Fabric Pumpkins

Fall is my absolute FAVORITE season.

You wanna know why?

~Because I can leave my decorations up for three whole months!~

These pumpkins are just the thing to create the warmth and glow of the fall season in your home.

My mom gave me a set of pumpkins just like these about five years ago -- I love them.

So I'm now sharing with you

(this is where you clap your hands in exaltation and joy --- and go and get your glue gun ready!)

--And the best part about this craft is that most everything with a "fall-theme" is on sale--

Cast of Characters:

~3 different prints of fall material: 1 yard, 1/2 yard, 1/4 yard (on sale at Jo Ann's)
~10 oz bag of batting (make sure you don't get quilter's batting or you'll be out of luck)
~ jute twine (I got mine at Hobby Lobby)
~Rafia
~1 lb bag of rice (or beans, if that is what you have)
~2 stems of leaves/berries (I got mine at Hobby Lobby -- they were 40% off)
~sewing machine, thread, scissors
~hot glue gun

1. cut your material for each of your pumpkins.
           large: 17" tall x 27" wide
           medium: 12" tall x 21" wide
           small: 10" tall x 17" wide
     (this is already measured for seam allowance)





2. turn your material inside-out and sew your edges together to make a cylinder
~ double-check your seams to make sure that you got all the material.
(you don't want to start stuffing and realize you've got a gap --- yeah, I did that already, just passing on my hard-earned wisdom)

3. Leave your material inside-out. Gather one end of your cylinder together and bind together with thread, twine, a rubber-band -- whatever your have. (The messier end)
I used thread and just wound and wound and then threaded a needle and made a couple of knots when I felt that I had enough around the bottom.



4. Turn it right-side out and now you have a little bag. Kind of adjust it so that you won't have a lop-sided pumpkin.

5. Get your rice out. You can measure it if you like (this is for the small pumpkin, and I measured out 1/3 cup --- the others, I just poured until I felt I had enough)
* the rice/beans are in the bottom just so that there is a little bit of weight. There is absolutely NO science to this.





6. Now you're ready to STUFF!
~I bought a 10 oz. bag of batting and used most all of it for the three pumpkins so don't be shy about using it.
But DO make sure that you have enough room at the top to gather the fabric a tie it off to look like a stem.

7. Tie off the tops of your pumpkins. I used rubber-bands. (It just seemed easiest.) You could use thread or even some of the jute twine. Your choice.
~Now make "ribs" on the pumpkin by winding the jute around the pumpkin and criss-crossing on the bottom.
I made 6 ribs of each of my pumpkins.
~Think like you're cutting a pie - the jute goes down one side and up the opposite, wrap it around the stem and create a "pie-piece" and do the same thing. Tie it off at the top when you've got the look you're going for.


8. Now it's time to decorate. Get those leaves and berries and pull them off the stems.

9. After you've pulled them off the stems, you'll probably want to cut them into individual leaves.
Leave stems on if you want.
~Get your glue gun out and plugged in.




10. I began by "dry placing" the leaves and berries onto the top of my pumpkins around the stem to see what I liked.

Get your glue gun and glue your decorations onto the pumpkin. I just put glue on the stem and a little bit of the ribs.

~When you're satisfied with what you've got; get some of the raffia and tie a bow around the stem to finish it off. (You could do this BEFORE you put the leaves on -- I just forgot and did it after.)

...and now, you have some beautiful autumnal decorations to sit on your table or mantel.

Something that you can leave out for three whole months!