Are you afraid of making some big wreath making mistakes? Don’t Be! Here is What You Need to Know About Wreath Making to Create Beautiful Wreaths that Stand Out!

Hey there! I’m Amanda, and my mom, Sherry, and I are the mother-daughter wreath design team here at Grace Monroe Home. We have made thousands (probably tens of thousands) of designer wreaths in the last 15+ years, since we started our business. I have seen hundreds of people make wreaths and try to sell them on Etsy, only to be frustrated and disappointed because they just don’t sell. You don’t have to be one of those wreath makers!

Most wreaths are, I hate to say it, lacking what I love to call “WOW” factor. They just don’t stand out. They aren’t eye-catching enough to grab the attention of shoppers on Etsy and Google. If you are interested in learning how to sell your wreaths on Etsy, you can go here for my blog post with 10 helpful tips for Etsy Sellers.

Why?

Wreath makers often don’t know what they don’t know.

In a sea full of crafters and wreath makers, you absolutely have got to stand out, especially if you want to sell your wreaths.

Here are the biggest mistakes I see people making when creating wreaths. If you avoid these common mistakes, I guarantee you will start creating wreaths that stand out and make a bold statement. If you are interested in selling handmade wreaths, be sure to grab your digital copy of Wreath Business Blueprint!

1. The “Chaotic” Wreath

This is when a wreath is lacking a focal point. One of the biggest mistakes I see wreath makers make is not having a main focal point. Creating a main focal point within your wreath gives your creation a more visually pleasing quality, without a focal point wreaths often just look like a chaotic jumble of flowers or ribbons. Whether your focal point is an embellishment such as a birdhouse or sign, a large flower, or a striking bow, you want to have a prominent and intentionally placed focal item that stands out and draws attention.

Using unique embellishments in your wreaths is a great way to do this. I encourage you to think outside of the box when creating your wreaths. Some of the most eye-catching wreaths are ones that are adorned with interesting items such as hand painted signs, faux fruit, birds and bird’s nests, and multi-patterned ribbons.

2. The “Funeral” Wreath

This is when a wreath is made with lots of flowers and has little or no greenery. Now, let me clarify. Funeral wreaths are great and definitely serve a purpose, but when you are making a wreath for your own front door, or someone else’s, you want the wreath to have character and charm. Having the right combination of greenery in your wreath can take it from merely “Plain Jane” or “funeral wreath, as I like to call it, to jaw dropping and one of a kind.  You should use at least two different types of greenery in your wreath.  Ficus leaves, eucalyptus, boxwood, and Boston fern are some of my favorite types of greenery to use and are typically easy to find at most craft stores.

3. The “Flat” Wreath

This is when the flowers are placed directly against the base of the wreath and the wreath lacks dimension. One of the keys to making a wreath with “WOW” factor is dimension.  You rarely ever want to place your flowers so that the head of the flower is sitting directly on the base of the wreath. (Making a wreath to fit in between a door and storm door would be an exception.) When you cut your flower stem you should leave it long enough so that when you place the stem into the wreath, there is about three inches between the wreath base and the head of the flower. (If you want a larger wreath, you will leave your stems even longer!) The photo below shows how much dimension you can get in your wreaths when you leave your stems longer.

4. The “Dinky” Wreath

Funny name, I know. But, it’s true. Size really does matter when it comes to wreaths. Unless you are creating a wreath for a specific space that needs to be smaller, you want to make sure that your wreaths are a substantial size so that they look full and inviting on a front door. The standard size exterior door is 36 inches, so anything 24 inches to 30 inches is a great size. You can use either a 14 inch or 18 inch grapevine wreath base and adjust the length of your flower stems to create a larger wreath.

5. The “Boring” Wreath

The name says it all. A boring wreath is a wreath that may have a great combination of greenery and flowers, but it lacks the details that take it from ordinary to EXTRAordinary. It really is all in the details! 

I recently asked for the input of a few thousand wreath makers, and by far one of the biggest challenges that was brought to my attention was a difficulty with choosing ribbon patterns and colors for wreaths.  Choosing the right ribbons for a wreath is very important because a well-placed bow can add so much detail and beauty to your wreath. It can transform a boring wreath into a bold and breathtaking design. My favorite shop to purchase ribbon is 5th Street Studio ribbon. They have great ribbon at a really good price point.

I encourage you to always use wired ribbon when making your wreath bows, and a good rule of thumb to follow when mixing ribbons is to use one solid color ribbon, one plaid ribbon, and one printed ribbon (polka-dot, floral, harlequin print, ect…) You want to continue the color scheme of your flowers into  your ribbon, so either choose matching shades of ribbon, or use contrasting colors (this is a more advanced technique).  A standard size wreath bow has 12 to 16 loops. This will ensure that your bow is full and substantial.

Just by implementing these guidelines when making your wreaths, you can start to create wreaths that stand out and make a bold and breathtaking statement. Now, I created funny and catchy names for the biggest mistakes I see wreath makers making all in fun, but the thing to always remember is that making professional quality wreaths doesn’t happen over night. It takes a lot of practice. As you learn and grow as a wreath maker, your wreaths will grow and improve with you. Pretty soon your wreaths will bring joy to all who see them! For the ultimate guide to selling wreaths online, be sure to read our new book, Wreath Business Blueprint.

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To learn the ins and outs of Designer Wreath Making I highly encourage you to join Design With The Pros Club. But hurry, because doors are closing soon for new members and I really don’t want you to be left out!

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out:

• How I Sold 800 Wreaths on Etsy In 6 Months
• 7 Tips for Selling on Etsy
• Pricing Wreaths: How to Price Wreaths to Sell