Makeover your home for fall

PROJECT #1

Dress up (and protect) your table with felt foliage.

Collect leaves and scan them to create your own templates, or download and print our ready-made maple, gingko, and oak-leaf patterns. Enlarge them to the size you want with a photocopier. Trace around the outer edge of each pattern and cut out. Since felt is a no-sew material, you're done!

GET THIS LOOK | Felt, macfabfabrics.com. Dinera plates, ikea.ca.
Ittala Aarne water glass, gabrielross.com.

PROJECT #2

When a favourite wool or cashmere sweater is accidentally washed with the rest of the laundry, don't panic: You can give it a new lease on life. Continue washing and drying the item about eight times, until the wool thickens. Cut the now-felted item into a long scalloped strip (see right), with the scallops larger at one end. Roll the strip onto itself, stitching it at the base every few turns to create a felt flower. Sew onto throw cushions?—?or use it to jazz up a hat or headband.

GET THIS LOOK | White pillow, bouclair.com. Fabric for other pillows, designerfabrics.ca. Salema sofa, EQ3.ca. Ludde sheepskin throw,
ikea.ca. Knoll Saarinen side table, quasimodomodern.com.

PROJECT #3

If you can sew a straight line, you can create this simple patchwork blanket in a couple of hours. We chose a monochromatic grey palette of heavy tweeds, nubbly chenilles and soft woollens, accented with a plum velvet. Create a 14-in. square template, cut out 20 squares of fabric and lay them out in a random arrangement. Pin and sew them into rows. Sew rows together. (If you leave a 1-in. seam allowance, each square ends up 12 in. by 12 in. when sewn.) Choose a soft fabric like heavy velvet or chenille to back the blanket.

GET THIS LOOK | Assorted tweed, velvet, wool and chenille fabrics, designerfabrics.ca. Purple pillow, bouclair.com.

PROJECT #4

A quick trip to Chinatown (or maybe even your pantry) should offer all the inspiration and products to make these knockout mood-makers. The only other tool you’ll need is wax glue (usually used to secure wobbly candles onto a candlestick). Apply thin, light items like feathers and corn husks with a thin layer of wax adhesive. Secure thicker items like cinnamon sticks and star anise with wax glue first, then run a hair dryer over the candle and push the items into the warm wax. Embellish with natural ribbons made of leather, hemp or raffia, which will also help keep everything in place. If your candle does not burn straight and the flame is getting close to the edge, remember to trim the adornments.

GET THIS LOOK | Fenomen block candles, ikea.ca.
All ribbon and twine, Mokuba, 416-504-5358.