The unofficial start of summer is Memorial Day and although the day is usually marked with barbecues and social gatherings, Memorial Day is so much more than that. It is a day to reflect on the service of the men and women in the armed forces who gave their lives fighting for our freedom. Red poppies are seen on Memorial Day because they are a symbol of the sacrifice of so many men and women who have given their lives fighting for their country and as a symbol of hope for a peaceful future.
Although Memorial Day isn’t for the living, please remember to always thank those who served or is serving in our armed forces.
This DIY post is specifically for a purchased craft kit that you can find on my Etsy shop HERE.
Poppy Wreath Craft Kit Instructions
Purchasing home decor is fun, but seeing something hang on your door (or wall) knowing that YOU made it is fulfilling. Think of all of the complements you will receive, when loved ones come to visit, and the joy that you will have in saying “I made that”.
Due to the intricate pieces used, this craft kit is recommended for those who are at a moderate to expert craft skill level.
Step One: Gather Your Supplies
This Craft Kit Includes:
- Precut Felt Pieces
- Five Red Poppy Petal Pieces in Large, Medium, and Small
- One Green Leaf Base
- Five Green Leaves in Small and Large Sizes
- Five Yellow Strips
- Five Black Strips
- A 10 Inch Gold Floral Hoop
- Two Feet of Yellow Ribbon
Additionally, You will need:
- A Glue Gun
- Fabric Scissors
Step Two: Create the Inner Portion of the Poppies
Please, please, please do this portion carefully. Hot Glue is HOT and will burn you. To avoid this, try using only a thin line of glue while creating your rolls (explanation to come) and hold the felt by the fringe, so that your fingers are further away from the glue.
Step 2.1 Cut Fringe
Stopping short of making a full cut, take a strip of felt and begin to cut slits into it, as shown below.
Step 2.2: Roll the Yellow Fringe
Once the felt strips have been cut into fringes, take one yellow strip of fringe and add a bit of hot glue to the end of one side, as shown below in the photo to the left. Then roll the fringed strip, adding small lines of glue as needed, until you have a finished rolling the entire yellow strip.
Step 2.3 Attach the Black Fringe
To attach the black strip of fringe add a drop of hot glue to the yellow roll beside its end point. Next, add the black strip on top of the glue to create an even seam, as shown in the photos below. Then, follow the same steps as before by adding a thin line of glue to the black fringe as you roll it onto the existing yellow roll.
You should wrap the black fringe around the yellow center until there are two layers of black fringe; any more than that may make the inner portion of the flower too large. This may leave you with extra black fringe to discard.
Follow all of these steps until you have five rolls of yellow and black fringe.
Step Three: Create the Petals of the Poppies
Each poppy flower contains a small, medium, and large petal shape, as shown below; and as you can see, each of the petal shapes has three individual petals.
Step 3.1 The Smallest Petal Shape
Start by taking the smallest petal shape and add a small drop of hot glue to the side of one of the three individual petals, as shown below.
Next, fold this glued spot under the petal beside it and gently hold it into place with your fingers. Do not squeeze the glue too tightly, or it will bleed through the felt showing a dark spot where the glue is. When finished with one petal follow the same steps attaching one petal to the other until all three individual petals are unified…
When finished it should look like the photo below.
Step 3.2 The Medium Petal Shape
Once the smallest petal shape is finished, turn it upside down to prepare it for the middle petal shape. Next, add a line of glue to each of the individual petals on the middle petal shape, as shown below. Having these lines closer to the middle of the petal shape will allow the individual petals to slightly open when the poppy is finished, making it look a bit more realistic.
After the glue lines have been placed onto the petals, carefully flip the middle petal shape upside down on top of the small petal shape.
I recommend aligning the individual petals so that the thee middle-sized petals are placed between the three small-sized petals, as shown above. Only because I personally like the way it looks; however, this is your poppy and you can lay your petals wherever you would like.
Step 3.3 The Large Petal Shape
After the small and middle petal shapes have been glued together, flip them upside down to prepare for the large petal shape. Once upside down, add a small circle of glue to the middle of the medium petal shape, as shown below. Next, lay the large petal shape on top of the glue. Then, gently use your finger to curve the large petal shape onto the rounded medium petal shape, and hold it in shape until the glue is dry.
Again, if you would like, you can also align the large individual petals to be placed between the three individual medium petals.
Step Four: Assemble the Poppies
Now that the petals and inner portion of the poppies have been created, we can now finish the flowers. First, take the inner portion of the poppies and a dollop of hot glue to the bottom, as shown below in the photo to the left. Then, simply place it into the middle of the petals.
Once the glue is dry, look at the inner portion of the poppy. If it seems to be too tall, or if you would rather it be rounded, simply use your fabric scissors to trim the inner pieces however you want.
Step Five: Attach the Leaf Base to the Floral Hoop
For the next few steps you will need the floral hoop and leaves.
First, lay the floral hoop on top of the leaf base, being sure that the hoop runs through the center of the felt base. Once in place, add small lines of hot glue sporadically along the curve of the hoop to keep the hoop in place while the leaves are added.
Next, take one of the individual leaves (size does not necessarily matter) and add a bit of hot glue to the bottom of the leaf, as shown below in the photo to the left. Then, place it over the floral hoop and onto the edge of the leaf base to secure the leaf base in place. Once one side has been secured by a leaf, follow the same steps to attach a second leaf to the other end of the leaf base, as shown below.
Step Six: Add Poppies and Leaves to the Wreath
Now that the floral hoop and leaf base are attached, I will refer to it as a wreath. Like all projects, I recommend laying out your pieces before glueing them together, to help you have a clear vision of what your finished wreath will look like; doing this is completely optional.
To start, add a dollop of hot glue to the bottom of one of the poppies. Then, place the poppy in the middle of the wreath, as shown below. Having a dollop of hot glue will ensure that there is enough glue to secure the poppy to the leaf base under the floral hoop. You can also slightly rock the poppy back and forth over the hoop, so that it can grab onto the leaf base on either side of the hoop for more security.
Next, add two leaves to either side of the poppy. I used the large leaves, but the size doesn’t truly matter. To do this, add a bit of hot glue to the bottom of a leaf, lift the poppy’s petals, and place the leaf over the floral hoop against the flower. This not only adds depth to the wreath, but it also works to cover the hoop.
Following the same steps, add one poppy at a time while following a leaf-poppy-leaf-poppy pattern on each side of the middle poppy. Any extra leaves can be added wherever you see blank spaces.
Step Seven: Add Ribbon
To add the ribbon, first measure a strip of folded yellow ribbon to the top of the wreath. Keep it under a folded six inches, or one foot of total ribbon. Once the ribbon has been measured, cut it. Then, add a bit of hot glue to the end of one side of the ribbon and fold the other side around the floral hoop to lay on the glue.
Next, take the remainder of the ribbon and make a bow. Trim the ends however you would like and then glue the bow on top of the folded ribbon to finish your wreath.
Step Eight: Enjoy
This is so cute and I know you did a great job creating this beauty.
Thank you for crafting with me.
Just as a reminder, you can find this craft kit for purchase on my etsy shop HERE.
As always, if you purchase .
