When the month of May rolls around, I start thinking about getting out all of my red, white, and blue décor. I see the colors in stores, and all of the projects I make seem to include them. This year I decided to make a small wreath for someone who is unable make her own, so I went to a nearby store that sells everything for a dollar and found just what I needed. It only cost me about $4 to make this DIY dollar store patriotic wreath, and she loves it.

Whether you need an inexpensive hostess gift for a party, or just want to refresh your summer holiday decorations, this project is just what you are looking for. An added bonus is that the store sells the same types of items for various holidays, so this wreath can be made for just about any occasion.

Let’s get started.

Supplies You Will Need

• 1 Floral Foam Ring – 10” diameter
• 1 Patriotic Scarf – approximately 63” long
• Bouquet of Red, White and Blue Silk Carnations, with one flower of each color pulled off of stem
• 1 Triple Strand of Red, White and Blue Beads, separated into single 3 strands
• Craft Glue
• Glue Gun (Optional)*
• Paper Towels

* Using a glue gun with this project makes it go more quickly, but if you do, use extreme caution and follow the manufacturer’s directions. Also, don’t use the glue gun for attaching the scarf to the foam. Glue guns and foam don’t always mix, and the foam can dissolve and emit harmful fumes. It’s best to do this project in a well ventilated area.

Cover the Ring

Cover your work surface with paper towels or newspaper.

Remove any tags from the scarf and floral ring and fold the scarf in half lengthwise.

Apply a generous strip of glue, about 3” long to the back of the foam ring.

Place one edge of the short side of the folded scarf on the glue and press down. Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the glue begins to dry.

Next, wrap the scarf around the floral ring, making sure to cover all of it. The scarf should be long enough to cover the entire ring, and will end up just about where you glued on the first edge.

Using your glue gun, carefully add glue to the area where the scarf ends, making sure to glue it all down. Because the scarf is folded you will have to add some glue in between the layers. If you do not have a glue gun, you can also use craft glue. It just takes longer to dry.

Add Beads

Then, take one strand of beads that has been cut so it doesn’t form a loop, and glue one end to the back of the wreath. I like to do this in the same place where the scarf is glued because there is already some glue there that you can use.

Carefully wrap the string of beads around the ring, about 3 to 4 times, depending on how long the string is. It should end close to where it started. Add some more glue to hold down beads. To ensure that the beads don’t slip, add a drop of glue at each point that the beads meet the ring on the back side. Let the project sit for about half an hour to allow the glue cool and set.

Add Flowers

Flip the wreath over so the right sight is facing up.

Next, take the carnation that was pulled off of the stem and, if needed, trim a bit of the green plastic from the bottom of the flower. That will help it sit flush against the wreath.

Then, add a drop of glue to the bottom. Press the flower to the wreath and hold it for about 30 seconds to make sure it doesn’t fall off. Repeat with the other two carnations.

Add Hanger

Lastly, it’s time to make the hanger. I like a shorter wreath hanger, so I cut my string of blue beads down to about 20” long. Apply a drop of glue to one end of the string and join it to the other end to form a loop. Without touching the hot glue, hold in place for about 30 seconds to let the glue cool a bit, then set aside to finish cooling.

Once it has cooled down, add the hanger to the wreath. Lay the beads down on the table, then lay the wreath on top. Take the loop on top of the wreath, bring it over the front, and feed it through the loop on the table. Gently pull and you have a hanger.

The only thing left that you have to do is decide where to hang it. So the next time you are feeling crafty and patriotic, but don’t want to break the bank, try making this easy dollar store patriotic wreath.

It’s always fun to decorate with patriotic colors. Here are some more festive ideas for your celebration.