How To: make stuffed pumpkins

posting on the DIY fall show off!



(if you like these pumpkins be sure to enter into the giveaway!)

Skill Level:

Easy

Time:

30 minutes or less

Supplies needed:

• up to a yard of your favorite fabric ( I like a light cotton with a fall colored print)
• contrasting (but coordinating) embroidery floss
• dental floss
• quilting needle
• scissors
• floral wire (and something to wrap it around, a pen or chopstick or something)
• fake leaves (grape or ivy leaves work well)
• glue gun with glue stick
• stuffing (old pillows work great, or of course poly fil)
• small stump (slice of a branch or twig)

Lay out you fabric and cut it into a square. I started with a yard and folded it over. I ended up making it smaller though, about a 2 foot square. Start cutting, I cut a few inches and tear it the rest of the way. Thread your dental floss through your quilting needle and tear off a looooooooong piece (I would guess about 4 feet long, depending on the size of your pumpkin). Take the ends together and tie a knot, tie several more knots over this one to make sure it is very strong and tight . Now, start at a midpoint in your fabric, about a quarter inch from the edge and begin going in and out. I am not sure what this stitch is called, maybe a gathering stitch? Do this around all four edges and gather loosely as you go. Once you get to the starting point again loop through the beginning. Just in front of the knot, and between the two pieces of floss. Does that make sense? Don't tie off just yet, and don't gather it tightly yet. This is what it will look like at this point. Now we begin stuffing. You want to stuff this FULL, as full as you can make it. Pay special attention to the corners. You will need to tighten as you do this, and it can be a little tough. Once it is full you can begin stitching it closed. I go back and forth both ways a few times. Then tie it off and cut it. Now pull out your embroidery floss. You will need a lot of this, depending on the size you make yours. For this one, I think I used about 2/3 of the thread. find the middle of your thread and PULL it diagonally over two 'bumps'. Then while holding the thread flip over your pumpkin. You will need to pull this VERY tightly so as to make it look pumpkin-like, be careful not to do it too tightly or your thread will break. Cross your thread over itself and onto the other two 'bumps'. Again, very tightly. Flip it over again. Cross them again, this time going in the 'creases'. Flip upside down again and cross them UNDERNEATH the previous pieces. This way they pull together in a group and kinda make a * shape on the bottom of the pumpkin. Make sure the thread is in the last two 'creases' and flip back over so the pumpkin is right side up. Once everything is tightened to your liking, tie it off and cut your thread. It should look like this right now. Don't worry if it looks lopsided or imperfect. It simply adds to it's cuteness! Now, take a piece of the floral wire and twist it around something, I used a chopstick, but it could be a pen or anything that you have handy. Feel free to do more than one piece if you want to. Figure out where you will want your wire, leaves and stump to go before you glue. Then glue them on and you are done!