If you've read this blog for nearly any length of time, you know I love garlands, and felt, and Anthro, (remember this one from a few years ago?)...and when they all come together in a new craft diy, I can't help but share. It may be a little late for this holiday season, I'm putting mine away today, but hey, you can get a major head start on next year's holiday season! Of course, depending on the colors you choose, it could be appropriate all throughout the year too. Here's how I made my version of this Anthropologie garland:
I grabbed my pile of felt scraps to begin. I have always loved felt, especially wool felt, and have bought it through the years at flea markets, thrift stores and fabric stores. I also bought some wool blend from Heather Bailey and love it, her colors are really great. I started cutting it by hand, but soon realized that was going to be a long, arduous process, so I switched to a new plan:
Out came my rotary cutter and self healing matt and a ruler that has my little brother's name scrawled in 8 year old penmanship on the back (I treasure it).
As you can see, the pieces cut are imperfect, and about 1/2 and inch wide and a little over 2 inches tall. I cut the tails on some but didn't end up using them for this garland.
I wish I could tell you how many I cut, but I truly, have no idea. I just used scraps and small pieces and called it good. You can always cut and add more to your garland at any point.
I used an embroidery needle and some DMC "coton perle" to stitch the garland together. I decided to pinch the strip of felt together with my fingers and went through the felt in 2 points that way.
It looks like this after the first go through.
I then went back through, going close to, but not through the first stitch, and going the opposite direction as the first stitch was made.
That way, when you pull it taught, you get a nice pinched effect.
Now, at this point, if you wanted to, you could come back up from the center of the pinched piece, but I didn't, I wanted the sort of off-centered, gathered look, so instead:
I just pulled the thread up from the side where it came out after the second pass through, and started with a new piece:
After doing that about 500 times (really, I have no idea how many, but the thought did come to me that if I was able to find one at Anthro after the holiday on sale, it might be a better use of time, haha), I had a sweet garland.
When I asked my daughter to hold it for a photo today, she couldn't resist using it as a boa...it does remind me of that...
But we're going to stick with it as a garland around here. Elise had a different diy inspired by the same Anthro garland, you can see hers here. Let me know if you make one, I'd love to see! Happy end to the holidays!!!