How to Embroider a Holiday Wreath Card on Paper: Lazy Daisy Stitches & French Knots ~ Part 2

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Welcome to Part 2 of our Handmade Holiday Card Series!

Last week, we layered dimensional rosettes to create our Woven Wheel Christmas Tree Card. Today, we’re pivoting to a classic, timeless botanical look: The Embroidered Holiday Botanical Wreath.

This design pairs a crisp, centered "Merry Christmas" script with an organic ring of stitched evergreen foliage and bright red holly berries. It looks sophisticated and delicate, but because it relies on two essential stitches from our Beginner’s Guide to Stitching on Paper Series, it works up surprisingly quickly!

If you’re just joining us or want a quick refresher on the mechanics before stitching through cardstock, check out our guides on Mastering the Lazy Daisy Stitch on Paper and Perfecting the French Knot on Paper to brush up on loop tension and knot basics.

Why the Lazy Daisy is Perfect for Paper Foliage

The detached chain stitch (or Lazy Daisy) naturally produces a soft, rounded teardrop loop. By angling pairs of these loops off a central circular path, you instantly get the look of delicate boxwood or eucalyptus leaves.

Because paper doesn’t "heal" the way fabric does, managing needle placement and thread tension is key to keeping the card pristine. Here’s how to bring it all together smoothly.

Materials You’ll Need

• Heavyweight Cardstock: 80 lb to 110 lb smooth white folded card (A2 or 5x7).
• Embroidery Floss:
• Forest green or olive green (3 strands for foliage)
• Deep holiday red (3 strands for holly berry knots)
• Embroidery Needle: Size 5 or 7 embroidery needle.
• Piercing Tool / Awl & Foam Mat: For clean, tear-free prep.

Step-by-Step: Stitching the Botanical Wreath

1. Pre-Piercing the Circular Path

• Lay your card flat on your piercing foam mat.
• Lightly mark a circle around your centered lettering.
• Punch pairs of holes where each leaf will sit: Hole 1 at the base of the leaf along the branch line, and Hole 2 slightly outward where the tip of the leaf curves.
• Group small clusters of 2 or 3 tiny holes near the leaves where your red berry knots will rest.
• Paper Tip: Keep a minimum of 1/8 to 1/4 inches between adjacent holes so the paper bridge between them remains sturdy and won't tear under tension.

2. Stitching the Foliage (The Lazy Daisy)

• Bring your needle up through Hole 1 (base) and leave a loose loop on the front of your card.
• Go right back down through Hole 1, lightly holding the loop flat with your thumb.
• Bring the needle up through Hole 2, catching the inside edge of your loop to pull it into a soft teardrop petal.
• Anchor the petal by taking your needle over the thread loop and straight back down through Hole 2.
• Tension Secret: Do not pull the anchoring stitch too tight! A gentle pull keeps the leaf rounded and lifted off the paper. Over-pulling collapses the leaf into a thin, straight line and bends the cardstock.

3. Adding the Holly Berries (French Knots)

• Thread your needle with 3 strands of festive red floss.
• Bring the needle up through one of your pre-punched berry holes.
• Wrap the floss around your needle twice, pull the working thread gently so the coils rest flat against the paper surface, and guide the needle back down right next to the original hole.
• Cluster 2 or 3 French knots together along the branches to mimic natural winter holly.

Short on Time This Holiday Season?

If you love the handcrafted look of textured embroidery on paper but have a full holiday schedule, you can order the completed, hand-stitched cards directly from my shop! Each card comes paired with a matching envelope and is individually sealed in a clear protective sleeve, ready to write and send.

👉 Shop the Handmade Embroidered Wreath Christmas Card on Etsy

Catch Up On The Series

• Part 1: The Woven Wheel Rose Christmas Tree Card
• French Knots - Part 2
• Lazy Daisy - Part 3

Products available on Amazon (Commission Earned)”

• Gold plated embroidery scissors 
• Needle minder 
• Corner cutter 

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

What’s Coming Next

Next week in Part 3, we’re switching over to dynamic curves and bold color pops with the Vintage Christmas Lights Card, featuring back stitch wires and dense detached buttonhole stitch bulbs!

Happy crafting,

Becca

***While I'm thrilled to share my step-by-step directions, the good and the bad, these are intended for your personal use. I'm always happy to hear and see what my bloggers have been working on. BUT a lot of work goes into these creations and while I have no issues sharing so you are able to create the work for your precious homes please understand that selling an exact duplication of my designs is highly frowned upon. :( Please always be considerate of another artists work. Thank you!***

Don't forget to stop by and Like my Facebook Page and Follow me on Instagram!

