Autumn projects

As soon as autumn  arrives I start to think about  projects.  Crafty projects like knitting, sewing, and baking. They are all rather cosy, domesticated activities but I tend to think of autumn as a cosy season; a time to stay indoors when the weather is too bad to go out gardening.

I'm always full of ideas for Christmas presents or decorations to make, nature projects to do with the grandchildren and much more. Although I have to say that thinking about what I would like to do is often as far as I get. 

Well we're into October now and  I'm doing quite well so far. I'm already knitting myself a sweater, and have plans for other things to knit like sweaters for the grandchildren or wrist warmers for when I'm out gardening.  I've also got some blackberry, raspberry and rhubarb gins started for drinking at Christmas. I won't post the recipe on here, if you want to know how to make it click on the link above to read my last year's blog. The rhubarb gin is a new flavour this year, but it's made in the same way. I added lemon zest and ginger. Ginger goes really well with rhubarb.

I'm feeling quite pleased with my latest nature craft project too, it's an autumn wreath. I got the idea from an article in the Sept/Oct issue of Land Love magazine.   Some of the things in the article I didn't have so I adapted it to use other plant material which was readily available from the garden or nearby hedgerows.

I used a soaked oasis ring because I find the mossy or wire wreaths a bit fiddly to use and I was short of time. It's much easier to stick twigs into oasis than wire them onto a mossy ring.  I used hydrangea heads and astilbe seed heads from the garden, rose hips, hawthorn berries and ivy berries from the hedgerow down near the allotment. I also cut some small sprigs of oak from our tree in the garden to fill it out.  I was surprised how colourful the finished result was. It should keep for a few weeks, but I can probably replace anything which goes over from time to time before the oasis finally falls to pieces.

I wasn't sure where  to hang the wreath once I'd finished it, my Christmas wreaths are always hung on the front and back doors, but I wanted this one to go somewhere in the garden.  I thought about hanging it on one of the garden gates, but finally decided on the shed. The shed is one of my favourite places and I can also see the wreath from the house.

I'm used to making Christmas wreaths so the idea of doing an autumn one was quite appealing and a little bit different.  It's a lovely way to enjoy the fruits and colours of autumn.

My Christmas door wreath

I love  making Christmas wreaths, it's one of those things I do each year which has become a family tradition.  There are different ways of making wreaths.  I use an oasis ring (available from large garden centres or flower shops). I set aside a day about two weeks before Christmas for making the wreath. I put the oasis ring to soak in water for a while, wrap myself up in several layers of clothes, then I take myself off to the shed with an insulated mug of tea or coffee and start work  A few days before then I  will have cut all the foliage and put it into buckets of water so that is all ready for me as I start to work.

We have quite a lot of foliage available for cutting in the garden so I like  to make  use of  this greenery at Christmas time. Sometimes I scrounge stuff from my daughter's garden or the allotment. This year I used conifer, Christmas tree trimmings, ivy, box and holly.  The holly tree has had an amazing amount of berries this year. Most years I've had to use artificial berries for colour, but this year it's been great to use real ones. I just cut sprigs of foliage and starting with a layer of conifer I  build up the layers of the different sorts of greenery.

When the wreath has had all the foliage arranged I then add extra touches such as pine cones, seed heads, dried orange or apple slices, cinnamon sticks.  Sometimes I spray lightly with a gold spray.  You could also add dried flower heads of hydrangeas, clematis, grasses. I finish off the wreath with some ribbon.

For other ideas on making Christmas wreaths visit Greensideup's blog on making a Christmas door wreath she's made a lovely natural wreath.