Updated date:

Sep 8, 2016

Acorn Crafts: Fall Autumn Projects and Ideas

Author:

Rose is a full-time freelance writer who frequently writes about education, special education, DIY projects, food, Milwaukee, and more.

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This is one of those ideas that came to me when I was searching for a tutorial for a personal project. After I found a couple ideas that I liked, I got curious and did some more general searches for acorn craft tutorials. Of course, as it frequently happens with these searches, I was blown away by all of the ideas out there. There is something out there for everyone. A lot of these ideas are not time consuming or expensive and make great kid or adult projects.

Many of these ideas do not have to be used exclusively for single projects. For example, you can turn your crocheted or needle felted acorns into a garland, even if there isn't a specific crochet or needle felt garland tutorial.

Please respect artist copyrights. If you are interested in selling anything that you create from a personal use tutorial, please contact the artist directly. Thanks and happy crafting!

Needle Felting

Acorns are a great medium for beginning needle felters because they are small and are a fairly easy shape to manage. If you're wanted to try this technique but haven't yet, this is a great project to get you going. Many of these tutorials give you all of the instructions that you need. If you have background knowledge, that's great, but most likely you won't need it to get started on this type of project.

How to needle felt in 4 minutes - Part 1

Crocheting

Both of the tutorials here are for acorn crochet necklaces, but of course you can use your crocheted acorns for other purposes, too, such as fall decoration or Christmas ornaments. These tutorials do assume that you have a basic knowledge of crochet skills and terminology.

Fabric Acorns

These projects are a great way to use up those little fabric scraps that you can't bear to throw away but haven't figured out what else you're going to do with them. Some of these tutorials require some minimal sewing while others are simply gluing projects.

Jewelry

Acorns are a great size for many types of jewelry. They are large enough to provide some substantial presence without being overwhelming. I found tutorials for earrings and necklaces. You can also take the concept of turning acorns into little charms and attach them to a bracelet.

Christmas Ornaments

In addition to making a great Christmas ornament, this could also be a perfect holiday bowl filler. Create a small handful of acorn ornaments without the strings and place several of them in your favorite decorative bowl.

Sweet Something Designs: Acorn Cap Ornament

Garlands/Pendants

As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, you can take any of the needle felting, crocheting, or fabric techniques from this article and apply them to your garland or pendant. As long as you're not planning to drill straight through the acorns, these techniques will work nicely. Drilling is another great garland option as well.

Wreaths

It seems like everywhere I look, I keep finding more great wreath ideas. If you spend any time on Pinterest, I'm sure that you know what I mean. This is yet another simple, inexpensive, beautiful idea. You can use a wide variety of wreath forms (i.e. wood, Styrofoam, etc.) and can paint your acorns or leave them plain. While this is a natural choice for fall décor, there are lots of possibilities for customizing your wreath for other seasons or for holidays.

Dolls / Animals

There are a lot of creative ideas out there for turning acorns into dolls and animals. Not all of these posts include tutorials, but most of the concepts are self-explanatory and can be customized any way that you like.

Mushrooms

An acorn cap makes a perfect mushroom cap. This tutorial is for mushroom ornaments but of course you can leave off the string and use them for other home décor or for imaginative play.

lil fish studios: Acorn Mushroom Ornament Tutorial

Dremel Carving

You don't need to run out and purchase a dremel purely so that you can carve a few acorns. However, if you already own one, this is a great option. I love the heart shape in this post, but there are numerous possibilities.

purple petunia: acorn + Dremel

Bell Shaker

There is something very aesthetically pleasing about musical instruments that are made from natural materials. This one is no exception. If your kids are preschool aged or if you teach preschoolers, this is a great way to give kids an early, first hand introduction to music.

Bell shaker: with added bling! | Mini-eco

Mirror or Picture Frame Border

You can apply this concept to just about any mirror or picture frame with a border wide enough to glue at least one or two rows of acorn caps. Leave your caps plain or paint them to match your frame. If you choose to use a second hand frame, consider whether it needs to be sanded and/or painted before you glue your acorns.

Acorn Crafts - Martha Stewart Holiday & Seasonal Crafts

Miniature Reading Lamp

Do you remember the miniature mouse with the walnut chair from this article? Now you can create a miniature reading lamp for him out of an acorn! At this scale, the lamp will not produce a lot of light, but it's still really adorable.

Make a Miniature Reading Lamp With an LED Light Source

Tea Set

Who wouldn't want a tea set for a dollhouse or simply a new set of dolls? In addition to being wonderful dollhouse décor, there are lots of possibilities for imaginative play. You can take the artist's suggestion and fill your tea cups and bowls with glitter or you can fill them with miniature play food.

Acorn Tea Set : One Inch World

How to Make Acorn Candlesticks

Do you enjoy repurposing objects for craft projects? Check this out!

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Comments

poetryman6969 on December 16, 2014:

Aren't you the crafty one! Never knew you could do so much with acorns.

Rose Clearfield (author) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 13, 2012:

Thanks, Janet! I'm glad that I was able to link up with you today. Acorns are awesome.

honeyfromthebee on August 13, 2012:

What a fabulous page! Thanks for hooking up so I could read it.

Rose Clearfield (author) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 10, 2012:

Thanks Elderberry Arts! That's perfect. Have fun with your acorns this year. :)

Claire from Lincolnshire, UK on May 10, 2012:

Brilliant hub :) I have a big oak tree in my garden and the acorn always end up sprouting little plants all over my garden. Will definitely try some of these ideas out

Rose Clearfield (author) from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on May 09, 2012:

Thanks 4youreyes! Have fun with your acorns this fall. Once they start dropping from the trees, you'll get a basket full in no time. Take care. :)

4youreyes on May 09, 2012:

randomcreative,

What a awesome hub. I can't wait to gather some acorns this fall and try out some of these crafts. There are so many great ideas I will need to gather a basket full.

Have A Good Day !