autumn

This is a project I worked on last fall but it seemed too late to share it when it was complete. Now with some cooler temperatures on the horizon, I'm sure many of you are itching to start some fall knitting projects. This hat and scarf set, adorned with a falling leaves lace pattern,  is named for one of our favorite local cider mills. The cozy, pumpkin color wool yarn from Cascade pairs nicely with fresh glass of cider and some warm cinnamon doughnuts.

The Scarf Pattern can be found HERE.

Spicer's Hat Pattern

Size 8 double pointed needles or 24” circular.
Worsted weight yarn (shown in Cascade 220 Quatro - colorway 5011)
Gauge is 4.75sts per 1”

Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue.
 
Leaf Lace Pattern:
1^st: *K1, YO, K5, SL1K, K2T, PSSO, K5, YO*  Repeat from * to *
2^nd and all even rows, K
3^rd * K2, YO, K4, SL1K, K2T, PSSO, K4, YO, K1*  Repeat from * to *
5^th * K3, YO, K3, SL1K, K2T, PSSO, K3, YO, K2*  Repeat from * to *
7^th * K4, YO, K2, SL1K, K2T, PSSO, K2, YO, K3*  Repeat from * to *
9^th *K5, YO, K1, YO, K5, SL1K, K2T, PSSO*  Repeat from * to *
11^th *K4, YO, K3, YO, K4, SL1K, K2T, PSSO*  Repeat from * to *
13^th *K3, YO, K5, YO, K3, SL1K, K2T, PSSO*  Repeat from * to *
15^th *K2, YO, K7, YO, K2, SL1K, K2T, PSSO*  Repeat from * to *
16^th K
 
ADULT’s
CO 98
Join to work in round.
Knit 1 row.
Work 40 rows of Leaf Pattern which will give you 2.5 repeats of the leaf pattern. Over the next eight rows you will continue working the pattern rows 11-16 BUT omit all YOs as show below. This will reduce your stitch count by 14 each odd row and begin your cap shaping.
Leaf Lace Pattern changes for final 8 rows of the pattern:
9^th *K11, SL1K, K2T, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (84sts remain)
11^th *K11 SL1K, K2Tog, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (70sts remain)
13^th *K11, SL1K, K2Tog, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (56sts remain)
15^th *K11, SL1K, K2Tog, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (42sts remain)
16^th K
 
Continue cap shaping by
K2T (21 remain)
K
K2T, until 1sts before marker K1 (11 remain)
K
K2T, until 1sts before marker K1 (6 remain)
Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches.
 
CHILD’s
CO 84
Join to work in round.
Knit 1 row.
Work 24 rows of Leaf Pattern which will give you 1.5 repeats of the leaf pattern. Over the next eight rows you will continue working the pattern rows 11-16 BUT omit all YOs as show below. This will reduce your stitch count by 14 each odd row and begin your cap shaping.
Leaf Lace Pattern changes for final 8 rows of the pattern:
9^th *K11, SL1K, K2T, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (70sts remain)
11^th *K11 SL1K, K2Tog, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (56sts remain)
13^th *K11, SL1K, K2Tog, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (42sts remain)
15^th *K11, SL1K, K2Tog, PSSO*  Repeat from * to * (28sts remain)
16^th K
 
Continue cap shaping by
K2T (14 remain)
K
K2T (7 remain)
Cut yarn and pull through remaining stitches.

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The other night at the Pumpkin Carving Party, my SIL Jennifer, was telling me about these paper bag trees she made with her Brownies. I must have looked like I was lost in the muck and mire because she finally said, "Geeze... just get me a paper bag and I can show you in 5 minutes." Well, she was true to her word. In a matter of minutes not only did she make a gnarly looking paper bag tree, but I felt confident that I could make one, too.

I sat down tonight to try to make one. Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, I made a tree. Out popped the camera, and easy peasy... a tutorial. I love it when things are this easy, although it would be a lot easier if all of you were sitting around my dining room table. We'd have a forest in a matter of minutes!

Basically, you can't make these wrong, and it is a craft you can do with children. So, go grab a few brown paper bags and pair of scissors, and you'll be making trees in no time. BTW... for the observant... you'll notice some blood smudges on the trunks and branches. Took a little nip out of my thumb :( But I didn't let a little cut stop me, trooper that I am ;) Ready? Here we go!

Measure up 4" from the bottom of the bag.

Cut down the center of the 4 sides of the bag to the 4" mark.

Twist the bag, then untwist.

Twist the trunk up 4" to the cut.

Each of the four sections will become a major branch of the tree.

Twist the first branch about halfway up.

Then, cut lengthwise down the bag to where the branch is twisted. You can make 1 or 2 cuts making 2 or 3 sections.

Twist each section. You can twist all the way up, or go halfway and make another cut. Continue cutting and twisting until all pieces of the 1st branch are all twisted.

Do the same for the other 3 branches. Make each one slightly different.

Make 4 or 5 snips at the bottom of the tree. Twist each section to create roots.

That's it. You can dink with the branches a bit until you are satisfied with the way they look. Then, tah dah... you are done and ready to make another. Now wasn't that the fastest and neatest craft you ever made? Thank you, Jenny, for teaching me this fun technique!

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.

All photos, text and patterns are copyright protected. You may not copy, reproduce or redistribute any material found on WeeFolkArt.com without written permission. Wee Folk Art retains all rights.

