How to Make a Button Wreath

Tools/Supplies

-         Wire wreath form

-         Wire (Florist wire/ 30 guage)

-         Wire cutters

-         Mesh Fabric (enough to cover wreath form)

-         Needle and thread

-         Buttons (depending on button & wreath size – for a 10” wreath, assume about 250 of varying sizes)

-         Felt

Optional:

-         Ribbon (for edging and hanging)

-         Gloves (for twisting wires)

Time Commitment:

 ~ 12-14 hours total (I did this project over the course of a week – it’s better to watch a movie or tv while you’re working)

I’ve seen other tutorials for button wreaths that hot glue the buttons to the form- I’m using antique buttons (some from my grandma’s collection, and some from an antique store), so I didn’t want to ruin them with glue. By wiring them to the wreath, the wreath can be used outside (if it’s sheltered from rain & snow) and the buttons won’t fall off.

How to Make it Happen:

Step 1 - Setup

 

1) This is a combination of steps- First, prepare your wreath form by stretching the mesh over the form. Wire it tightly to the form on the inside and outside edge as you can see in the picture. This is the base for your wreath. Trim the mesh from the inside and outside of the form, leaving a small hem.

Cut small lengths of wire (3-4 inches long) and bend them in half. Thread them through the buttons, leaving small tails on the back. Insert the wires through the mesh and twist tightly on the back of the wreath.

Step 2 - Repeat (Over and Over...)

 

2) Repeat this until you cover the wreath form. Start with the larger buttons and fill in with smaller ones.

Step 3 - Add Edging

3) The rest of the tutorial is using the 10” wreath form – it used a red mesh base (Steps 1 and 2 are with a black mesh). After the wreath is covered with buttons, stitch a strip of felt or ribbon onto the inner and outer edges. Use a simple (up and down) stitch with thread that matches the edging and sew through the mesh, making sure the wire edge doesn’t show. You may have to push the edging under buttons which overlap the edge.

Step 4 - Time for Backing

                                                                                        

4) This wreath has a red ribbon edging. Before putting on the backing, push the edging toward the front of the wreath (after gluing the backing, you’ll fold the ribbon over the backing)

Step 5 - Glue inner edge

5) Glue the inner edge of the wreath first.

Step 6 - Adding filling and gluing outer edge

 

6) Cut small pieces of leftover felt and use them to cover the wires on the back of the wreath (this will keep the wires from poking through the backing). After the wires are covered with the felt pieces, glue the outer edge of the backing.

Step 7 - Finishing the edges

 

7) Trim the backing and fold & glue the edging back over the raw edges.

Step 8 - Cutting the slit for the hanging ribbon

8) Choose the top of the wreath and cut a slit in the backing to insert the hanging ribbon. Make sure the slits are about an inch apart so that the ribbon won’t tear out of the felt (the wreath will be quite heavy because of all the buttons)

Step 9 - Add the ribbon

9) Insert a 5-6 inch piece of ribbon through the slit and tie a knot.

Step 10 - Finishing the wreath!

10) Push the knot under the backing.

Step 11 - Ready for hanging

11) Your wreath is done! This wreath was done with pink, silver, white, and gold buttons, but wreaths made with different colors can be made for different looks (random, stripes, dots of contrasting colors..)

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