Welcome to Part 2 of our Handmade Holiday Card Series!

Last week, we layered dimensional rosettes to create our Woven Wheel Christmas Tree Card. Today, we’re pivoting to a classic, timeless botanical look: The Embroidered Holiday Botanical Wreath.

This design pairs a crisp, centered "Merry Christmas" script with an organic ring of stitched evergreen foliage and bright red holly berries. It looks sophisticated and delicate, but because it relies on two essential stitches from our Beginner’s Guide to Stitching on Paper Series, it works up surprisingly quickly!

If you’re just joining us or want a quick refresher on the mechanics before stitching through cardstock, check out our guides on Mastering the Lazy Daisy Stitch on Paper and Perfecting the French Knot on Paper to brush up on loop tension and knot basics.

Why the Lazy Daisy is Perfect for Paper Foliage

The detached chain stitch (or Lazy Daisy) naturally produces a soft, rounded teardrop loop. By angling pairs of these loops off a central circular path, you instantly get the look of delicate boxwood or eucalyptus leaves.

Because paper doesn’t "heal" the way fabric does, managing needle placement and thread tension is key to keeping the card pristine. Here’s how to bring it all together smoothly.

Materials You’ll Need

• Heavyweight Cardstock: 80 lb to 110 lb smooth white folded card (A2 or 5x7).
• Embroidery Floss:
• Forest green or olive green (3 strands for foliage)
• Deep holiday red (3 strands for holly berry knots)
• Embroidery Needle: Size 5 or 7 embroidery needle.
• Piercing Tool / Awl & Foam Mat: For clean, tear-free prep.

Step-by-Step: Stitching the Botanical Wreath

1. Pre-Piercing the Circular Path

• Lay your card flat on your piercing foam mat.
• Lightly mark a circle around your centered lettering.
• Punch pairs of holes where each leaf will sit: Hole 1 at the base of the leaf along the branch line, and Hole 2 slightly outward where the tip of the leaf curves.
• Group small clusters of 2 or 3 tiny holes near the leaves where your red berry knots will rest.
• Paper Tip: Keep a minimum of 1/8 to 1/4 inches between adjacent holes so the paper bridge between them remains sturdy and won't tear under tension.

2. Stitching the Foliage (The Lazy Daisy)

• Bring your needle up through Hole 1 (base) and leave a loose loop on the front of your card.
• Go right back down through Hole 1, lightly holding the loop flat with your thumb.
• Bring the needle up through Hole 2, catching the inside edge of your loop to pull it into a soft teardrop petal.
• Anchor the petal by taking your needle over the thread loop and straight back down through Hole 2.
• Tension Secret: Do not pull the anchoring stitch too tight! A gentle pull keeps the leaf rounded and lifted off the paper. Over-pulling collapses the leaf into a thin, straight line and bends the cardstock.

3. Adding the Holly Berries (French Knots)

• Thread your needle with 3 strands of festive red floss.
• Bring the needle up through one of your pre-punched berry holes.
• Wrap the floss around your needle twice, pull the working thread gently so the coils rest flat against the paper surface, and guide the needle back down right next to the original hole.
• Cluster 2 or 3 French knots together along the branches to mimic natural winter holly.

Short on Time This Holiday Season?

If you love the handcrafted look of textured embroidery on paper but have a full holiday schedule, you can order the completed, hand-stitched cards directly from my shop! Each card comes paired with a matching envelope and is individually sealed in a clear protective sleeve, ready to write and send.

👉 Shop the Handmade Embroidered Wreath Christmas Card on Etsy

Catch Up On The Series

• Part 1: The Woven Wheel Rose Christmas Tree Card
• French Knots - Part 2
• Lazy Daisy - Part 3

Products available on Amazon (Commission Earned)”

• Gold plated embroidery scissors 
• Needle minder 
• Corner cutter 

(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

What’s Coming Next

Next week in Part 3, we’re switching over to dynamic curves and bold color pops with the Vintage Christmas Lights Card, featuring back stitch wires and dense detached buttonhole stitch bulbs!

Happy crafting,

Becca

***While I'm thrilled to share my step-by-step directions, the good and the bad, these are intended for your personal use. I'm always happy to hear and see what my bloggers have been working on. BUT a lot of work goes into these creations and while I have no issues sharing so you are able to create the work for your precious homes please understand that selling an exact duplication of my designs is highly frowned upon. :( Please always be considerate of another artists work. Thank you!***