Thursday, October 28, 2010

A fun fall craft

The November issue of Family Fun magazine featured instructions for a really cute horn of plenty, complete with felt fruits and vegetables. 

This project is very easy, especially because Family Fun provides the pattern free online. Most kids who have any basic skills with handsewing would probably only need help with cutting the felt out, and stuffing the fruits and veggies with fiberfill before sewing them up completely. The stitch used is a simple running stitch.

I decided to make this project by myself, though, so as to have a surprise to pull out on Thanksgiving to give to the kids that will keep them occupied for some time while I spend the morning preparing the big dinner. It took me the last two nights to complete two sets (one to keep, one to give away), so it's not a very time-consuming craft - but it definitely took me longer than the 1-2 hours that the magazine suggests it will take. It was fun and relaxing, and I can't wait to give it to the kids. 

 
The fruits and veggies are: pumpkin, potato, apple, onion, green bean, carrot, turnip, tomato, pear, butternut squash, acorn squash, corn on the cob, eggplant, and garlic.

One huge benefit was that this craft cost me nothing. I already had a big basket of felt in my sewing room, almost all of which I have been given for free through freecycle over the years. But even if you have no felt at all, sheets of it sell for $0.20 at most craft stores, and one sheet in every color used will easily make several sets (or leave you with lots of leftovers for another project). The only exception to this is the light tan for the cornucopia itself, which uses two sheets of light tan.

 
By the way, there is almost never a scrap of felt too small to be worth saving. I keep mine in a gallon size Ziploc bag, and most of the pieces for this project were made from those scraps.


If you already have embroidery floss, thread, or anything of the sort in the house (as I did), you will likewise not need to spend any money on that part. If you decide to buy floss, one skein costs about $0.30, and you could even use just one or two colors in that case. 


Knowing our kids, they will spend hours playing with this, and I imagine so would most children. There is something special about playing with felt toys - they just feel so nice. Which makes this craft a great return for a few bucks, or a nice gift for a child with a fall birthday. I highly recommend it!

3 comments:

  1. I like this craft idea...you don't have to be a sewing expert to make these crafts.

    I am trying to find a scripture that suports your belief that it is a sin to vote. I have never heard this in a Baptist church. I know Jehovah's Witnesses do not vote, but never was told it was a sin in any other church.

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  2. Anon,

    I'm in the middle of a crazy busy weekend, but I am really hoping to put together a whole post on your voting question before Tuesday. Lots of people have asked me about it.

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  3. According to Cathy Burns in her book-Masonic and Occult Symbols- the cornucopia was brought over to America by witches that came from Scotland(p.334). It is used today by the Masons(p.335). It also has to do with Greek mythology(p.336-337). It is a masculine/feminine symbol(androgynous symbol-p.336). Her book is interesting- it goes into the history of the peace symbol, the heart symbol(not the heart organ but originated from the uterus), the obelisk(the tie is an upside-down obelisk), the Target circle with the dot inside and the history of jewelry and make-up, etc. I don't agree with one article she wrote but most of her books etc. are interesting. They are available from libertytothecaptives.net and her ministry- Sharing.

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