If you are looking for a patriotic wreath that packs a lot of color and texture into a compact, flat design, this pancake wreath is the project to try.
In this tutorial, Melissa shows how to build a patriotic pancake wreath on a 10-inch frame using three styles of mesh, five ribbons, and an 8×10 metal sign as the focal point. The finished wreath is bold, layered, and ready for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or any summer patriotic display.
What is a Pancake Wreath?
A pancake wreath is built on a round frame with mesh and ribbon pushed straight through the frame openings rather than gathered and attached around the outside. The result is a flat, full wreath that sits close to the door and has a clean, polished look from the front.
Pancake wreaths are popular for a few reasons. They are faster to build than some other wreath styles, they ship and store easily because of their flat profile, and they work well at any size from small accent pieces to large statement wreaths. The 10-inch frame used here makes this a petite version that is great for layering with other door decor or displaying on its own as a seasonal accent.
Supply List
- 1 pancake frame, 10 inches
- 1 metal sign, 8×10 inches (WSB May 2026)
- 1 roll 2.5-inch red fireworks ribbon (Sam’s Club)
- 1 roll 2.5-inch blue plaid ribbon (841-40-205)
- 1 roll 1.5-inch stripe ribbon (Sam’s Club)
- 1 roll 1.5-inch star ribbon (RGH1298CA, DecoExchange)
- 1 roll 7/8-inch patriotic watercolor ribbon
- White mesh with foil stripes (RY201288)
- Red, white, and blue stripe mesh (RE1332H3)
- Red border mesh (RY8506H3)
- Pipe cleaners
- 24 gauge wire
- Zip ties
How to Make a Patriotic Pancake Wreath
Step 1: Prepare Your Frame
Lay your 10-inch pancake frame flat on your work surface. Attach a pipe cleaner or piece of 24 gauge wire to the back of the frame now so you have a hanger ready before the wreath is full of mesh. It is much easier to add the hanger at the beginning than to work around the finished mesh later.
Step 2: Add Your Mesh
This wreath uses three mesh styles: white mesh with foil stripes, red, white, and blue stripe mesh, and red border mesh. Working all three together from the start gives you a balanced color distribution across the frame.
Cut or pull lengths of each mesh style and push them through the frame openings using your fingers or a pencil. Work around the frame section by section, alternating between the three mesh styles as you go. Secure each mesh section at the back of the frame with a zip tie or piece of wire pulled tight.
The white mesh with foil stripes adds shimmer and brightness. The red, white, and blue stripe mesh carries the patriotic color story. The red border mesh grounds the edges with a solid pop of red. Rotating through all three keeps the wreath from looking patchy or uneven.
Fluff each mesh section from the front as you go so the wreath builds fullness as you work rather than waiting until the end.
Step 3: Add Your Ribbon
This wreath uses five ribbon styles at three different widths. The ribbons are worked into the frame the same way as the mesh, pushed through the openings and secured at the back.
Work through the ribbons in this order, from widest to narrowest:
- Push loops of the 2.5-inch red fireworks ribbon and the 2.5-inch blue plaid ribbon through the frame openings evenly around the wreath. These wider ribbons add bold pattern and anchor the color palette.
- Follow with the 1.5-inch stripe ribbon and the 1.5-inch star ribbon, tucking them into gaps between the mesh and wider ribbon sections.
- Finish with the 7/8-inch patriotic watercolor ribbon as an accent, adding it in spots where you want a delicate detail or a pop of the watercolor print without it competing with the larger ribbons.
Secure all ribbon loops at the back of the frame with zip ties or wire. Pull each loop up from the front to make sure it is standing upright and adding to the overall fullness of the wreath.
Step 4: Build and Attach the Bow
Using the remaining ribbon lengths, build a layered bow to sit at the top or bottom of the wreath. Combine the 2.5-inch red fireworks ribbon and the 2.5-inch blue plaid ribbon for the larger loops. Add loops of the 1.5-inch stripe and star ribbon for the mid-size layers. Use the 7/8-inch patriotic watercolor ribbon as bow tails for a finishing detail.
Secure all loops together at the center with 24 gauge wire. Fluff each loop so the bow has dimension. Attach the finished bow to the frame with wire or a zip tie, making sure it sits securely and does not shift.
Step 5: Attach the Metal Sign
Position the 8×10 metal sign at the center of the wreath as the focal point. Attach it using pipe cleaners or 24 gauge wire looped through the sign holes or around the sign edge and secured to the frame. Make sure the sign sits flat and level against the mesh before tightening the wire.
The metal sign is the piece that ties the patriotic theme together visually, so take a moment to center it carefully. A sign that sits slightly off-center will be noticeable on a finished 10-inch frame.
Step 6: Adjust and Fluff
Turn the wreath over and check that all zip ties and wire ends are tucked flat against the back of the frame so nothing pokes through the front. Flip it back over and fluff the mesh and ribbon loops from the front. Look for any flat spots or gaps and fill them in by pulling mesh or ribbon loops up with your fingers.
Step back and check the overall shape. The finished wreath should be full and even all the way around with the metal sign clearly visible in the center.
Tips for This Project
Work all three mesh styles at the same time. Doing one full rotation with each mesh color before moving to the next will leave you with uneven sections. Alternating between all three as you go keeps the colors distributed naturally.
Use pipe cleaners to attach the sign. Pipe cleaners are more forgiving than wire when attaching a heavier metal sign to a small frame because you can twist and adjust them without the wire cutting into the frame or the sign edge. Twist them tight enough to hold but not so tight that the sign warps.
Keep the 7/8-inch ribbon as an accent only. Narrow ribbon disappears quickly inside a full mesh wreath. Save the watercolor ribbon for the bow tails and one or two visible accent spots rather than pushing it through the frame in every opening. That way the print stays visible and does the decorative work it is meant to do.
Check fullness from arm’s length. It is easy to over-fill a 10-inch pancake frame because the sections are small and each loop adds up fast. Step back every few minutes to check the overall shape so you can stop adding mesh or ribbon before the wreath gets too heavy or loses its round profile.
Where to Display This Wreath
This patriotic pancake wreath works well for:
- A front door with a standard wreath hanger or command hook
- A covered porch wall or fence
- A craft show display as a smaller, affordable price point piece
- An interior wall, door, or entryway for a seasonal accent
The flat profile of a pancake wreath makes it easy to store in a standard flat box or wreath bag between seasons. The metal sign is reusable, so you can rebuild the mesh and ribbon each year with fresh supplies if needed.
