Embroidery Hoop Fall Wreath Tutorial

I've been seeing these embroidery hoop wreaths showing up all over Pinterest and I decided it was about time I tried it myself. Most of the other wreaths featured fake flowers or leaves, but because I love paper, I knew mine was going to include paper versions!  

The first step was to make all of the paper leaves. I gathered up some fall colors of cardstock (most came from this American Crafts Autumn Variety Pack) and used my electronic cutting machine to cut out some leaves. No worries if you don't have a Silhouette or Cricut, you can totally just print a leaf template online and use it to cut out your leaves with scissors.  

Next, it's time to make those leaves look realistic. This is easy to do and makes such a big difference. I used a spray bottle to spritz each side of the paper leaf, then wadded it up and unfolded it. I left them all to dry and when they do dry, they look a bit more real.  

The next step was to cut a piece of chipboard in a long rectangle. I grabbed some florist wire and punched the ends through the middle of the chipboard with the wire tails coming out the back of the chipboard. The purpose of this is to have a nice steady base to build your leaf bouquet onto.

I first placed my long vine pieces onto the chipboard (made with this Gold Dot Glitter Pow! Paper) and then started building my bouquet. I used hot glue and just adhered a leaf to one side, then added one to the other side and back and forth until it felt full, layering them up. I also was careful to make sure all of the chipboard was covered. 

Next I used a piece of burlap ribbon and stuck it inside the edges of the embroidery hoop about a third of the way from the top. Tighten up the hoop and it will hold your ribbon in place. Attach your layered fall banner pieces to the ribbon with clothespins. Again, no need to have a cutting machine, just freehand the banners and use stickers or printed letters on the banner. I used Bazzill Gold Mylar paper on mine for a bit of shimmer and shine. 

Attach the leaf bouquet to the hoop by twisting the floral wire on the back of the chipboard around the base of hoop. Use hot glue to finish adhering it, but the wire helps give it stability and durability. 

Finish off with a burlap bow and enjoy this all season long. I hung mine on my front door and it makes me happy every time I drive up to my house!