Super Closeup of top part of Canvas Waves Wreath

Modern Farmhouse

Torn Canvas or Drop Cloth Wreath

Fresh, modern take on a canvas or drop cloth wreath — whether farmhouse, boho, cottage or contemporary, this DIY wreath brings casual style.

We’ve all seen the cute rag wreaths of yesterday.

They were fresh and new when they hit the farmhouse scene.

But today, today I wanted that same casual, relaxed vibe for Spring, but I wanted something fresh and a bit more traditional. Something more reflective of our style, our home.

How do you marry these two?

Swirling Canvas Wreath suspended with a ribbon on a dark mahogany door

Well, I kept the shape and materials of the farmhouse rag wreath, round and washed canvas (you could use drop cloth if you have that on hand). But applied the canvas in a new way.

I love how the canvas almost mimics the large flower petals tightly packed together. It looks quite intricate.

But actually, it is so simple to do! Snip-Rip-Pin. That’s it. I promise.

Here, let me show you:

Supplies:

Foam wreath form (mine is 14-inch)
Straight pins (I had 24 remaining from a box of 150)
Washed Canvas (I used 19 strips – 1 2/3 yds of 60-inch washed canvas)
Ruler
Scissors
Thimble or tack hammer

Here’s How-To Make a Snip & Rip Swirled Canvas or Drop Cloth Wreath:

STEP 1) Wash Your Canvas

For the slightly rumpled, casual look, I washed and tumble dried my fabric first. This is optional.

STEP 2) Snip & Rip Your Canvas or Drop Cloth

Simple, with scissors snip through the finished selvage edge every 3-inches. Then rip across the width of the fabric. My fabric is 60-inches wide, so my 3-inch wide strips are 60-inches long.

Here’s a quick video if you’ve never done this before. It’s really quite therapeutic.

STEP 3) Wrap Foam Wreath

Cover your foam wreath by wrapping with strips of canvas. Mine took four strips to cover.

STEP 4) Apply the Canvas Strips to the Wreath

Start along either the inside or the outside edge of the wreath. Begin by folding down the finished edge of your first strip so that the finished, polished edge will not be seen. Finger pleat the side of your strip of fabric closest to the wreath pinning through three or four layers and then into the wreath form. Move a bit further down the strip, maybe 1/2-inch, and pleat and pin again. Keep moving like this but changing direction and turn back a bit higher up on the wreath (toward the front), overlapping, twisting and turning how you go.

Thinks variety of direction to produce unpredictable waves of overlapping fabric hiding the pins of previous layers as you go. I’ve made this video to give you a better idea of how this works.

And here is my finished wreath.

Closeup of the waves of canvas pinned to the wreath

Your canvas waves should look something like this. Rows and patches of tight waves of fabric overlapping but with no discernible pattern — very organic.