Autumn Wreath

It has taken a little while but the Autumn Wreath from last month's Pocket and Pin box is complete. I began this earlier in the month and mentioned it previously in this post.

The box included a fat quarter, a woodland themed felt pack, ribbons, a selection of buttons and thread.

It inspired me to create an autumn wreath for the door and intended including much of the contents of the box.

I began with a foam ring that had been around for a while and wrapped some strips of hessian around it. The hessian had been around longer than the ring and had been cut up from a potato bag and kept 'just in case'. Funny how these things can come in handy.

The ribbon came next and creating some creatures and bits and pieces for the wreath. 

Acorns

Baby hedgehog

Pumpkins and mice. 

The first mouse was almost as big as the hedgehog, so a smaller one was created.

Three types of leaves were cut out from the remaining pieces of felt.

Oak

Lime

and Sycamore.

The Sycamore leaves have a wrapped wire 'vein' so they could be bent and shaped.

The leaves were pinned in place first

and then the bits and pieces added.

There were quite a few changes, rearrangements and cutting out of extra leaves until I was happy with it.

The final arrangement.

  

The lovely fat quarter and cute buttons from the box did not make it onto the wreath but may be used to create a woodland themed journal.

The door is looking very smart with its new autumnal decoration and I am pretty pleased with the way it has turned out.

Now I really should get back to some Christmas present making.

Five on Friday - 4 Projects + 1 Mishap

Life has been busy recently, nothing exciting, just appointments and all the little things that need doing that take up energy. I did not get round to joining in last week's Five on Friday but did enjoy reading and catching up with everyone else. Sorry for not commenting on many, but it was a pleasure to read them. So it is good to be joining in this week with Amy at Love Made My Home and Five on Friday.

This week I have been working on several projects and trying to get some WIP's completed.

1. Sad Sock

This poor sad sock was started many months ago and may look familiar as I have chuntered about it before in previous posts. For some reason it was not enjoyable to knit and became victim of a severe case of second sock syndrome. It has stayed lonely in the bottom of the knitting bag since April without it's mate. I knitted a couple of pairs of socks for the Yarndale Sockline and enjoyed making them but could not get any enthusiasm to start this second sock. 

Until now.

I bought some lovely West Yorkshire Spinners sock wool in Kingfisher a few weeks back, which I am really looking forward to using. BUT I made a deal with myself that they could not go on the needles until the sad sock had it's mate.

It is almost there! The heel has been turned as you can see. 

Last night I got to the toe shaping, so hopefully tonight the socks will finally be a pair.

Big sigh of relief and I can get the Kingfisher wool on my needles this weekend.

2. Autumn Project Box

Recently I started to subscribe to Pocket and Pin's Habdash Box. I have had individual Habdash Boxes before as gifts and love the selection of treasures that come in them. There is no pattern or suggestion how to use the contents, that is left to your inspiration and imagination. 

(I have no connection with Pocket & Pin, I just love the concept).

October's box has a Woodland/Autumn theme and I thought it would make a great Autumn Wreath. It may have to be for next autumn as I have only just started.

I am making it up as I go along but there is a pumpkin and acorn so far and I have ideas for mice, hedgehog, more acorns and lots of leaves.

3. Taggy Blanket

We have had lovely news that there will be a new addition to the family in 2017 as my niece is expecting a baby. I love making baby clothes and was desperate to start on little jackets straight away but felt it was a bit early just yet. Instead I found a delightful pattern for a rabbit taggy blanket designed by Kate at Just Pootling. Despite the socks that need finishing and the autumn wreath, I had to make a start, just to see how the pattern worked. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

It is the first time I have crocheted with a small hook and 4 ply cotton and although enjoyable enough I am finding the yarn splits and separates a lot. I am using the DMC Natura above because it had a soft silky feel but not sure I would choose it again. Is it usual for cotton to separate or are there other brands that are easier to handle? I would appreciate any advice.

4. Doti's Cards

As I mentioned in my last post, we are holding a Tea Time and Craft event in memory of our crafting friend Doti. The proceeds will be going to Willen Hospice who cared for her so well. A mutual friend and I have been getting together to use  Doti's Lino cuts to make some cards to sell at the event. Last week we printed lots of her designs onto strong paper and on Wednesday we met to mount them and make them into cards. 

We were happy with our efforts as there are 43 cards in the box ready and wrapped for the sale, which is taking place today. I will report back later about how we get on.

5. Mishap

As Doti's event is Tea Time as well as craft I have been making some cakes. 

Well, trying to...... 

I am not a fancy baker and would never come up to W.I. or Great British Bake Off standards, but although never particularly exciting, my cakes are generally tasty.

Yesterday I decided to make a chocolate sponge cake and an apple cake with the last of the apples from my miniature tree. All was going well with the chocolate sponges in the oven and the apple cake prepared. I washed up and tidied round (I do not have a dishwasher) and left the water in the bowl ready for the sponge pans when they came out of the oven. The timer rang it's little tune and the chocolate sponges came out looking fine. I left them to cool a little before turning them out onto the wire rack. The first one came out fine but the second one was a little stuck around the edge. So I reached across to the draining board for a knife to run round to loosen it.  Before I could pick the knife up, the sponge detached itself and slid with a plop into the washing up water.  Sponge cakes are supposed to be light and airy, which this one was, but they also act like sponges when immersed in water. There it was floating in the soapy water sucking up water like an aqua vac. 

There were a few rude words floating around too.

Here it is, rescued and dripping water. It is not the sort of thing you can wring out so I had to leave it on the side to drip.

The apple cake went in the oven despite me being nervous about what else might happen. Fortunately, there were no more incidents and the second chocolate cake survived. 

Goodness knows what the refuse collectors thought this morning when they opened my compost bin and found the drowned cake sitting on top of the kitchen and garden waste.

Have a good weekend everyone. 

I am looking forward to casting on my Kingfisher socks and making a few more acorns.