When it comes to humble wool felt, two layers can be lovelier, and sturdier, than one. And with a few stitches or a piece of wire, the two-dimensional fabric soon takes on three.
Before you know it, you've transformed flat pieces of felt into decorative objects and everyday items, such as this festive fall wreath for the mantel.
Download berry-leaf template, print onto card stock, and cut out. (Or cut out a template freehand; ours is 2 inches tall and 3/4 inch wide.)
Cut 3 equal rectangles large enough to accommodate template: 1 from medium-brown felt, 1 from fusible webbing, and 1 from light-tan felt. Cut one 4-inch-long piece of floral wire.
Stack brown felt and webbing. Center wire on webbing; leave 2 1/4 inches of wire extending past bottom edge.
Place light-tan felt on top. Iron, following webbing manufacturer's instructions.
Lay template on fused felt, centering on wire; trace with a disappearing-ink pen. Cut out leaf. Wrap wire stem with brown floral tape.
Repeat to make more leaves (about 65 for this project), using heather-tan felt as top layer for half the leaves.
To make 5 leaves at a time, make these adjustments: Cut rectangles of felt and webbing that are 5 1/2 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches tall. Arrange 5 wires on webbing at 1-inch intervals. After fusing, trace template over each wire. Cut out leaves.
Cut 1 triangular strip of melon-pink felt that is 4 inches long and tapers from 1/2 inch wide to 1/8 inch wide. Cut one 3-inch-long piece of floral wire.
Wrap wire with brown floral tape. Apply a dab of fabric glue at wide end of felt. Lay top 3/8 inch of wire in glue. Roll felt around wire to form a berry, applying glue as you wor
Repeat to make more berries (about 65 for this project), using salmon-pink felt for half the berries.
Cluster a few leaf and berry stems, and wrap with floral tape. Repeat to make more clusters.
Holding 1 cluster, affix a second cluster just below it using floral tape. Continue adding clusters until you create a 14-inch-long branch. Repeat to make second branch.
Cut three or four 3-inch lengths of wire, and wrap together with floral tape. Repeat to make another wire bundle.
Extend each branch by attaching 1 wire bundle to bottom of each with floral tape; cross ends, and bind with more tape. Bend each branch gently to create wreath shape. Using a narrow ribbon, tie a knot where branches cross.
Hang using 2 lengths of monofilament tied to each branch at widest part of wreath.
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