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Goodwill Wreath Upcycled Using Recycled Shirt Tails and Scrap Fabrics

Have you been to your local thrift store in the last few weeks?  Seems like everyone, while packing away their holiday decorations, delivered a box of unwanted and tired wreaths and such.  I found this disgusting, dusty and overall unloved wreath and scooped it up for 50 cents! The ribbons are so old, they look dark orange instead of red and that white stuff is so dusty, dull and ...let me be honest, sticky. Ewe.  So why buy this wreath?  Well, it is a red grapevine wreath under all that junk and I saw potential for something neat for Valentines Day.

So today, I got busy and ripped all that trash off the wreath, saving the rusted out bells in my jar of rusty, crusty junk.  Might use them on a project someday. After removing everything and using pliers to get the excess old glue off the wreath, I gave it a quick wash.  I then rummaged around in my supplies pulling out fabrics and such that I might want to use.  I knew that I was probably going in a Valentines Day theme direction, so I chose a lot of reds. In the image above is a dress shirt that my hubby was getting rid of and I took it for my fabric supplies.  After all, there wasn't anything wrong with the red plaid fabric on the shirt and knew it would come in handy someday.  You can also see in the image the fabric sample books that I got for free from a friend of mine who works as a designer.   I sorted through and pulled out shades that I thought might work. TIP:  If you know an interior designer who works with a large firm get yourself in the loop.  They get rid of their fabric sample books every so often.  Guess where they go?  The trash.  Yep, that is right.  She downloaded an unbelievable amount of amazing sample books to little ole me.  The fabrics are amazing. Many of them are high end samples in all sorts of blends, including velvets, tapestries, cottons and tweads.  You have to have a place to store them.  I made the room. They are stacked in my garage in a way I can access them as I want.

So, I gathered up all my supplies, including scissors and hot glue with my box of spare beads as well.  I first tried out wrapping strips of burlap, but didn't like the look I was getting.  I decided to use my hubby's shirt and I ripped strips out of the shirt front. I then took the strips and wound them around the wreath allowing some of the red grapevine to show through.  Here is what it looked like... I then got out the fabric sample books and sorted though the selection.  I decided to use a combination of velvets, plaids and tapestries to form little rosettes in the same fashion that I made them for my Upcycled Sweater Wine Bottle Bags that I highlighted on the fifth day of my 25 Days Series last month. Here is the wreath after I made 6 rosettes using deep red, champagne pink and eggplant purple velvet scraps along with a red and white plaid fabric , a woven mauve fabric and  the tapestry fabric from the previous image. I used hot glue to affix the rosettes to a base piece of fabric and to affix them to the wreath.  If you look, I also worked in a few spare beads and pearls into the center of the flowers for a little extra interest.  I finished off the top with a bow made from the dress shirt materials.  I placed the bow slightly off center to counter balance the visual weight of the rosettes.
 I am super happy with the results.  This sweetheart of a wreath didn't take a ton of time and can be used well beyond Valentines because my home decor allows for a little something red here or there.

Have you taken a trip to your local thrift shop?  Make sure you take a spin around the areas that old holiday decor could be offered.  You'd be surprised, if you keep an open eye and mind what you might find!


Valentine's Link at Someday Crafts Posted by Lesley Laine at 1:49 PM Labels: DIY thrifty decor, TheSweetestDaysSeries, Yard Sales and Thrifting 
Nice way to recycle some fabric! Loved the embellishments.


January 8, 2012 at 2:08 PM 
Sweet redo Lesley.

January 8, 2012 at 2:43 PM 
You are becoming quite the crafter!!! Love the fabric swatches.

January 8, 2012 at 4:00 PM 

I don't know if it's the same in the States, but in this country if a shop doesn't sell all the magazines and newspapers from that day/month then they all go back to the distributor/publishers. They are sale or return, so they get their money back. The waste is sent off to be recycled. Sacriledge... imagine what us artists and crafters could do with all those old magazines.... What a waste!

January 8, 2012 at 4:06 PM 
i love the sparkly flowers! so cute! is it spring yet?

January 8, 2012 at 4:43 PM 

Wow! I loved how that turned out. Those rosettes are fabulous.

January 8, 2012 at 7:11 PM 
Hi Lesley, So happy to have found your blog, rather I should say, Thanks for following Me, so now I can Follow YOU.... Love this redo Wreath, what a clever idea, Love the colors, Perfect for Valentines which will be here before we know it~ stop back later in the week, I am getting ready for a give~away.
Thanks again for Following along~

January 9, 2012 at 11:13 AM 
It's absolutely perfect!! I love that's it's upcycled too. Awesome job. :)

January 9, 2012 at 1:32 PM 

Beautiful! I love the added Bling!


January 10, 2012 at 9:30 AM Lynn at Cottage and Creek said...

Love the wreath! And how thrifty to use an old shirt! Your rosettes turned out great too. I've been trying my hand at them too. Visiting from Primp tonight.

January 10, 2012 at 7:58 PM 
This is the nicest wreath I have ever seen.


January 30, 2013 at 8:26 PM