In the aftermath of my first online workshop, I cleaned my studio this weekend. In doing so I came across a bag full of acorn caps, felt balls and an assortment of lovely autumn-colored felted sweater scraps. We’re staying home for Thanksgiving this year and I thought it would be nice to make up a few napkins and napkin rings for the occasion. (Hmm, so much for cleaning the studio, eh?)
For the napkins I cut 18″x18″ pieces of print cotton. (I don’t remember buying this fabric or where it came from!) Then I used my special hemmer foot that makes a double turned hem. Weeee! The corners are a bit fidgety but otherwise they came together quickly. Wish I had had orange thread on hand. That would’ve been ideal.
For the napkin *ring*, I used a part of a sleeve cuff from a felted wool sweater. I sewed it into a loop (about 4″ in circumference). Then I cut a few oak leaf shapes freehand out of my felted scraps and sewed them to the cuff. The acorns are my old stand-by made with pre-made felt balls glued into found acorn caps. These can be stitched or glued to the leaves.
If you’d like to make your own acorns, you can follow my acorn tutorial. You can either buy feltballs or try making feltballs yourself! If you’d rather just buy some pre-made acorns, visit Lil Fish Studios for some beauties!
I have such an obsession with acorns–ever since writing my Master’s thesis on the history of acorn use (really!). Love these, can’t wait to do a whole slew of acorn-themed projects with our kids this fall!
Those are fantastic, so autumny. We really need to find some acorn cap…
Cute napkin rings. I love them! The acorns are so cute with their little hats.
How adorable!
So festive and pretty!
These are fantastic. Congratulations.
just wonderful! love the colors and the acorns are so wonderful! just wonderful (my new word for the day!)
Thanks for sharing!
These are gorgeous! What a fabulous idea, I just love the textures. Thanks so much for sharing this, I’ll be linking.
When I’m using my rolled hem foot, I usually try to come up with some excuse to round the corners. Then it’s fiddly in a slightly different, slightly easier way. Love the leaves!
So cute!!!
Acorns are my fav things in the world!!(Well almost but I do love them)
Your are to die for!
Diane
Love them, Betz! Your free form oak leaves are beautiful. The image of you “almost” cleaning up your studio is perfect. It’s so hard to put it all away when you know another project is right around the corner. I had a similar theme that I hinted at today and will continue tomorrow.
congratulation!! they are so cute!!
Thank you for this beautiful idea. I am having a wonderful time exploring your great blog and all the super tutorials. Beth
Thank you for sharing something so lovely and easy too!
Betz!
Adoro sua idéias e leio sempre seu blog! Parabéns!!!!(Congratulation)
Bjos
Cecília – São Paulo-Brasil
Great idea! Love the rings. Why haven’t I ever thought of making my own napkins? I’ll add that to my wish list of things to do.
This is beautiful! I think i’ll be doing this for my holiday table. Thanks for sharing.
lisa
Thanks for sharing this fun idea! I can’t wait to make some.
I love this project! I’ve just started felting and have a question: are your leaves floppy or on the firm side? After felting a lot of thrift store sweaters, I’ve got some that are very thick and stiff, and some that are thinner and floppier… which type would you use for this project? Your leaves don’t look exceptionally thick, so I’m thinking thinner would be better.
(BTW, I bought the Crafty Tree Trimmings eBook last night and can’t wait to get started on your gingerbread house!)
Hi Jeanlass,
I think the leaves work out best with thicker firmer felt. Sometimes I fuse thinner felt to another layer with fusible webbing. Really, either works fine!
Betz
Thanks, Betz!
Jean
oh my goody goodness! love the acorns and leaves. perfect for the chilling fall time.
Hi from New Zealand, Just great colors , cheers Marie