Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial

Today I'm sharing a tutorial instead of a recipe.  They're very similar, except when you follow a recipe you end up with something yummy to eat.  Hopefully by following the tutorial you'll end up with a cute craft to enjoy instead.  This is my first tutorial, so if you try it out, let me know if I need to make improvements or clarifications.

I realize Halloween is over, but it is still Fall.  Plenty of time to get these made & put them on display.  Seriously, they'd look great for Thanksgiving.  Or, if you're like me, you can put them on your To-Do List & get around to actually making them in a few years.  Yes, that's right, I said years. 

Materials:

• 1/2 yard fabric for large pumpkin

• 1/2 yard fabric for medium pumpkin

• 1/4 yard fabric for small pumpkin

• brown twine

• polyester fiberfill (aka stuffing)

• a branch or two

• hot glue

Directions:

Print out the pattern.  You'll need 2 halves for each pumpkin, so print the patterns twice.

Note: the large pumpkin should reach both ends of the paper.  If it doesn't print that way, just extend the lines with a marker.

Cut out pattern & tape pieces together.

You will need 4 pieces for each pumpkin, so you can fold your fabric over so there's 4 layers and just make one cut.  For the small pumpkin you'll need to fold your material in half & make 2 cuts....place the pattern diagonally on the fabric so you can get your 4 pieces.

This pumpkin was stuffed very full.  I think I like the ones I didn't stuff as much better, but play around & see what you like best.

You want atleast a 6 inch piece of twine left to pull through the pumpkin.

Use the needle to wiggle the twine through the stuffing, and through the hole you left in the bottom.  It's helpful to have a thimble on your finger to protect it from needle pokes.  Once you've got the twine through the hole, you can remove the needle.

It's nice to have another set of hands to help with this step, to make sure you get it nice & squished.  But, if you don't have someone else around, you can use your legs, like I did in the picture above.

Cut off excess twine.

Cut a piece of the branch that's 2 or 3 inches long, depending on how long you want your stem to be.  I used a straight cut on the bottom, and a 45° angle on the top.  My miter saw worked really well for this.

Repeat steps for the other two pumpkins.

Stand back and admire your work.