How to Make a 21-Inch Braided Mesh Wreath

If you love trying new wreath-making techniques, this 21-inch braided mesh wreath is such a fun one to add to your list. It has the playful look of a curly wreath, but with a unique braided center that gives it extra texture and movement. What makes this design even better is that it uses less mesh than some other methods, and you can customize it easily with your favorite color combinations, ribbon, and sign.

For this wreath, I used four bright summer colors and a regular work wreath form. The finished look is cheerful, colorful, and perfect for summer decorating. If you have been wanting to try something a little different with 21-inch mesh, this is a great project to experiment with.

Supplies Needed

• 21-inch deco mesh in 4 different colors
• Regular wire work wreath form with ties
• Fabric clips or sewing clips
• Ribbon in coordinating colors
• Decorative sign
• 26-gauge wire
• Metal hole punch
• Pipe cleaners
• Scissors

Step 1: Cut the Mesh

To start, cut your 21-inch mesh into 15-inch pieces. I first tested 10-inch cuts, but I found that 15 inches worked much better. The longer length gave the curls a fuller look and helped hide the raw edges without needing to wood burn them.

If you use 10-inch pieces, you may see more fraying, so unless you plan to seal the edges with a wood burner, I recommend sticking with 15-inch cuts.

You will need four pieces per bundle, with one piece from each color. For my wreath, I used five bundles on the bottom row and four bundles on the top row, for a total of nine bundles.

Step 2: Curl Each Mesh Piece

Take each 15-inch strip and roll it the way it naturally wants to curl. This makes the mesh much easier to handle and gives you a tighter, cleaner curl. Once you have each piece rolled, secure it with a fabric clip.

A helpful trick is to place the clip on the cut edge of the mesh. This lets you keep track of where the raw edge is, so you can make sure it stays on the bottom and does not show in the finished wreath.

Continue curling and clipping all four colors for each bundle.

Step 3: Create the Braided Bundle

Once you have four curled pieces clipped, line them up with the clips facing down. That means the cut edges will also be facing down, which helps reduce visible fraying.

Remove the clips from one side only and place that end into one tie on the wreath form. Twist the tie just enough to hold the mesh in place. Leave the other side clipped for now so the curls stay together and you can still track the bottom edge.

Now comes the fun part. Gently twist and cross the four curled pieces together to create a braided look in the center. There is no exact right or wrong way to do this. Just move the curls around each other until you get a cute twisted braid effect.

Once you like how it looks, remove the clips from the other end, keeping the raw edges facing down, and secure that end into the next tie on the wreath form. Try to keep about three to four inches of the braided section visible between the ties.

If one curl seems too long or sticks out awkwardly, simply tuck it back into the braid or trim a frayed piece if needed.

Step 4: Finish the Bottom and Top Rows

Repeat this process all the way around the bottom row of the wreath. For my wreath, I used five braided bundles on the bottom. Once the bottom row was complete, I moved to the top row and added four more bundles the same way.

This wreath design does not need a lot of rows, which is one of the things I love about it. Two rows are enough to give it a full, finished appearance while still letting the braided detail shine.

When you finish both rows, you will already start to see how cute and unique this method is. It really gives the look of a curl wreath, but the braided center adds something extra special.

Step 5: Add Ribbon

After the mesh was complete, I chose to keep the ribbon simple because I wanted the braid to stay visible. I used a polka dot ribbon that pulled all the wreath colors together, along with pink and yellow ribbon to alternate around the wreath.

Cut your ribbon into 12-inch pieces. Pinch each ribbon piece in the center to create a simple bow shape. Add one ribbon cluster into each tie.

On the bottom row, pull the ribbon loops slightly forward. On the top row, spread them out a little more. Be careful not to cover the braided sections too much. The braid is the star of this design, so you want it to remain visible.

If you prefer a more open look, you can skip ribbon on every other tie or even leave the ribbon off completely.

Step 6: Attach the Sign

To finish the wreath, choose a coordinating sign. I added holes to the top and bottom of my sign using a metal hole punch, then attached 26-gauge wire through the holes.

Because I wanted the sign to sit securely in the center without falling through, I made a small base inside the wreath using pipe cleaners. I added one pipe cleaner across the middle and another vertically to create a support structure.

Then I slid the sign down into the wreath and pulled it up into place. Once I had it where I wanted it, I wrapped the wires around the wreath frame and twisted them tightly. The pipe cleaner base helped keep the sign from slipping backward.

Final Thoughts

This 21-inch braided mesh wreath is such a fun twist on traditional curl methods. It is colorful, textured, and a great way to try something new with 21-inch mesh without using a huge amount of supplies. I especially love how the braided center gives the wreath extra interest while still keeping that playful curly style.

This method would be beautiful for summer wreaths, birthday wreaths, seasonal door decor, or any design where you want lots of color and texture. Try changing up the mesh colors, ribbon, and sign to make it your own. Once you make one, you may find yourself wanting to create more for every season.