The fastest way to lose money in wreath making is to buy supplies before you know what you are building. Kandi has watched it happen for years: a new maker walks into a craft store, fills a cart with everything that looks pretty, and gets home with sixty dollars of picks and no wreath. One of the things the Krew teaches, in her own words, is how to stop wasting money on supplies that do not work.
Here is the actual list for a first wreath, and what to leave on the shelf.
Tools you will use on every wreath
These are the things worth buying once and properly.
- Wire cutters. Not scissors. Floral stems are wired and will ruin scissors in a week.
- Floral wire. A paddle of green wire, medium gauge. It attaches almost everything.
- A hot glue gun and glue sticks. For securing picks and focal pieces where wire alone is not enough.
- Zip ties. For deco mesh and for anything heavy. Cheap, strong, invisible when trimmed.
- Scissors for ribbon. A dedicated pair that never touches wire, so the blades stay clean for a crisp cut on ribbon tails.
That is the tool kit. Kandi publishes her own full tool and supply lists inside the Kreative Krew, including shipping boxes and sizes, but the five above will build a first wreath.
Materials for one wreath
Buy for one design, not for a season.
- One base. A grapevine ring or a wire work frame plus a roll of deco mesh. Read grapevine vs deco mesh before you pick.
- Greenery. Two or three stems or bushes of one type of greenery. This is the body of the wreath and beginners always buy too little.
- Florals. Three to five stems in one or two colors. Not one of everything.
- A focal piece or a sign. Optional for a first wreath. If you use one, it should be the first thing you buy and everything else should be chosen to suit it.
- Ribbon. One wired ribbon, two and a half inches wide, in a color that appears in the florals. Enough for one bow and tails.
That is a complete wreath. If the cart has more than that in it, put something back.
What to skip at the start
- Picks in five themes. They will sit in a drawer.
- Glitter anything. It sheds, it fades, and it makes a first wreath look like a first wreath.
- Specialty tools. A bow maker, a mesh tool, a pick machine. All useful later; none needed now. Learn to tie a bow by hand first, which is what how to make a bow for a wreath covers.
- Multiple bases. One. You will have opinions about the second one after you finish the first.
Why the supply list is a guide, not a guarantee
Every one of Kandi's video tutorials comes with a supply list, and every one carries the same note: the list is a guide, not a guarantee. The reason is simple. Supplies come and go. The exact stem in the video may not exist by the time you watch it. If the tutorial only works with that exact stem, it is not much of a tutorial.
So she teaches the technique underneath the supplies. Same technique, different supplies, beautiful results every time. Once you understand why a design works, you can build it from what your local store actually has, and that is the skill that stops you buying things you do not need.
Where to buy
Krew members save 35% at JAM Designs and Supplies, Jennifer Moye's supply business. Jennifer is one of the Krew instructors and teaches supply guidance and product knowledge inside the school, which is a different thing from a store discount: she teaches what to buy and why. Members also use the community as a place to rehome supplies they bought and never used, which is its own quiet lesson about buying for one design at a time.
The one tool for the long run
Once you have built a few wreaths, the thing that makes the biggest difference is not a supply. It is building on a stand instead of a table. Kandi's Wreath Making Easel holds the base at the angle it will hang so the design you build is the one that ends up on the door. It is the last thing to buy and the one you will use on every wreath after.
Start before you buy anything
The free Intro to Wreath Making mini course was written to be watched before you spend a dollar. It covers how to choose greenery, the basic structure of a balanced wreath and the beginner mistakes to avoid, in lessons under fifteen minutes. Watch it, then shop, and the list above will make more sense.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a hot glue gun to make a wreath?
Not strictly. Wire and zip ties can attach almost everything. Glue makes picks and small focal pieces faster and more secure, and most makers end up with one.
What size grapevine base should a beginner buy?
An 18-inch ring is the standard front-door size and the easiest to learn on. Smaller rings are fiddly; larger ones need a lot of material to fill.
Can I use fresh greenery?
You can, but everything Kandi builds and teaches is on faux florals and foliage, because a faux wreath comes out year after year. Fresh is a different craft with its own rules.
Do Krew members get the supply lists for every live session?
Yes. Kandi's own tool and supply lists are part of the membership, and each instructor shares what she uses in her sessions.
