The Penny Parlor

Foam Tubing Wreath Form Frustrations

11/13/2011

Remember this little wreath tutorial? A fellow crafter commented, "Hi!! Don't know if you know but your little tip about using the foam tubing is all over pinterest! Thanks!!" First thought, yay! I'm glad people are taking advantage of some $$ saving. BUT many are having frustrations with creating a nice, neat circle. I wish to address these issues as best I can.

To those of you who have attempted this and failed, I'm sorry the tip caused frustration. It was the first wreath I ever made using a "form". I saw the foam tubing and gave it a try. Oddly enough, it worked great the first try with no "ovaling", buckling or bending. I didn't add anything to stabilize it, just duct tape to secure the ends together. When I posted the tip, I thought it would work the same for everyone. Not the case!

I'm guessing this foam tubing will only suite wreaths that are smaller in diameter and have "chunky" decor, like the coffee filters. My tubing wreath form was about 8-9" in diameter. The finished product was around 16" in diameter after the coffee filters were added. It's been indoors (not sure foam would do well outdoors) and has held up great since I did it a year ago. If you wish to do a wreath wrapped in yarn, this tip is not for you. That type of wreath will definitely require a more sturdy form, as some crafters are, unfortunately, finding out the hard way.

Another issue is diameter of the tubing itself. Mine was 1" in diameter. One reader posted,

"I think the issue with not being able to get the pipe insulation round has to do with the diameter of the insulation used. At least that's the issue I had. At first I used 3/4 inch diameter tubing and it was bulging and wouldn't get very round. Then I got 1/2 inch diameter tubing and it bends into a beautiful circle without any issues. Hope this helps some others!"

After messing around with it to solve this problem, I have found if you give the tubing a twist while it is straight, then form the circle keeping the twist in tact, it creates a more taut form that will keep a circle better.

I hope this information helps. I have used the tubing successfully and it can be a cost effective solution for some, not all, types of wreaths.

Below is a list of bloggers who have made foam tubing wreaths. Check them out for pictures, tips or tricks.