Summer Garden Project

Summer Garden Project

I have to confess this month, I am flying solo, because Alex has happily returned home to live with his housemates now that he’s had both Covid vaccinations.  I had planned for him to visit me last weekend, for him to join in the blog project, but my partner Pete went up to London recently to watch Swansea City Football Club in the play-off finals for the Premier Division!  As a result, I felt that it was too risky for Alex to come and stay, just in case Covid reared its ugly head.  So I’m afraid you’ve only got me this time!

Anyway, it’s that time of year when we all love to get out and about for some fresh air.  With lockdown affecting so many people’s plans for holidays and travel, many of us have turned to more home-based ideas to spend time in the fresh air.  We have spent a lot of time in the garden over this past year or so, and I thought it would be nice to combine ideas for the garden with wet felting.

Here are some photos of our garden, which just over a year ago, was a mass of overgrown weeds, bamboo and brambles!! I think it’s coming on really well.  Pete has worked a miracle and Alex has enjoyed learning how to garden and grow vegetables.

Summer Garden

 

So… I decided to make something that would be a pretty addition to our garden……. a liner for a hanging basket of flowers.

I started by measuring the diameter of the wire basket from rim to rim, including the depth.  It measured 21″ in total.  In order to allow for shrinkage, I made a rough guess and decided to make a circle measuring 30″ in diameter.  I decided that I didn’t want it too thick, so opted for doing two layers of wool batt, with a few decorations using Merino tops.

Before I started laying out my wool batt, I decided to make some spirals for the outside of the liner.  I though they would add a nice decoration, and would make the liner both colourful and hopefully attractive to bees!

Merino tops in assorted colours

Some of the merino tops were quite short, so I drafted them in order to make them longer.  As you can see by the pale green one, I need practice!!!

I wrapped the ends in some clingfilm, which I secured with an elastic band in order to keep them dry and prevent them from felting.

Next, I felted them in order to make my spirals.  I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to roll them in your hands as they are so slippery! So I managed to find that by rolling them gently on a towel, I got a much more even shape and they were easier to roll.

Next was to start laying out my wool batt.  Firstly, I did a layer of lavender coloured wool.  Once I had laid that out, I then added my merino snakes! I have to admit, at one point I did think this was going to end up looking like Medusa!

Fluffy tails

I fanned out the dry ends of my ‘snakes’ so they would be sandwiched between the two layers of wool batt.  Once I had all six snakes in place, I added my second layer of turquoise wool batt.

As you can see, I left a hole for you to see how thick I was laying the wool batt.  I have to admit, the blue looks more of a sky blue in the photos, but in real life, it has a lovely turquoise hue to it.

I added some merino coils on the top, so look like little flowers.  Then I started to wet felt the wool.  It took quite a while and I have to admit it was tricky at first, because my table was the same width as the diameter of the wool batt circle.  This meant that I had snakes trying to slither off in all directions!!!  But once they were starting to get trapped by the wool batt, they were a lot easier to handle!  Perhaps I was a snake charmer in a past life!

Anyway, I finally got there! I did not quite manage to shrink it back down to 21″ diameter, no matter how much I worked it and fulled it.  I did contemplate trimming the top back to the rim of the wire basket, but in the end I decided I quite liked it as from above, it looked like a large Petunia flower!  I cut six triangles out of the circle, so that it would sit better in the wire basket.

It looks like a spinning, spiralling cog wheel!

I was quite happy with the result…

I then made my snakes into spirals using pipe cleaners to shape them and left the whole thing to dry.

In the end, I also decided to use the triangles that I had cut out, by inserting them lower down into the wire basket.  I think it looks like an upside down jesters hat now!  I have planted it with a few flowering plants, and I’ve put it at the bottom of the garden.  This is where I put my special, meaningful things.  I like to think the fairies appreciate them!

Happy in its new home!

I hope you like my wet felted basket liner! I thought I would leave you with some photos of my midnight garden to finish off…

Midnight Garden

 

 

18 thoughts on “Summer Garden Project

  1. Your garden is quite magical at night and during the day it’s wonderfully green and ‘open’ (you’re not hemmed in by tall buildings etc.).

    Your basket liner is so pretty and it enhances the plants you’ve put in it.

    It’s good that Alex is happy back with his housemates but you must miss the felting with him!

    1. Thank you, yes, we are very lucky to be surrounded by fields. I am missing him like crazy, but I’ve arranged for him to come here one weekend a month in addition to his weekly curry night, just so we can continue our felting together 🙂

  2. The basket liner is wonderful and whimsical. I am sure the fairies at the bottom of the garden are loving it. You have a lovely big garden. It looks like you will have a big harvest. The lighted garden would be lovely to sit out with in the evening. I am afraid my gardening runs to rhubarb, hostas and other things that can take care of themselves.

    1. To be honest Ann, we are spoilt as that is our lower garden. We also have another back garden before you reach the house. We’re doing a lot of work on that one at the moment but I think there will be a few more hanging baskets like this one before we’re finished!

  3. What a beautiful addition to your garden. It really turned out great, definitely one of a kind. Sorry that Alex missed out on the felting but better safe than sorry. I think those must be some happy fairies!

  4. Me too Ruth, but I’ve got another project planned for him and with the other baskets I need, he’s going to have plenty of fun 🙂

  5. What a lovely, bright and cheerful basket liner. I’m thinking the fairies must be eyeing it up hoping to make some clothes out of it. It reminds me of our pixie boot efforts last Christmas that were inspired by a post here by Karen.

    Your garden does look lovely – you’ve made a great place to be, both day & evening. Well done!

    1. Thanks Lindsay, yes, its a beautiful place to spend time now. It was a very different place two years ago! 🌻🌿

  6. Love the basket liner! I wonder if you’re going to remove the pot from it when watering? Or are you happy letting the wool soak through? 🙂

    As for the midnight garden, we have the same plant shelf and fairy lights, but mine are sadly confined to indoors. Yours looks adorable!

  7. Hi Leonor, thank you, that’s an interesting thought. I probably wouldn’t take it out as I cut the sides to make lobes, so it would fit better. But I could lift the whole thing down and place it in a bucket of water for it to have a good soak if the weather is dry and warm.

    The ladder belonged to my late father. I found it in his garage when clearing the house out for sale. It was a tall ladder but the bottom half was rotten, so we cut it down to half size as I wanted to use it as a memory planter. I originally made full shelves for each rung, but quickly realised my plants were too tall 😂 so I rejigged the shelving to match the plants. I’ve had neighbours from the other end of the row, visit just to see the lights! 😂 I’m so glad my garden is no longer the topic of conversation because of the cultivated weeds!! 😉

  8. All stunning….the garden, the night time display & of course your colourful basket liner which is real focal point for your precious corner.
    I hope you are delighted with all your efforts having come to fruition & that you can sit back & actually relax.
    I’m sure Alex will love your basket felt just as much as the fairies.

  9. Thank you Antje, yes, I love how it turned out and how it transformed an old basket into something bright and cheerful. I can’t wait to show Alex when he comes over! 😁

  10. Your garden is magical at night with all the fairy lights. I absolutely love your garden liner. Every aspect of it screams happiness. Thanks also for the clear instructions. I am tempted to make one. ☺💖
    I’m delighted that Alex is getting back to normality with his housemates although you must miss him. Better safe than sorry in the current climate.

    1. Thanks Helene, I’m so glad you like it. The liner combines my two favourite hobbies perfectly, and I’m so chuffed with the result. Plus, it’s eco-friendly, which is even better!! 😊

We'd love to hear your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: