Make a festive patriotic bandana wreath to hang on your front door for the Fourth of July! This mala is quick and easy to make with red, white and blue bandana tied in a mala form.
Why we love this project
Bandana malas are fun and easy to make using colorful bandanas and mala forms. You can hang this patriotic bandana wreath on your front door for holidays like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Flag Day so you can use it for more than a month each year.
I started making this Bandana beadsThat I had on my doorstep all summer, and I knew it was time to make a red, white and blue variation of this project.
Useful project information:
- Age Level: 10 and up
- Mess factor: Small
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Time to complete: Less than 30 minutes
- Price Estimate: Less than $10.00
How to make a patriotic bandana garland
Here are step by step photos and instructions to help you visualize how to build this project. Please scroll down to print the instructions!
- Cut each Red, white and blue bandana in half
- Take one of the bandana halves and bring it together lengthwise, then fold it in half so you have a loop at one end.
- Place the open ends of the bandana under garland form. The open ends will be in the center of the bead form and the loop will be on the outside.
- Pass the open end of the bandana over the bead form and insert into the end of the loop then pull tight.
- Repeat this process with all the bandanas (or as many as you like), tightening and squishing them all together until it suits you.
- Use it Hot glue gun To secure the knots so they don’t come loose.
- Pull out the ends of each bandana.
- Line your work surface with a plastic trash bag or tablecloth.
- Form the ends of each bandana so that they are open and “poof”.
- Tear each piece of paper in half and crumple it into a ball. Place a crumpled ball at the end of each bandana to help hold its shape while the stiffener dries.
- Use a paintbrush (or direct spray) to apply the fabric stiffener to the ends of each band. Saturate each piece, but it should not be dripping.
- Let dry for 24 hours or whatever is recommended on your stiffener bottle, then remove the crumpled paper and hang your wreath!
Expert crafting tips
- Using a fabric stiffener isn’t absolutely necessary, however, we highly recommend it if you plan to hang this wreath outdoors. Even keeping it indoors didn’t stop the bandana from sagging, since it’s actually fabric. You want to apply the fabric stiffener to each bandana until it is saturated, but not wet. Let it dry and this will solve all the bandana problems including keeping it protected from rain.
- Allyn’s Fabric Stiffener And Plaid Stiffy Fabric Stiffener There are two great options we recommend.
- There are many adorable patriotic bandana garlands that line their bandanas in sections of color, mimic the design of the flag aside from the blue bandana and put stars on it. Feel free to line your bandanas however you want!
Make a craft day out of it and ask your friends and family to all make their own patriotic bandana beads!
More patriotic crafts
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Patriotic bandana beads
Decorate your door with this red, white and blue patriotic bandana wreath for your Fourth of July celebration.
Makes: 1 garland
supplies
- 10-15 bond Depending on the size of your bead form. We used 12 bandas. 4 blue, 4 white, 3 red and 1 buffalo check bandanas
- 12 inch wire wreath form
- Water resistant fabric stiffener
- A large paintbrush If you have a paintable fabric stiffener. No need if you have spray on stiffener
- 15 Sheets of paper
- 2 large trash cans Or a dollar store plastic tablecloth
Instructions
-
Cut each banda in half.
-
Take one of the bandana halves and bring it together lengthwise, then fold it in half so you have a loop at one end.
-
Place the open ends of the bandana under the garland form. The open ends will be in the center of the bead form and the loop will be on the outside.
-
Pass the open end of the bandana over the bead form and insert into the end of the loop then pull tight.
-
Repeat this process with all the bandanas (or as many as you like), tightening and squishing them all together until it suits you.
-
Use hot glue to secure the knots so they don’t come loose.
-
Pull out the ends of each bandana.
-
Line your work surface with a plastic trash bag or tablecloth.
-
Make the ends of each bandana open and “poof”.
-
Tear each piece of paper in half and crumple it into a ball. Place a crumpled ball at the end of each bandana to help hold its shape while the stiffener dries.
-
Use a paintbrush (or direct spray) to apply the fabric stiffener to the ends of each band. Saturate each piece, but it should not be dripping.
-
Let dry for 24 hours or whatever is recommended on your stiffener bottle, then remove the crumpled paper and hang your wreath!
Expert tips and FAQs
- Using a fabric stiffener isn’t absolutely necessary, however, we highly recommend it if you plan to hang this wreath outdoors. Even keeping it indoors didn’t stop the bandana from sagging, since it’s actually fabric. You want to apply the fabric stiffener to each bandana until it is saturated, but not wet. Let it dry and this will solve all the bandana problems including keeping it protected from rain.
This post originally appeared here on June 18, 2021.
