How to Make a Burlap Wreath – 3 Easy Styles!

Learn how to make a burlap wreath with rustic burlap ribbon, using one of three different and very easy step by step tutorials! Burlap wreaths are the perfect base wreath for any seasonal embellishments.

Its easy to make a burlap wreath, this project is fool-proof, even if you don’t consider yourself “crafty.” There are three different techniques that each have a slightly different look, and are very simple to make. All you need is a couple spools of burlap ribbon, a wire wreath frame, wire or pipe cleaners and less than an hour, and you’ll have your very own burlap wreath, perfect for any decor or season!

Burlap Wreath for Every Season

Because of their neutral color and style, wreaths made from burlap can be modified to use for any season or holiday. They are a perfect blank canvas for any decorative accent or embellishments!

Spring is the perfect time to use a burlap wreath. Bunnies, spring carrots, tulips and burlap all go together beautifully. For a spring burlap wreath, a small bunch of tulips tied with a springy pastel plaid bow would be lovely.

Summer and burlap is also a great combination. Sunflowers, daisies, magnolias and cotton all go great with burlap. An Americana style bow with a sunflower or two would look great on a burlap wreath.

And of course fall and burlap are a great match. Rustic fall leaves and mums pair perfectly with a burlap wreath.

Even in the winter, burlap wreaths can be a great choice. They are a beautiful base for wintery greenery and a crimson or ivory bow.

I have a fantastic and super easy bow tutorial, if you need some help making bows for your wreaths for each season. I promise you can make a pretty bow in a few minutes!

How to Make an Easy Burlap Wreath

To make a burlap wreath, you need:

• wire wreath form (more about wreath forms here)
• burlap ribbon (I used a little less than two 20 ft spools of 6″ burlap ribbon for each wreath)
• Pipe cleaners or floral wire

Depending on which burlap wreath tutorial you choose, it typically takes less than an hour to make a burlap wreath, from start to finish.

Burlap wreaths can be made to be as full and poofy or streamlined as you like. To make the wreath more poofy, you’ll need more burlap ribbon to create the depth and fullness. Using less ribbon creates a more classic look.

For my exact supplies, I used

• 14″ wreath form from Dollar Tree
• 6″ burlap ribbon (2 spools)
• pipe cleaners

The Three Basic Burlap Wreath Techniques

Burlap wreaths, much like ribbon wreaths or deco-mesh wreaths, are made with one of three basic styles:

• Push-up
• Ruffle
• Poof

There are variations on each of these, depending on width of burlap ribbon and whether you want to add in ribbons or mesh with the burlap. But to keep things easy, I have decided to simplify this tutorial down to these three burlap wreath styles.

Push-up Burlap Wreath Instructions

This is probably the most popular burlap wreath technique. Most of the tutorials online or on Pinterest are this style. Its easy because its just weaving the ribbon up and down through the wire frame. There isn’t any cutting and securing the burlap to the frame, besides the very beginning and the end.

To create this type of wreath, start by securing the end of the 6″ burlap ribbon to the underside of the wire wreath frame. You can use floral wire or pipe cleaner, or even zip ties if you want to.

Now you can start pushing the burlap ribbon up in between each horizontal wired section, to create three “loops”. Try to make them equal sizes.

Now repeat by twisting the underside of the ribbon a little and then pushing it up through the three openings again. You can start to “scrunch” the previous loops.

Keep pushing up loops in groups of three. You can repeat it as much as you’d like within each wired section, depending on what look you prefer. For this wreath, I did three groups of three within each section.

If you run out of ribbon, you can wire the end of one burlap ribbon to the end of the next. And then continue on pushing up loops.

Once you’ve finished pushing loops up around the entire wreath frame, secure the end of the burlap to the beginning of the burlap.

And that’s it! You can twist and scrunch and fluff the loops to create a full and uniform look.

Ruffle Burlap Wreath Instructions

I really wanted to call this style the “taco technique”, for reasons you’ll soon understand! This is another easy burlap wreath tutorial, and its pretty fun to do!

To create this ruffly burlap wreath, start by securing the end of the 6″ burlap ribbon to the underside of the wire wreath form.

Start by pulling the sides of the ribbon up parallel to one of the two inner wires (we’ll use both wires, one at a time), kind of creating a taco shape with the burlap and the wire. The wire should lay on top of the middle of the burlap ribbon.

To create the ruffles, continue to pull the burlap ribbon through, along the wire. I like to hold the top edges of the burlap and pull them up as I go along. Pull up as much ribbon as you’d like, to make it as ruffly as you like. Just try to be consistent for each section.

When you get to one of the cross wires, just continue pulling the ribbon up into the next section. You don’t need to cut and reattach the ribbon, you can just keep going. When you run out of ribbon, you can just start threading the next ribbon through, no need to really secure it.

Once you’ve gone around the whole wreath and are back to the beginning, switch to the other inner wire and repeat the taco ruffle technique on that wire, all the way around.

When you finish the second wire, and are back at the beginning point again, cut the burlap ribbon and attach it to the frame. All done! Easy pease ruffly burlap wreath!

Poof or Bubble-Style Burlap Wreath

This method is a fun technique, and can be really versatile. It would be easy to layer a decorative ribbon on top of the burlap. I used a 6″ burlap ribbon, but a wider ribbon would be really pretty as well. You’ll need a lot more pipe cleaners or wire to make this style. I keep a pile of pipe cleaners cut in half, ready to go.

To start, secure the end of the 6″ burlap ribbon to the top side of the wire wreath frame, along the two inner wires, at a vertical junction.

To make the poofs, measure a length of burlap ribbon. I use my hand held vertically to measure the burlap consistently and easily. You can also use a small ruler if you want to be precise.

Bunch the burlap and secure it with the wire or pipe cleaner.

Then attach it to the wreath frame. I like to just use the inner two wires, but depending on how big and full you want your wreath, you can use as many or whichever wires you’d like.

Continue measuring and securing poofs, attaching the same amount of poofs to each section of the wreath. For this wreath, I liked 8 poofs per section.

Continue around the entire wreath, attaching a second spool or burlap ribbon, if necessary. You can just tuck the ends towards the back.

All done!

You’ll likely need to adjust the poofs to be spaced evenly and to make sure the wires aren’t showing. I pull the loops apart from each other to cover up the wire frame. Also make sure to tuck in the ends of the pipe cleaners or wires so they aren’t visible either.

Burlap Wreath FAQs

Here are some commonly asked questions about making burlap wreaths. If you have a question that I haven’t answered below, feel free to email me at thehowtomom @ gmail.com and I’d be happy to answer!

How much burlap ribbon to I need to make a wreath?

For each of these wreaths, I used about 30 feet (or 10 yards) of 6″ wide burlap. If you use a wider burlap, you might not need as much. If the burlap you want to use is skinnier than 6″, I’d consider using my ribbon wreath tutorials.

Where is the best place to buy burlap?

Its easy to find burlap at most craft stores and discount stores. The quality can vary from place to place, and you typically get what you pay for. I like to buy my burlap ribbon at Michaels, I buy this one: 6″ Burlap Garland, Tight Weave.

How do you decorate a burlap wreath for holidays?

Wreath made out of burlap are a great neutral base wreath, that can easy accommodate a variety of flowers, bows and embellishments. Decorations can be attached with either wire or hot glue. Create a small “bouquet” with some flowers, attach a bow and voila!

For more gorgeous wreaths, check out my Beautiful Wreaths Pinterest board for more ideas and inspiration. I also have LOTS of wreath tutorials right here on my site. Happy crafting!