An Advent wreath with crepe paper flowers

1 Print and cut out the template available as a PDF file at the bottom of this page. Make spruce tips by cutting a 20 x 5 cm piece of crepe paper. Follow the stretch direction on the template.

2 Stretch the piece of crepe paper as shown in the photo.

3 Fold the piece of crepe paper twice lengthwise; you now have four layers. Cut fringes along one length through all four layers. Cut the fringes with an approx. 3 mm gap between each, 5 cm from the edge.

4 Roll up this piece of crepe paper tightly, rolling it between your hands as shown in the photo to thin out the fringes.

5 Unfold the piece of crepe paper and attach one end of it onto one end of a floral stem wire using a glue gun. Wrap the paper around the top of the floral stem wire a couple of times to secure it.

6 Continue wrapping the crepe paper downwards at an angle around the floral stem wire, regularly applying glue. Use a glue gun or multi glue.

7 Make 15-20 of these spruce tips as shown in the photo, depending on the thickness of the wreath.

8 Use the template to cut out all the parts for a flower. Remember to cut out following the stretch direction on the templates. Make a total of 12 large and small flowers for the Advent wreath. The guide for the flower in steps 9-18 describes how to make a flower using six large crepe paper petals arranged around a gold berry together with a piece of crepe paper for the stamen and a piece of 1 cm wide x 20 cm long green crepe paper to cover the stalk.

9 Pull out the piece of crepe paper for the stamen as described in step 2. Cut fringes lengthwise along one side as described in step 3. Roll it up tightly and roll it between your hands as described in step 4. Dip the fringes in a blob of multi gel and into a tub of glitter. Leave to dry for approx. 10 min.

10 Make and shape the petals. Round each petal with a bone folder by pulling the petal between the bone folder and your thumb; the same technique as curling a ribbon with scissors.

11 Shape the petal by stretching the middle of it, so that it becomes rounds. Repeat this procedure with the rest of the petals.

12 Twist the edge of the petal back and forth along the entire edge as shown in the photo in order to create a wavy edge. Repeat this procedure with all six petals.

13 Add glitter along the top edge of the petal by attaching glue and then dabbing this part of the petal in a tub of glitter. Repeat this procedure with all six petals and leave to dry.

14 Attach the stamen around the stalk of the artificial gold berry.

15 Attach the first petal onto the stamen with a glue gun or multi glue.

16 Distribute and attach another two petals around the stamen. Attach the remaining three petals staggered between the first three petals.

17 Cover the floral stem wire with floral tape or the cut-out crepe paper. Stretch out the long piece of green crepe paper. Attach one end onto the joint where the petals are glued onto the stamen, covering this joint. Wrap the paper angled around the floral stem wire, securing with glue as you go along.

18 If you don't want a gold berry in the middle of the flower, then simply glue the stamen directly onto a floral stem wire.

19 Mix and match with or without berries, large or small petals and with or without glitter as you wish.

20 Cut four pieces of gold thread each measuring approx. 80 cm. Tie them onto a metal ring.

21 Tie the four pieces of thread together so that the metal ring is stable.

22 Wrap a flower around the metal ring with the stem close to one of the pieces of thread for hanging.

23 Distribute and attach the flowers around the metal ring. Begin by, for example, attaching a flower next to each thread and then an additional two flowers between each flower.

24 Wrap the spruce branches onto the metal ring to fill the gaps.

25 Distribute and attach the remaining spruce branches around the metal ring to cover the floral stem wires.

26 Attach four clip-on candle holders onto the metal ring between the gold threads.

Template Print the template here.