We are lucky enough to start the week off with a creative and unique project from our DIY Weddings Editor, Gail MacDiarmid. She shows us how to make this super cute Harvest Apple, perfect as bomboniere/ place setting for a garden, country or summer wedding.
Gail: Red and white is a colour combination that has always appealed to me. I think it’s the vibrancy of the red against the clean crispness of the white which looks so striking and fresh. Such a refreshingly simple colour palette is ideal for a spring or summer wedding.
The inspiration for the harvest apple came to me recently while I was attending a local market. I saw one there made from some drab fabric and it looked way past it’s use by date but I thought there was potential to take the idea and craft it into something pretty and novel for a wedding. With a few design modifications and some bold fabric, red and white checks are perfect for this project, I restyled the apple into a delightful decoration or a bomboniere gift for a country-themed wedding. I am sure there are many other fabrics and colour palettes you could use but I immediately imagined it in red and white gingham – a little bit wholesome and a little bit country. I added some spices to the filling which gives it a delicious aromatic fragrance. After the wedding they can be used to scent drawers or your wardrobe or simply used as a cute decoration.
You will need
Red and white gingham cotton fabric, polyester filling, craft glue, one normal size needle and one extra long needle, strong thread and some small sticks for the apple stem – these can be gathered for your garden. To include a fragrant filling use cloves and cinnamon bark (broken into small pieces).
How to create
1. Download DIY template and trace onto fabric and cut out.
2. Pin the two pieces of fabric for the apple together with the right sides facing each other. Sew along the outside edge leaving the bottom and top edges open.
3. Using a normal size needle with a double thread, sew a running stitch along the bottom edge of the apple and gather together to close the hole.
4. Turn the bag inside out. Stuff one third of the bag firmly with polyester filling. Place a layer of the spice mix on top of the polyester (approximately a 2cm layer) and continue filling the rest of the apple firmly with polyester.
5. Using the normal size needle, again with a double thread, sew a running stitch around the top edge and gather tightly closed. Before securing it with a double stitch, push the apple into shape with your fingers and see if you need to add any more filling.
6. To hold the apple in shape permanently, take the extra long needle and with a double thread sew a couple of double stitches at the centre of the base of the apple. You will be putting a bit of pressure on the thread so you need to have it firmly anchored to start with. Push the needle through the centre to the top of the apple. You will now see the bottom of the apple start to take shape. Return the needle through the apple to the bottom to shape the top. Repeat this process a couple of times.
7. To make the leaf, glue the stem stick to one end of the leaf (see above) leaving a small portion of the stick to be inserted later into the centre of the apple. With your fingers shape the leaf around the stick and hold in place to dry. When dried place some glue on the stem and insert it into the top of the apple (See below).
Thanks so much to Gail for sharing her latest creation with us.
I’d love to hear if you are going to give it a go and would love to see some photos of your version!!
Happy Monday and remember time is running out to WIN BIG on Modern Wedding Facebook!
Kate x
For more DIY ideas and projects head to the DIY Weddings section on Modern Wedding Website.