I made it! Thanks for your awesome tutorial! I love that it's for all seasons. Worth the time investment!

Kayli

http://www.headoverheelsdesign.com/2012/12/burlap-bubble-wreath-pinned-it-made-it.html

Dollgiver said...

Could a styrofoam wreath be used as a base?

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Allison said...

Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing! I made my own burlap wreath and featured it on my blog. I linked back to your site.
http://www.allisonskinnyjeans.com/2013/07/burlap-bubble-wreath.html

Allison @ Allison's SkinnyJeans

Old Soul said...

Made one and just love it! I used a straw wreath base because I couldn't find a foam one like yours, and it worked like a charm. I left the plastic wrap on the wreath and wrapped it in burlap. The pins really do hold tightly. Making another for my front door.

Janet said...

To Old Soul: I'm happy it turned out so well for you! Thanks for your comment. :)

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