Yarn Ball Wreath

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Aleene's Quick-Dry Tacky Glue
• 10 Styrofoam brand 3" foam balls
• 13" Bamboo knitting needles
• Yarn, 1 skein each: lime, leaf green, turquoise
• Fat quarter fabric
• Scissors
• Toothpicks
• Iron
• Straight pins
• Ruler

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wrap foam balls with yarn colors as shown. Add a few drops of glue while wrapping to hold yarn in place.
2. Add a dab of glue to end of yarn then press under to conceal. Let dry.
3. Lay finished yarn-wrapped balls on work surface and form into a circle. Determine where one ball touches the next then apply a circle of glue to one ball. Immediately insert toothpick in center of glue circle then press toothpick into next ball to form a two-ball section. Continue gluing remainder of two-ball sections.
4. To form wreath, glue sections together using same method in step 3. Let dry.
5. To create bow, cut a 6"x18" wide strip and 8"x18" wide strip from fat quarter. Fold fabric strips lengthwise, wrong side together, overlap sides slightly and apply glue to form tubes. Let dry. Repeat step with other strip.
6. From small tube, cut 4" length and 12" length. Form tube with 4" length overlapping open edges and gluing together, let dry. Fold ends of 12" length at an angle and glue in place. Form large tube into a circle overlapping open edges and gluing together, let dry.
7. Flatten circle and pinch center to form bow. Place on top of 12" length. Slip 4" tube over bow and tail. Glue in place, holding with a pin if needed until dry.
8. Place bow where desired on wreath then apply glue to center back and press in place. If needed, hold with pins until dry.
9. Insert knitting needles under bow as shown.

• At the heart of this holiday wreath are Styrofoam balls, so you can create this festive fiber art decoration with just a few skeins of yarn. Try it with verigated or novelty yarns for an inventive look. And, of course, reclaim the bamboo needles for knitting after Christmas.