Easy Primitive Halloween Apple Garland
Simple Steps for a Creative Folk Art Fall Decoration
Oct 2, 2009
Construct an easy Halloween garland featuring fall apples and old-fashioned tin or wooden stars, along with a few simple craft materials to weave them together.
Materials You Need:
- 1-1 1/2 yards of muslin fabric
- one package doll or pillow stuffing
- wood twigs (for apple stems)
- “apple” green or red craft paint
- one sheet of green felt
- needle and thread
- glue
- one spool of craft gauge “rusty” wire (available from craft suppliers)
- one package of “rusty” tin stars (also available from primitive craft suppliers) or
- one package wooden stars, painted rust-brown
- rust brown paint (optional)
Making Primitive Muslin Apples
Cut the muslin fabric into seven-inch squares, a total of five or six, depending upon the length of garland planned. Place a generous wad of stuffing in the center, then pull the edges and side together around a twig or “stem” at the top. Sew the fabric around the stem, wrapping the thread several times in addition to making stitches. Use a little glue to hold the stem in place, then knot and trim your thread.
Pull and shape the fabric at the bottom into the four “bumps” at the bottom of the apple. Use a needle and thread to hold them together in the center to help shape your apple. Paint each apple the color you’ve chosen (typically red or green). Cut leaves from the square of green felt fabric and sew one to the top of each apple, close to the stem's base.
Wiring the Garland Together
Unfurl a coil of rusty craft wire, available with most online primitive craft sellers or in craft stores. Use a pair of wire cutters to trim the wire to the desired length. Curl one end of the garland into a spiral so it can be looped over a thumbtack, hook, or other means of display.
Wrap the wire around each muslin apple’s stem, spacing them evenly apart. Slide a rusty wire star or painted wooden one in between each apple and loop the wire to hold it in place. Continue staggering apples and stars until the garland is full -- making sure to end with an apple. Curl the end of the garland into a spiral, then loop the spiral ends over display hooks to display the finished garland.
Alternate Designs
Instead of rusty stars, use medium-sized jingle bells painted with rust-colored paint. Other unique ornaments include leaves cut from copper flashing (be sure to carefully trim away any sharp edges) or “moldy” apples flecked with black paint for a macabre Halloween touch.
 |
