Make A Cornucopia for Autumn!

Pamela with giant wild cornucopia

This is not the first time I have posted about cornucopias.  

For the past several years, the approach of Autumn has signaled the weaving of a great number of cone-shaped, wild based forms, and I suppose I will have to admit, it has become something of an obsession with me.   Here is a little cross-section of the many takes I have made on the traditional horn of plenty!

It all started with that free pattern that Susi Nuss posted on her website. Of course the pattern uses reed, and not something I use enough to have just what I need for it laying around.
So I had to take a trek to the woods to find something suitable.

 I quickly realized what a great form this was for experimentation.

Wild gathered materials sometimes do not have the flexibility and easy conformity of reed.

wisteria and grapevine, mostly

So I learned to cope and embellish and make it happen!

mostly wisteria, some split

Handles are alot of fun, and really make the pieces unique.

another mostly wisteria with split vines...so beautifully flexible!

inflexible, large gauge honeysuckle was added to this finished cornucopia as a handle.

one of my favorite wild weaving materials are the English Ivy and Virginia Creeper found in almost any garden!

I found that it is very fun and easy to make a mini cornucopia.

tiny gauge, natural honeysuckle

And they are great ring bearer or flower girl baskets for Autumn weddings, and kids are quite intrigued with them.

vinca (periwinkle)

natural honeysuckle

They work well for bridesmaids, also

Carolina Jasmine

A cornucopia does not always have to be pointed, they can take a pod shape.

It was a wonderful discovery that cornucopias often make great wild hats.

My first truly weird form made the most fabulous swamp witch hat, it sold in less than 10 minutes as a Halloween costume.

Swamp Witch's Hat

So I made more, "convertable" or dual-purpose hat/cornucopias :)

Swamp Witches hat with wisteria, grapevine, carolina jasmine, virginia creeper, honeysuckle, autumn olive, and others...

And some , using my cornucopia "skills" that are "just" hats, as well.

Even a gnomish helmet.

gnome helmet of grapevine, Autumn Olive, and assorted vines

People say they decorate with cornucopias through Autumn, into the Christmas season...well, i decided to make a convertable cornucopia/Christmas tree decoration!

I have made really really tiny cornucopias for dollhouse or doll hats.

And enormous ones to put on the lawn, or display at a Farmer's Market!

A bunch of tips and tricks for weaving wild cornucopias are given  in my latest contribution to the Natural Fibers Group newsletter, perhaps you will read them there.

I would love to see what you have done with the cornucopia form!