Give Thanks Gratitude Wreath Focusing on gifts and blessings brings happiness and joy. A gratitude wreath is a daily way to remember to give thanks - and it's also a touching tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This wreath features ribbon stitched with your favorite designs, as well as a handy pouch for holding the tags. For all of the hardships and challenges of life, there is always something to be grateful for. Let family and friends embellish the wreath as they count their blessings. Read on for project instructions to create a Gratitude Wreath! Supplies Needed: **Grape vine wreath (mine is about 18" in diameter) **2 3/4 yards -- 2 1/2" wide fabric ribbon yard cotton fabric (wired or non-wire) **1/4 yard fabric (for front of pouch -- I used canvas) **1/4 yard print cotton fabric (for back and inside of pouch; I used quilter's cotton) **1 3/4 yards -- 1/2" wide ribbon file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (1 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Supplies Continued: (for pouch ties) **Temporary spray adhesive **Air-erase pen **Card stock (for tags) **Masking tape **Decorative flowers, hot glue, and hot glue gun Special Project Notes: I used the Fall Filigree Border on my ribbon, and the Give Thanks design on the pouch. So many border designs would be lovely on the ribbon, including the Abundance Filigree Border, the Art Deco Leaves Border, and the Thankful Harvest Border. For the pouch, try Blooming in Thanksgiving, Give Thanks Turkey, or the Bless Leaf. To get started, wrap the 2 1/2" wide fabric ribbon around the wreath as many times as you like (I wrapped it 8 times) leaving some open spaces for the tags. Trim the ribbon and tuck the ends into the wreath to hold them in place. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (2 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Create templates of the designs by printing them at full size using embroidery software. If you are new to working with templates to position designs, see these handy instructions for more information about making and using templates. Place the templates on the ribbon where you want them and tape them in place using masking tape. Remove the ribbon from the wreath and lay it flat. Next, remove the tape from the first template, but keep the template in place. Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, poke a hole in the center of the templates and mark the fabric. Also, mark the horizontal and vertical axis points. Remove the template and draw lines connecting the marks. Repeat the marking process for each template. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (3 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
To get ready to embroider the ribbon, cut a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer a bit larger than your hoop. Spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive and then smooth the ribbon on top. Hoop the ribbon and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (4 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the ribbon. Embroider the design. Repeat the embroidering process for each design. When all the designs have finished, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (5 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Wrap the ribbon around the wreath (just like you did in the beginning). Tuck the ends into the wreath on the backside. You can add a couple drops of hot glue to the ends of the ribbon and then press it in place. To prepare the pouch, draw a 8" by 8" square on the fabric (I used canvas). Measure and mark the center of each side by measuring and dividing by two. Draw lines connecting the marks. Create a paper template of the design, poke a hole in the center, and align it with the center point on the fabric. Make sure the design fits well within the shape; there should be at least one inch of space between the outer edges of the design and the edges of the shape. Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, move the hoop so that the needle is aligned with the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design. When the design has finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery and cut out the shape. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (6 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Next, to prepare the inner lining of the pouch, lay the embroidered front piece on top of the print cotton fabric, right sides together, pin in place, and cut around the shape. Sew a 1/2" seam along the top edge only. Align the fabric together, wrong sides together, and press the seam with an iron. Top stitch a 1/4" seam along the top edge only. For the back fabric, cut two pieces of the print fabric to 8" wide by 10" high. Lay one of the pieces flat with the right side facing up. Align the front embroidered piece on top, right side facing up, with the bottom edge of the front piece aligned with the bottom edge of the first piece. Then, align the remaining back piece on top of the front piece, right sides together, pin in place, and sew a 1/4" seam along the side and bottom edges only; leave the top open for turning. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (7 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Turn the fabric right side out and press the seams. Also, turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2" and press. Next, cut four 16" lengths of the 1/2" wide ribbon. Pair up the ribbon pieces and insert one end of each pair in between the fabric layers at the top of the pouch about one inch from each top corner. Insert the ends into the fabric about 1". Pin in place and sew a 1/4" seam along the top edge. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (8 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
Tie a knot in each ribbon pair about 2 up from the top edge of the pouch. Then, loop the ribbon through the bottom of the wreath and tie it in place with bows. You can also add decorative items, like flowers, by adding a couple of drops of hot glue to the flowers and pressing them in place on the wreath. Cut the tags from the card stock. I cut mine to be about 4" wide by 2" high. Then, I trimmed them on one end creating a point. The point makes it easier to insert the tag into the wreath. Place the tags and a pen or marker into the pouch. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (9 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]
And your wreath is complete! Invite your guests to write a message on the tag and insert it into the wreath. This wreath is a lovely addition to Thanksgiving decor. Make it a part of your daily habit of giving thanks, and living with a grateful heart. Click here for a printable version of these project instructions. file:///f /Source/ELProjects/html/PR1872.html (10 of 10) [11/5/2013 1:19:39 PM]