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!

Happy Thanksgiving

Here's hoping everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving!



Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials in all my etsy shops! Use coupon code FBSHIP at checkout for free shipping! I have great gifts for the basketmakers in your life!



You can find all my etsy shops in the side bar of the blog ------------>

thanks for reading my blog!

Vine Time

It's Vine Time! Are you collecting?

Autumn is the time when vines are "ripe." They are finished with their summer burst of growth. Harvesting vines in the summer means they are full of moisture. It pays to let them dry a few days before weaving, because otherwise there is so much shrinkage. But this time of year, it is cut and weave, the vines are beginning to shut down for winter.

Hurricane Irene brought down a number of trees in the woods near my home, and almost all of them have a variety of vines clinging to them. Here i am carrying one of three bundles of vines i collected off a single downed tree. There was grapevine, wisteria, Carolina jasmine, porcelain vine, and Virginia creeper, all in one big tangle.

...and then i made baskets! Cornucopias are first and foremost now, since Thanksgiving is coming up! Check out my etsy shop Bazketmakr for what else i have been weaving!

Ready for Thanksgiving?

It's coming right up! Have you woven a cornucopia yet? They are fast and fun, and oh so sculptural! You still have time! You can do it, i know you can!

Why not try Susi Nuss' free online tutorial? Susi has coded us a great FREE pattern! Susi has lots of great features on her website, basketmakers.org and while you are there, make sure you click on the ads on the edges, that's how she supports her basketmakers.org site...your clicks are pennies of appreciation! (It's THE go-to site for basketmakers, you know.)

For weaving the cornucopia, you can use reed, or try gathering vines from your yard. (Make sure you know what is poison ivy, though!) You won't need to soak green fresh vines, and they will shrink a little, but oh what fun! This cornucopia was woven with wisteria, some of which was split and appears white; and Carolina Jasmine. I left the leaves on the jasmine, and they will wilt and then dry, and form lovely textural interest. Both vines have tiny roots tendrils that give lovely textural accent as well.

Then fill with gourds, vegetables and fruits, nuts, cranberries (here is a how-to for filling) and have a great holiday!

After Thanksgiving, don't put it away (if it is green, it will still be drying!) Try filling with candy or maybe little wrapped presents, holly leaves or silk poinsettia leaves...the possibilities are endless!

If you don't want to weave one yourself, i still have a few in my etsy shop, ready to ship!

Happy Thanksgiving!
pamela