Scrappy Pumpkin Tutorial

October 4, 2010

I am not much of a Halloween or Harvest decorator.  If I could choose team colors they would for sure be red and green.  That said, my really good pal Karen asked if I would make her a pumpkin.  She wore me down and now we have this really cute fabric pumpkin tutorial!

Here are the pumpkins I made…

IMG_6315
I made one and then thought it was so fun and easy that I would make a quick tutorial.  Here goes…

I made patchwork but you could do all one fabric or whatever.

UPADATE!  I just published a new video tutorial on my Youtube channel for this project!  Check it out below…

Gather your materials ~

IMG_6295

6 pieces of 6″ x 8.5″ (or 8 4.5″ by 8.5″) pieces of orange print fabric.  Sew them right sides together into a patchwork tube.  Press the seams out with your iron.

Cut out 2 circles (from Download Circle for pumpkin) in your fabric choices.  Fuse the wrong side with fusible interfacing.

Cut 2 pieces of brown corduroy (or your choice!) that are about 2.75″ high and 2″ wide.

Now sew around the both the top and bottom edges of the tube with your longest straight stitch.  Mine is size 7.  Then gather both edges evenly.  You’ll have to mess around with this a bit to get it the perfect size but if you are technical, this circle has a circumference of 15.7″.  I just kind eye it up and make my gather bigger or smaller when i pin the circle on next.

IMG_6300

You can also see in this picture how I did the stem.  Sew those 2 pieces of corduroy together, right sides facing.  I like to make the top edge kinda curved but this is not neccessary!  Trim the edges and then turn it inside out.  Stuff a little stuffing in there and push it all the way to the end.  You will even this out later.

Next cut a slit about 3″ in the middle of one of the circles and insert the stem.  See picture below.

IMG_6296

 To sew it on, turn it over and pin the opening closed.  Go ahead and sew all the way across the circle.

IMG_6298
Next you will attach the circle to the gathered tube.  Pin wrong sides together all around and adjust if needed by pulling the thread tighter or loosening it as discussed before.

IMG_6301
Now carefully sew all around.  I sew on the gathered side so that I don’t miss any edges.

IMG_6302
Check and make sure that you got all your edges nice and neat by turning out.  Then back outside in again.  Trim off all the string and mess.

Repeat with the bottom circle.

Use your seam ripper to make an opening about 3″ between two of the patchwork panels.

IMG_6304

Pull the pumpkin inside out through this opening.  Check for any gaps or errors.  Turn it back outside in and trim up that bottom circle section.  Turn out again.  Should look like this…

IMG_6305

Now start stuffing!  one of my favorite things about this project was that the stuffing can be loose and imperfect!  Lumpy is good here!  You want to put in enough in to fill it up though.

IMG_6306

Now sew up the opening with a blind stitch.  Google it if you don’t know how to do this!  Very useful little stitch for sure.

Here you have the option of being finished.  Like with this one..

IMG_6292
The stem is kinda floppy though so you can make the stem go in by putting a button on the bottom.

IMG_6308
Attach the button securely by looping the thread around 2 or three times.  Then take your needle and push it all the way through the pumpkin to the edge of the stem~

IMG_6309

Pull the thread through the stem and down through the pumpkin again and through the button.  This step may cause you a bit of cursing but stick with it!  Pull it as tight as you want to make the stem come down.  Go through the button again and repeat so that you go through the stem again.  Secure the thread around the button on the bottom.  Now it should look like this…

IMG_6318

Cute!  I may like harvest decorating after all.  Thanks for the push to inspiration Karen!  Those pork chops are going to be great!!!!!!!!!   Which one do you think she will choose?

 This is for personal use.  Make as many as you want for gifts and yourself.  Contact me with further questions!

Archives

Read More Articles

6 Steps to Sew a Beautiful Simple Circle Hot Pad

6 Steps to Sew a Beautiful Simple Circle Hot Pad

At some point in your sewing life, I'm sure you have tried to sew a hot pad/ pot holder.  Something that looks so simple can be a frustrating project!  Either you make it too thin and burn your hand or you try to make it too thick and it end up looking lumpy!  How can...

read more
My favorite FEET- sewing machine feet!

My favorite FEET- sewing machine feet!

FEET!  They can be confusing.  Which one do I use?  Why are there so many to choose from?  What in the world does this one do?  Sewing machines usually come with a set of feet for different uses.  There are many extra ones you can purchase for specialty sewing- from...

read more
Yellow Scrap Fabric Made into Hot pads!

Yellow Scrap Fabric Made into Hot pads!

 Awhile ago I created some yellow scrap fabric yardage and showed you all my method over on THIS youtube video.  At the time I wasn't sure what to do with that piece.  Maybe another pillow?  Make it larger to make a baby quilt?  I finally decided on a new set of hot...

read more