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Late-summer light from humble materials

Recycled Harvest Sun

Turn saved card, paper, raffia and leftover yarn into a warm harvest sun for a wall, window or seasonal garland—an easy Lammas craft made from simple, reused materials.

Time 45–75 minutes
Difficulty Family friendly
Makes One harvest sun decoration
Afterwards Display, reuse or recycle

What You Need

Use whatever saved materials you have close at hand. The exact amount depends on how large and detailed you would like the sun to be.

  • Recycled brown card, packaging card or thin cardboard
  • Kraft paper or brown paper scraps
  • Raffia, jute string or thin natural twine
  • Leftover yarn in muted harvest tones
  • Small scissors and a pencil
  • Optional narrow saved ribbon or fabric strip
  • A ruler and a small pot of craft glue
  • Optional dried leaves, seed heads or herb sprigs

Use what you have: cereal boxes, parcel card and old paper packaging can all be used. Replace raffia with string, scraps of yarn or thin fabric strips, and decorate sparingly with whatever small natural pieces you already have.

Before You Begin

Choose dry, clean recycled materials and protect the table if you are using glue. Let each glued section set before handling the piece too much.

  1. Decide roughly how large you would like the finished harvest sun to be before cutting the centre circle and rays.
  2. Check that the card is dry, flat and sturdy enough to hold its shape once decorated.
  3. Gather a few fibres, paper strips and natural details before you start gluing so the process flows more easily.
  4. Protect the work surface if you are using wet glue, and keep scissors and glue away from very small children.
  5. If you plan to hang the sun, decide where the hanging loop will sit before the centre is fully covered.

Every Step

1

Cut the Centre Circle

Draw a circle on recycled card and cut it out carefully. This will form the centre of the harvest sun.

Use a mug, jar lid or small bowl as a template if you would like an even circle.

2

Cut the Rays

Cut a mixture of pointed and rounded rays from leftover card. Keep some long, some medium and some short so the finished sun feels lively and handmade.

A little variation gives the sun more character than perfect, repeated shapes.

3

Plan the Layout

Arrange the rays around the circle without glue first. Try overlapping the lengths or alternating the shapes until you are happy with the balance.

Leave a small gap at the top if you plan to tuck in a hanging loop.

4

Glue the Rays in Place

Lift the rays one by one and glue them to the back of the centre circle. Let the glue begin to set before moving on.

Work in small sections so the pieces do not slide out of place.

5

Wrap and Decorate the Centre

Cover the centre with raffia, jute or leftover yarn, spiralling or layering the fibres until the card is mostly hidden. Tuck the ends neatly behind or glue them flat.

Keep the fibres fairly flat so the finished piece can still hang easily on a wall or peg.

6

Add Natural Details

Tuck in a few dried leaves, seed heads or herb sprigs if you would like a softer harvest feel. Keep the extra details light so they do not overwhelm the shape.

Small touches usually look more elegant than covering every inch.

7

Attach the Hanging Loop

Glue or tie a loop of string at the back, then cover the fixing point with a small piece of card or paper if needed to make it more secure.

Test the loop gently before hanging the finished sun.

8

Let It Dry and Display

Leave the harvest sun flat until the glue is fully dry. Then hang it on a peg, wall hook, shelf or seasonal garland and make any final small trims or adjustments.

Keep the finished piece away from steam, rain and open flames.

A Note on Reuse, Glue and Fire Safety

Use clean recycled card and paper, and choose a glue suitable for light craft work. Let all glued sections dry fully before hanging the decoration. Paper, yarn, raffia and dried plant details are combustible, so keep the finished harvest sun away from candles, fireplaces, cookers, radiators and hot lights.

Display and Reuse

Hang the finished harvest sun on a wall, shelf, peg or seasonal garland, or lean it against a quiet cottage corner. Store it flat in clean paper somewhere dry if you would like to bring it out again next year.

Recycle and Remake

When the decoration has reached the end of its life, separate the materials where possible. Card and paper can often be recycled, natural fibres and dried plant pieces may be composted, and any reusable string or ribbon can return to the worktable.