10" extruded styrophome wreath ring

                                          6" x  45" fabric for outer ruffle -- Color A

                                          6" x  20" fabric for bow tail-- Color A

                                          12" x 16" fabric for bow -- Color A

                                          8" x 45" fabric for inner ruffle -- contrasting fabric

                                         1/4 yard 45" fabric for gingerbread men -- brown w/dots

                                         White Satin ribbon for neck bows

                                         Heart-shaped pony beads

                                        14 pearl beads for chest detail

                                        14 black beads for eyes

                                        pink acrylic paint for sheeks of pink felt

                                        hot glue gun and glue sticks

                                        polyester stuffing or fiberfill

                                        matching threads

Cut out the inner and outer ruffles, the bow, and the bow tail pieces. Do NOT cut out the gingerbread men yet.

1. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, and with right-sides together, stitch the long sides of the inner and outer ruffles together to form a long tube.  Leave the ends open. Turn the piece right-sides facing out

2.  Fold the tube flat, matching the seams. Press the piece flat with an iron. Pressing is not necessary but it adds crispness to the piece.

3. Stitch "in the ditch" along the seam.

4. Stitch another seam 3/4" from the folded edge of the inner ruffle (the larger fabric) to form a casing. The casing will be the center tube formed, between the two lines of stitching.

5. Cut the foam ring with a knife where shown. Carefully feed the fabric onto the ring through the center casing tube.

6. Close the foam ring by inserting a few pins or a toothpick into the two ends to secure them together. Also apply hot glue to hold the cut edges together.

7. With wrong sides together and using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew the bow as shown, leaving a space unstitched for turning. Turn the piece right-sides facing out. With a needle and thread, gather the center of the bow as shown. Pull the gathers up tight and end the thread in a knot.

8. With wrong-sides together and using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch the bow tail as shown, leaving an unstitched space for turning. The ends of the tail mat be sewn squared or at an angle. If stitched on an angle, trim off the excess fabric beofre turning. Turn right-sides out.

9. Drape the finished bow tail over the cut edgo of the ring. Pull the ruffle piece next to it.  Pin it onto the ring and/or hot glue it into place. Lay the bow over the bow tails, centering it. Pin and/or hot glue it into position.

10. Do NOT cut the gingerbread men fabric. Fold it with right-sides together. Trace the gingerbread man pattern onto the wrong side of the fabric, stitch around each man. Do NOT leave space for turning. Cut out each gingerbread man 1/4" along the outside of the stitched seam.

Clip the inside angles at the neck, arms and crotch to the seamline, being careful not to cut through the stitching.

Cut a 2" slit in the back of each man, being careful not to cut through the front fabric. Turn the man right-sides out. Stuff each man with fiberfill or poly stuffing. Whip-stitch the slit closed. Neatness does not count since the man will be glued to the wreath and will not show.

11. Sew the eye beads and the chest beads. Paint the cheeks of glue felt circles for cheeks on the face. Draw the mouth. Tie a bow around each neck. Glue a heart-shaped bead to the center of each neck bow. Ta-Da ! The men are finished !!

12. Arrange the gingerbread men as shown on the photograph at the top of this page and hot glue them to the wreath.