This is one of those projects that has been in my head forever. No joke, I’ve been wanting to do this one for over a year now. So last year, when I learned about the Silhouette Curio and the myriad of materials it can cut, I knew that this was going to be one of the first things I would make with my new machine.

After ordering an assortment of felt sheets in gorgeous succulent inspired hues, I finally got around to making it my faux succulent wreath. And I couldn’t be happier with the results! I feel like it’s the perfect blend of crafty cute and modern style, which is pretty much what I aim for in most of my projects. Plus there’s scallops, which I think is the icing on the cake!

If you want to make your own felt succulents, check out my tutorial below. And if you’re wondering just how exactly to cut felt with your Curio, read on for my tips and tricks to getting great cuts.

DIY Felt Succulent Wreath

Supplies

Silhouette Curio
Curio large base kit
Assortment of succulent colored felt
12″ metal macramé ring
Hot glue gun
Painter’s tape
Temporary spray adhesive

Download the Silhouette cut files
or download the printable template

Directions

1. Trim the felt sheets so they are each 8.5″ x 12″. Spray a 8.5″ x 12″ cutting mat with temporary adhesive. Place one sheet of felt on the cutting mat.
2. Load the base with 2, #2 mats and place the cutting mat with felt on top. Be sure to snap the clips over all three layers to hold the mats in place.
3. Load the base into the machine and cut. Before using your pretty succulent colored felt, I suggest you use a scrap piece to test the cut settings. Below you will find what worked best for the felt I used.
4. Arrange the cut out pieces on top of each other, with the largest pieces on the bottom. Then starting with the smallest piece, put some hot glue in the center and pinch it together and hold until the glue hardens.
5. Then add glue to the center of the second smallest piece and place it directly under the first piece. Pinch the center together and hold until the glue sets. Repeat this with all the remaining leaves.
6. Use scissors to cut 2 pieces of felt in a slightly curved shape for your base. Put the metal ring in the middle and hot glue both sides together. Glue the assembled succulents onto the wreath base.

Optional: create a faux leather wreath hanger

One of the newest Silhouette products is this faux leather paper. It comes on a 12″ wide roll and can be cut with a Curio, Cameo or Portrait. The coolest part is that the paper can be washed (even in the machine!) and even sewn. It’s actually the process of washing it that gives it a real leather-like look. I gave it a test run and used it to create a hanger for my wreath.

Use a 12″ x 17″ piece of Silhouette faux leather paper to create a scalloped wreath hanger. Place the faux leather paper on a 12″ x 24″ cutting mat and cut it out using a Silhouette Cameo. After cutting, hand wash the paper in the sink and crinkle it as you wash it. Ring out the paper and place it on a paper towel and allow it to dry completely. Once dry, use double-sided tape to loop it around the top of your wreath. Then use thumbtacks  or tape to tack down the paper to the top of your door.

How to Cut Felt on a Curio

After LOTS of trial and error, here’s my list of best practices for cutting felt on a Curio.

1. Use temporary spray adhesive to spray down the cutting mat each time before placing the felt on top. Even though the mat is already tacky, after applying felt just one it really loses it’s stickiness.
2. Tape down the sides of the felt. I used painter’s tape to secure all four sides of the felt before placing it on the Curio platform.
3. Use a total of 5 mats. Stack 2, #2 mats and then place the cutting mat on top for a total depth of 5.
4. Use a deep cut blade with a setting of 14.
5. Create a custom felt setting in Silhouette Studio. I found the following to be best: speed 1, thickness 30, single cut.

I added 6 faux succulents to my wreath but if you’re feeling ambitious, it would also look stunning if you went all the way around and filled an entire wreath.

Been thinking about buying a Silhouette for awhile? Check my Silhouette page to see everything I’ve created with mine and download free cut files.

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