Bystanders and a video crew would enjoy lots of laughs watching me make this wreath. 

It was my first and only attempt at making a clothespin wreath and I know I had lots of laughs while putting it together. 

I originally shared this project a few years ago and during this editing process I have to admit, it still made me smile remembering how this dollar store wreath came together.  Hopefully, it will make you smile too as we revisit this project together today. 

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Read my blog long enough and you will realize that I enjoy making wreaths of all different styles and varieties.  

I have wanted to make a clothespin wreath for some time. 

Since I adore Patriotic decor, especially homemade DIY projects, a chance to try something new and add another wall decoration to my current collection is always a good idea. 

Pinterest already supplies wonderful DIY tutorials on how to make a clothespin wreath. So I was hesitant to add another similar post to the web.   I mean really – do we need another step-by-step post on how to make more DIY clothespin wreaths?

Of course we do!

The process of making a clothespin wreath of any style seems pretty straightforward. 

You paint the clothespins and attach them to a wire form.  Easy peasy – right? 

My experience was a little bit more adventurous than that but a lot of fun. 

All of my supplies for this wreath came from the My local Dollar Tree.

Rather quickly, I realized that crafting a clothespin wreath comes with a few unique quirks.

Spring-loaded wooden clothespins do not stay in place. 

It would take patience and humor to manipulate and manage the snap-back tendencies of the springs on the wooden clothespins trying to make them stay attached to the wire wreath form. 

After many attempts, frustrations, and remakes, I adore the finished wreath.  Even though I did find myself comically repeating some steps over and over again.

Here is how it went…

Step 1:  Laid down the clothespins and the wire wreath form on cardboard to spray paint with primer.

Step 2:  Realize that the raw wood of the clothespins absorbs a lot of paint.  Spray paint the clothespins with a second coat of paint – and a third one – just to get a good base coat on the wooden clothespins.

The clothespins can be attached to the wire wreath frame in different patterns and variations.

Step 3:  Attach the all-white clothes pins to the wire form to figure out the pattern and style of the design.  I wanted a tiered and full look to the wreath so I tried to attach the clothespins to all three sections of the wire form.  

Step 4:  Pick up the clothespins off the floor that snapped off the wire wreath form while I was trying to attach springy clothespins around each other to the three rings of the wire.  Thankfully I dodged all the flying ones that came too close to my face when they snapped off.

Step 5:  Finally, I get a pattern established on the wreath form that resembles a beautiful American flag wreath. More importantly, with a careful placement of the clothespins that doesn’t cause tension between the individual clothespins so they don’t sporadically spring off the frame anymore.

Step 6:  Start painting the clothespins in acrylic paints in red, white, and blue after deciding on the pattern and position of the colors. The pattern I chose would have the front ring of the wire wreath form filled with blue clothespins, with the next two rows behind it filled with alternating red clothespins and white clothespins. 

Step 7:  Realize even with the primer paint coverage, the acrylic paints don’t stick to the clothespins with one coat.

Step 8:  Paint a second and third coat of paint on the clothespins and wait for them to dry.

Step 9:  End up painting several more coats of acrylic paint to establish the best full-color covering on the clothespins.

Step 10:  Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 to get the newly painted clothespins back in place.

Step 11:  Try to add the decorative patriotic ribbon to the wreath and laugh when more clothespins fall off.

Keep working at it!

Step 12:  Attempt to reattach clothespins again and finally admit that I am going to need glue!

Step 13:  Heat up the hot glue gun and repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 to attach each clothespin with hot glue.  At last something works, and be happy that the pattern is perfect and will stay in place!

Step 14:  Hang the wreath on the wall and threaten anyone who tries to touch the clothespins.

Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I made it seem. 

I knew all along I would need to glue on the clothespins but didn’t want to start with glue just in case I didn’t like the first red, white, and blue pattern.  So I had to deal with them popping off while I was trying to find the look and pattern I liked. 

Many tries later I finally got a look I liked in a stacked pattern that would fit the wire form and my vision for a Patriotic clothespin wreath.

I had fun making this Patriotic wreath, even with the extra steps. the many coats of paint, and the clothespins constantly springing off the frame.  Who knows, I may even make a different-themed wooden clothespin wreath someday.

Pin For Later

I highly suggest that even if you find a project on Pinterest that has been done many times before – if you want to try it for no other reason than you want one for yourself – then go for it.  The creative process will be worth it.

This Fourth of July wreath that I created is what I now consider one of my favorite wreaths and memories.  I think the memories are what I like about it the most. 

Hugs,

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

2 Timothy 4:7

Other posts to enjoy:

DIY Patriotic Projects