How to Make a Burlap Wreath for $25; “You are My Sunshine” Wreath Tutorial

I’ve been having so much fun making these wreaths. I made this one for a friend who was very supportive during a difficult time. She was one of the many people in my life who brought some sunshine to some very cloudy days. That’s why I am naming this creation the “You are My Sunshine” wreath 🙂

To make your own, here’s what you will need!

Marterials
* A wire wreath form (I used the 18” wire wreath frame from Walmart) – $3
* Two rolls of yellow burlap ribbon (5.5”x15ft from Walmart. They have a good selection of colors, if you want to change the color.) – $5 per roll
* Items for decorating the wreath (I found my flowers and the ribbon for the bow at Hobby Lobby. You can always check the dollar store too!) – Ribbon was $4 and Flowers- $5
*Picture hanging wire– I already had this on hand, but you can find it at Walmart or any hardware store for a couple dollars
*(Optional) Twine to tie your bow. You could also use the picture hanging wire or hot glue to secure your bow. Whatever you think works best for you and your budget.

Tools
*Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks– Walmart has glue guns for $3 and glue stick packs starting around $3 depending on how many sticks you want
*Wire Cutters

Once you’ve gathered all of your materials, you can begin your wreath!

Step 1 (Anchor Your Ribbon)
Fold the burlap ribbon in half lengthwise or “hotdog style” (sorry, I used to teach 1st grade 😂). Weave the folded ribbon through the wire frame, starting from the inside and weaving out. This will anchor the ribbon. Anchor to the left of a separation bar (see photo and video below).

Step 2 (Creating Loops)
Next, twist the ribbon underneath so that it’s back at the inner most part of the wreath and pull your 1st loop through the inner space. This is the trickiest part and I would be lying to you if I said that it wasn’t a pain in the patutty to figure out the first time. But, once you figure it out, it gets way easier. Next, pull your 2nd loop through the middle space, and then a 3rd loop through the outer space. Twist the ribbon underneath again and repeat (inner, middle, outer).
You should have 6 loops per section. (✨The bigger loops you make, the the fluffier your wreath will look, but try not to make them too large because you will run out of burlap. Trial and error is the name of the game on the first go around). Continue making loops until you run out of the first roll of ribbon. It should cover the first 4 sections of your wire frame.

Step 3 (Continue 2nd Ribbon)
Anchor your 2nd roll of ribbon the same way you did with the first. You’re going to anchor right after your last loop, inside the same section. You are anchoring here so that it will be hidden (see photo and video below). Continue to make your loops all the way around the wreath. Leave 2-3 inches of ribbon to tuck at the end, and cut off the rest. 

Step 4 (Turn Loops Inside Out)
Your loops are finished! Now, you are going to turn each loop inside out. (See video below)

Step 5 (Decorating/Personalizing Your Wreath)
The rough part is over and now it’s time to decorate!

For this wreath I used two stems of white daisies and navy blue striped ribbon from Hobby Lobby. I usually try to see what I can find at the dollar store (often times, I am successful), but I just couldn’t find what I was looking for. Hobby Lobby for the win on this round. The ribbon was 50% off, and the flowers were two or three dollars per stem. Not too bad.

I used picture hanging wire to attach the flower stems to the wreath. I just cut a couple small pieces with my wire cutters. Then, I twisted the wire around the stem and the wreath bars. I usually try my best to twist and fold the ends of the wire, and tuck them into the burlap because I don’t want anyone to get poked.

Lastly, I made a bow using my pretty, navy striped ribbon. I always follow the directions from this Pinterest post I found a while back. It works great with wired ribbon, but I’ve made it work with normal ribbon too!

There you have it! “You are My Sunshine” wreath complete and beautiful! I think it’s perfect for the end of summer/beginning of fall season.

Be patient with yourself. Once you figure out the loops, it’s really fun to make these for friends, family, and yourself!

Comment below if you have any questions or need help 🙂

Warmly,
Megan