Fall table runner...kind of!

I wanted to make a nice Autumn table runner for our kitchen table, so decided to cut out some leaf shapes from felt.  I went with the traditional Autumn colours of brown, orange, red and yellow, but also decided to mix it up with some different shades of brown (from very dark brown through to light beige) a bit of green (well, there are SOME green leaves on the ground outside...right?) and even a couple of shades of purple.

 

 

I drew some basic leaf shapes, after checking out the garden to seeing what was around!  I came up with 3 shapes - one is supposed to be a maple leaf (there are a LOT of maples around here!) but don't ask me what kind of trees the other two come from!  Possibly an oak for the leaf on the left?

I ended up cutting out 28 leaf shapes from the various colours.  It took me about an hour to pin the template, cut, re-pin etc.  The perfect job to do while watching your favourite TV show...

And this is what I ended up with.

I had originally planned to artfully arrange these into a runner for the table and then either sew or glue them together (although after all that cutting, I'm pretty sure I would have ended up using hot glue - super fast!).  But as I played with them, I started to see the potential for leaving them unattached.

1)  I can arrange them in all kinds of different ways, whatever takes my fancy (see pictures below);

2)  Craft felt doesn't wash very well - if there was a spillage at the table (and with 4 kids, they are not exactly rare) I am hoping I can scoop up the few leaves in the firing line - if they get ruined so be it, at least I don't have to thrown the whole project away!

3)  I can make a few new leaves every year to add to the pile - maybe one day the pile will be big enough to require a garden rake :O)

So, here are the ways I tried - I'm quite sure the options are almost limitless though (sew them into an Autumn mobile?  Put them in frames for Autumn artwork?  Make a bunch of them into an Autumn wreath?) - my ideas are all to do with the table.

Spread them out randomly to cover quite a long distance...

Gather them closer into the middle of the table...

Or even try to arrange them around a centrepiece.  Obviously, I don't have a centrepiece in this picture, I'm planning to carve my pumpkin with the same leaf shapes and sit it on the table too, so that would work.

 

Those sharp-eyed readers amongst you may have noticed that 3 of my leaves have some embellishement.

 

I added some veins to the purple leaf, I outlined the orange (in blanket stitch - a tried and trusted favourite of mine!) and on the yellow one I did both.

 

Over the next few days I am planning to grab a few leaves whenever I have a spare half hour, and eventually do one of the above to them all - it adds a little texture and interest, I think.  They don't all have to be done, even just a few "accent" pieces would be nice!

I will be sure to post a couple of updated pictures once I am done!

Nikki x

Linking with

Someday Crafts - Whatever Goes Wednesday #88

Blue Cricket Design - Show and Tell 

Seven Thirty Three - Sugar & Spice #82 

The Trendy Treehouse - Create and Share 

Not Just a Housewife - Show Me What Ya Got #46 

Oops, I Craft My Pants - "Tute"-in Tuesday  

Bella Before And After - Amaze Me August #60 

Sew Chatty - Made With Love #49 

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday #85 

Mom On Time Out - Taking a Timeout Thursday Link Party #02

Halloween Countdown Blocks

I found a great post on Christine & Co where she showed off her wonderful Perpetual Calendar Blocks:  The Halloween Edition - and was inspired to create something similar which would be fun for the kids!

I didn't have any wooden blocks, so decided to use what I had - and what I had was a large pile of craft felt - I went for a bigger size than Christine and cut out 4 inch x 4 inch squares in black, orange and green.

 

I then cut out the numbers free hand in the same three colours, making sure each number had a different coloured background square

 

The first block (the top 6 in the picture above) should have the numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - the second block (the lower 6 numbers in the picture) should have 0, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 - the number 6 is going to double upside down as the number 9, so make sure you are happy with it both ways!  I stitched the numbers on.

I wanted to add a little something to each panel to make it a little more halloweeny (did I just make up a word?), so came up with some halloween themed extras - the spider webs are stitched on with embroidery thread, all of the others are cut from scrap felt - again, I just did it freehand (the bats I doubled over before cutting to make both sides the same) and then stitched them on.

 

Bear in mind with your number 6/9, do something that will look just as good both ways up - the same could really be said for both number ones and zeroes, but I forgot about that so will just have to make sure these are the right way up when the time comes :O)

In the end I used:  spider webs, ghosts, gravestones, bats, witches hats, a pumpkin, and I embroidered "Boo!" on the final one.  Here are some close-ups of a few of the details:

And then I began assembly!  I found it easiest to sew the 4 sides together first (leaving the top and bottom for last) - I used a blanket stitch, and again went with black, orange and green embroidery thread, and where possible tried to use a contrasting colour to the felt (it's not possible every time).

Just ensure that right sides are always facing out of course, and that the edges are lined up before you begin - pin if required (I didn't).  Finally I sewed on the bottom, and 3 sides of the top before packing with polyfil - I didn't pack them too firmly as didn't want the sides to bulge out and stop my blocks from standing up properly.  Once filled to your liking, stitch up the last edge.  Here is the finished product:

The way the numbers work, the earliest you can display these and begin the countdown in 32 days prior to Halloween - so I have a note on my calendar for September 29th to get them out onto the mantle - I know the kids will have fun taking turns at adjusting them each morning!  I had a lot of fun making them and it only took me a few hours - I am looking forward to making a set for Christmas in the next couple of months too!

Nikki x

Linked with

Momnivore's Dilemma Halloween Link Party 
Shabby Shares Saturday Link Party, October 1st 2011 
Primp Your Stuff Wednesday #16 
Come Together Kids - Halloween Ideas Party 
A Fish Who Like Flowers - Monster Mash! 
Chic on a Shoestring - Flaunt it Friday 73