Potted Fern

No green thumb, no problem! This houseplant doesn’t need sunlight or water, but it will perk up any room. Though full of detail and texture, you may be surprised by how easily this project comes together.

Supplies

• 15 to 20 finished ferns with the stems wrapped halfway with felt

• 3 finished fiddleheads with the stems wrapped three-quarters of the way with felt

• 5˝ flowerpot

• 4˝-diameter foam ball

• Green wool roving

• Needle-nose pliers

• Wire cutters

• Scissors

• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

POTTED FERN

STEP 1: Prepare the pot. Glue the foam ball into the flowerpot. Fluff the wool roving and use it to cover the top of the ball. Use a bit of hot glue to secure it in place.

STEP 2 (a, b, and c): Start adding the ferns. Trim the fern stems so each one has a few inches of uncovered wire. Begin pushing the stems one at a time into the foam ball, making sure the end of each stem is pointed toward the center of the ball. Work from the middle of the pot outward, adding stems. Don’t add the fiddleheads yet.

STEP 3: Shape the stems. Once all of the regular ferns have been added to the pot, begin shaping them. Bend the outermost stems down and out, then add a slight upward bend at the ends. Repeat with the remaining stems, working your way inward. Don’t bend the inner stems down as far as the outer ones. Make sure the stems are staggered and evenly spaced. If any spots look sparse, add more ferns to fill them out.

Step 4: Add the fiddleheads. Add the fiddleheads and shape them. These stems should be shaped kind of like question marks. When you’re finished, place your fern anywhere you want—no sunlight or water needed!