Hello and welcome to our blog all about autumn!
Autumnal inspiration.
Autumn is Corinne's favourite time of the year and many of her craft kit designs are inspired by it. She particularly enjoys woodland and it's the warm, rich colour palette, which is integral to her designs. The wool mix felt and DMC embroidery silks used to create the finished samples for each craft kit are of the highest quality, this is important to us as we feel quality materials and original detailed design is a winning combination.
Folk art and fables feature hugely in Corinne's work and can be seen in the design of her favourite woodland animal characters such as foxes, squirrels and owls. Inspiration from nature, particularly flora and fauna, is evident in her exquisite embroidery. Autumn is the perfect time for craft projects as the nights draw in and we hope that yours will keep you busy during this season.
A time to reflect and allotment tips.
Autumn is also a time for reflection, enjoying the last remnants of summer and preparing for winter. We decided it was time to chat with Rosa, who packs and sends out all your lovely parcels, as she is currently doing exactly this on her allotment. She is a big believer in not wasting anything and uses 'windfall' produce, fruit that has fallen from trees, to make chutney and other treats. She sees the autumn season as a time to clean and prepare for the next planting.
We asked if she could tell us more about it all and if she had any tips!
What are you doing currently on your allotment?
"I am washing down the greenhouse windows and scrubbing and storing my pots, this is to clean away any mould spores and maximise light coming into the greenhouse. Spores can also affect the growth of new spring plants at planting time."
Is there anything that can be grown easily in a pot or a small space such as a balcony, if there is no garden space?
"Tomatoes are easy to grow under these conditions indoors or out from late February to early April."
What can be eaten from our allotments or gardens at this time of year?
"There are lots of fruit and vegetables including: chard, leeks, potatoes, the last of the runner beans and all the autumn berries, such as raspberries."
Do you have an allotment top tip to share?
"Yes I do. Instead of sweeping fallen leaves into the bin, collect them all into a bin liner and store then until the following year to mix in with the garden or allotment soil. Leaf mould makes nutritious fibre and is wonderful for the soil. You could also make a leaf mould cage out of chicken wire, they are easy to put together and not as attractive to rats as compost bins."
What can be made from windfall apples?
"Apples can be used to make lovely chutney, here is one of my favourite recipes that is easy to make."
An autumnal recipe for apple & onion chutney
Makes 3.5kg or 8lb and can be kept for up to 1 year
Ingredients:
1.8kg or 4lbs windfall apples
900g or 2lb onions
1 red chilli
60g or 2oz root ginger
3 garlic cloves
1 litre or 13/4 pints distilled malt vinegar
550g or 1 3/4lb light brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp ground turmeric
Method:
1. Peel, core and chop apples, followed by onions, garlic and ginger. Deseed the chilli and chop. Put apples, onions, ginger, garlic and chilli into a large pan. Pour vinegar and mix in sugar, salt and turmeric.
2. Bring the mixture to the boil and continue stirring until dissolved. Simmer for 1 hour. Stir often to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Spoon into hot sterilized jars and cover with vinegar proof seals. Label and store in a cool, dark place.
We hope that you have enjoyed reading our short blog, let us know how the chutney turns out!
Applique Hoop Folk Fox Mini Kit
Corinne and the team x
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Although every day is an embroidery day at Corinne Lapierre, the official World Embroidery Day is July 30th.
Find out about embroidery around the world and ideas for great ways to celebrate!
Jean
October 04, 2021
Thank you