Nothing beats that smell, or the sensation of eating a warm cookie with a tall glass of cold milk. Because of that, I usually only bake as many cookies as we plan to eat right away. Then, I form the rest of the cookies into balls, place them close together on a cookie sheet, and freeze them. When frozen, I throw them into a Ziploc, pop them back in the freezer, and remove just a few at a time when our stomachs are in need of a little tickling :) And while they are baking, sit back and enjoy the intoxicating aroma of fresh baked cookies... better than any scented candle you'll ever light :) For more on freezing cookie dough, read our article, The Magic Cookie Bag.

Over the years, my favorite cookie has changed. All the standards like peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies made with milk chocolate, and oatmeal cookies with pecans, have held that place of honor. Right now, my "favoritest" cookie is the Grape-Nuts Cookie. My mom first made these 20 years ago. She got the recipe off the back of a Grape-Nuts box. They are crunchy AND chewy! Yum! This recipe makes 6 dozen cookies. Enough to fill your house with the wonderful smell of fresh baked cookies many times. Enjoy!

GRAPE-NUTS COOKIES - Makes 6 dozen

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) margarine or butter
2/3 c. firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
2 c. Post Grape-Nuts cereal
2 c. oatmeal
1 c. dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, etc.)

 
Directions:
Mix flour and baking soda in small bowl.
 
Beat margarine or butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed to soften.
 
Gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy.
 
Beat in egg and vanilla.
 
Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition.
 
Stir in cereal, oats and fruit.
 
Use a cookie scoop and place on an ungreased cookie sheets.
 
Bake in a 375 oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
 
Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely on wire racks.

What cookies are you munching on these days? If you'd like to include a recipe, feel free to include it in our comments! Always looking for my next favorite cookie, hehe!

Last week I shared Paperclay Leaves - Part 1. Today, we are going to finish the project by painting and sealing the leaves. After that, you'll just have to decide where they should fall! I made 12 leaves, and put them on my Harvest Cupboard. They look so beautiful I want to make more for here and there around the house. Also, I want to make some with the wee ones. I can only imagine how beautiful theirs will be!

To begin with, I collected all the supplies I would be needing. Although you can use any paint on these, I wanted a translucent quality to the colors, so I used my Stockmar Watercolor Paints.

To replicate the coloring of the autumn leaves, head outdoors and collect a handful. Unfortunately, a number of our trees haven't turned yet, so I collect some photos online and printed them for a reference.

I began by using a very thinned yellow "whitewash". I covered the front and back.

Then, I started adding other colors, mimicking the photos of leaves, but mostly just putting colors together in a pleasing fashion. I started by adding watered down colors, working my way up to deeper tones. I tried to varying the colors on each leaf. Then, I let the leaves dried and finally used a "dry brush" method to add accents. To dry brush, use your watercolors full strengths, dabbing your brush on a cloth before starting, then brush very small amounts of paint on the leaf for shading. Finally, I turned my brush over and adding dots here and there on some leaves to show imperfections.

Finally, I used Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish from Dick Blick as a sealer, but you could also use a product like Mod Podge.

When the leaves are dried, add them to your seasonal decorations.

NOTE: Although all the materials I used are non-toxic, these aren't meant to be played with. The clay is thin and can break if over handled. Of course they are plenty sturdy to have the wee ones help you decorate with them.  

While looking for a clay project, I came upon this lesson plan for autumn leaves at Dick Blick. I was very excited and order 2 - 16 oz. packages of Creative Paperclay. The clay has a natural white color, air dries, can be painted, and is non-toxic and acid free. Something that the wee ones can use with supervision.

Before beginning, collect some leaves. You need to pick leaves that have well defined veins, so it will be visible on the clay. Also, you need leaves that are supple. Dried leaves, even along the edge, will crumble when you need to push them into the clay. I chose green leaves for impressions, and will collect colored leaves to study before painting.

Before using, I scored the paperclay into 16 pieces, since each leaf is suppose to use about 1 oz. of clay, depending on the size of the leaf. I then cut 1 piece all the way through and immediately placed the rest in a Ziplock.

I flatted the clay in my hands, then placed between 2 pieces of waxed paper and rolled like you would a pie crust.

Place a leaf, back side down, on your clay. Using your fingertips, press the leaf into the clay so the veins on the leaf leave marks in the clay.

Using a small paring knife, cut around the leaf, removing the extra clay.

Remove the leaf. The clay has been imprinted with the leaf and is ready to dry. It will take 1 - 3 days to dry depending on how thick you clay is and humidity.

If you would like to hang your leaves, either as pendants or perhaps as a garland, make a hole in the clay where you would like an opening to be. You must do this now, before the clay hardens.

Also, if you would like your leaf to have a more natural look, instead of being perfectly flat, set the leaf over another object to dry. I place mine on a small bowl, leafing the waxed paper under it. If you do this, be careful that you do not set the leaf on something that has ridges. While the clay is still wet, it could take on the impress of the ridges and dry that way.

NOTE: The tutorial on line suggests you lay the leaf on the table, face down, and press the clay on the back of the leaf, spreading the clay to recreate the natural edges. If doing this project with children, I suggest you use that method, then you will not need to cut away the extra clay. I tried it both ways, and found cutting the leaf out with a knife gave a more pleasing result, but it can be down either way.

We will be painting our leaves after they have dried.

For Paperclay Leaves - Part 2 click HERE.