How to Make a Danish Wreath and Banner

The wreath and garland are sewn from gorgeous Danish linen from Stof. They will give your Christmas décor a hint of the great north and an authentic Scandinavian look. The wreath—wrapped in a long strip of bias tape— is merely pinned together. At the end of the season you will be able to use the bias tape to bind a quilt if you would like to reuse the fabric.

Danish Wreath - DIY

Supplies

  • One foam wreath
  • 2/3 yard of 60ʺ-wide linen
  • 1/8 yard of coordinating fabrics
  • 1/2 yard of fusible web
  • All-purpose polyester thread
  • 4 yards of ribbon
  • A handful of pins (these will stay in the wreath)
  • 2 to 4 yards of attractive cording or trim for the garland
  • A package of cake sticks (cake pop handles)
  • Clear, gridded ruler
  • Water-soluble fabric marker
  • Steam iron
  • Rotary cutter and mat (optional, but very helpful)

Danish Wreath - materials

Step 1) Prepare the bias strips.

Cut the linen fabric into 3”-wide bias strips. You can achieve this by folding the fabric on the bias (diagonal) and starting your first cut along the fold. To cover the wreath you will need at least seven yards of bias strips.

cut bias strips

 

Danish Wreath - cut bias strips

Sew the bias strips together:

  • Place two ends right sides together as shown in the photo.
  • Draw a line joining the two inner corners and place a pin on each side of the line.
  • Repeat with all your bias pieces until the strip is at least seven yards (twenty-one feet) long.

Danish Wreath - make bias strips

Stitch along the drawn lines.

Danish Wreath - make bias strips

Trim the excess fabric ¼ʺ from the stitching.

Press the seam allowances open.

Danish Wreath - make bias strips

Fold the bias in half, wrong sides together. Press well.

Danish Wreath - make bias strips

Step 2) Wrap the wreath.

Pin the folded bias to the back of the wreath.

Danish Wreath - wrap the wreath

Wrap the bias around the wreath, making sure to overlap the raw edges by only about ¼ʺ or you will quickly run out of bias.

Danish Wreath - wrap the wreath

When you have wrapped around the entire wreath, fold and press the excess bias, and pin as you wrap the wreath one last time.

Danish Wreath - wrap the wreath

Danish Wreath - wrap the wreath

Create a handle with the excess bias. Fold the end, wrap it around the wreath, and use two large pins to secure it in place. (These pins will be pulled out again when wrapping the ribbon.)

Danish Wreath - make the handle

Danish Wreath - make the handle

Step 3) Add the ribbon.

Secure the ribbon with one of the large pins (see above) and wrap it around the wreath seven times.

Danish Wreath - wrap with ribbon

Secure the ribbon again and wrap it around the wreath in the opposite direction to create crosses.

Danish Wreath - wrap with ribbon

Danish Wreath - wrap with ribbon

Step 4) Make the flags and garland.

For the flags, cut several 1½ʺ x 6ʺ rectangles of fabric and 1½ʺ x 4ʺ rectangles of fusible web.

Fold the fabric rectangles in half and place the webbing on one side and the cake stick in the middle.

Danish Wreath - make the flags

Fold the fabric over and press to fuse.

Danish Wreath - make the flags

Repeat this process for the garland, using trim instead of cake sticks, and spacing the flags 2” to 3” apart.

Danish Wreath - make the flags

The flag edges will need to be trimmed a little for stray threads. You can also cut triangles of fabric from the ends or leave them as they are.

Danish Wreath - make the flags

Insert flags into the wreath as desired, weaving the cake sticks under the crossed ribbons.

Danish Wreath - add the flags

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