What better way to great your guests for the holidays than with a Jolly Santa Belly complete with Santa belt and hat? This precious red deco mesh Santa Belly wreath was made with a new half ball work wreath form. Not only is this wreath easy to make, the supplies are inexpensive. I’m sure that Santa would approve. Ho Ho Ho!
SUPPLIES
- 2 rolls – 10″ Deco Mesh: Metallic Red
- 1 – 12″ Half-Ball Work Form (Red)
- Santa hat
- Santa belt
- Scissors and/or wire cutters
COST & TIME
The cost of the supplies for this cute Santa belly are under $23 (click the product names for links to the products). The entire wreath took about 45 minutes to create. If you are interested in creating a ruffle wreath in other mesh colors, a wide array of 10″ mesh patterns and colors is available here.
TUTORIAL
Step 1 – Assembling the Half Work Ball
First, open the half-ball work form on a flat surface. Then place the metal “petal” discs at the top and bottom joints of the wreath. With one hand, raise one of the arms upwards so that it is in between a set of petals, and with your other hand push the metal petal underneath the arm inwards towards the center of the wreath. Now bend the petal on the other side of the wreath. This will keep the arm of the work wreath in place. Repeat the steps until you have all the arms in place. Finally, spread open all of the tinsel ties to ready the wreath form for your materials.
FILL IN THE WREATH FORM
Step 2 – Making Ruffles
The half-work ball wreath form has 20 sets of tinsel ties. You will need ruffles for every tie. Before you begin, cut both rolls of deco mesh into 18″ pieces. One at a time, lay the 18″ length of mesh out on a flat surface. Pinch and pull the mesh towards you with your fingers, keeping the most tension at the center, ruffling the mesh as you gather. When you get to the end, place this pinched piece between a set of tinsel ties and twist to secure the ruffle in place.
Step 3 – Twist to secure
Once you have placed a ruffle in between a set of tinsel ties, twist them together tightly to secure the deco mesh. We recommend beginning at a bottom layer at the top of your wreath, and working your way down to the bottom before beginning another arm.
Step 4 – Continue adding ruffles
Fill in the wreath form from top to bottom, moving across the wreath once you have filled up the four tinsel ties located on each arm.
Step 5 – Add a second layer of ruffles
Once we filled all 20 tinsel ties on the wreath form, a second layer of ruffles was added on top with the remaining pieces of mesh left. This helps fill in all visible holes and give the wreath more volume and dimension. Your finished wreath should look like the photo above.
ADD CHRISTMAS ACCESSORIES
Then we added on the Santa belt and hat. Fill the Santa hat with paper or plastic so it will stand up and attach it with one of the wire ties on the top of the frame. The Jolly Men Bearing Gifts sign was the perfect finishing touch!
