One day while at my favorite thrift store, I bought a few cute wool sweaters in different colors. I originally intended to make coffee cup sleeves with them but that never panned out because the knit stretched too much. So one day while fiddling with a piece of the sleeve, I dreamed up this cute pumpkin!
I hope you’ll enjoy this tutorial!
Material’s needed:
- 100% wool sweaters (the smaller the better, you’ll feel less guilty cutting up what you can’t fit into)
- Brown felt sheets
- Thread to match both
- One standard and one long needle
- Cotton batting
- Wire. Any size- as long as you can bend it and will hold shape. (I get mine from the hard ware store)
- Brown alcohol ink & make up sponge (or just use copper wire)
- Tacky Glue
- Bamboo skewer or other similar device.
- Jewelry making tool
Begin by cutting a piece of your sleeve. The higher you cut, the bigger your pumpkin will be. Turn inside out and hand sew 1/2″ from the end. Then turn it back again. Stuff it with batting. The more you add, the firmer your pumpkin will be.
Decide how long you want your stem to be. I cut my brown felt 1″ x 3 1/2″. I folded it lengthwise and stitched it 3/4 ways to the top. Use the skewer to start pushing one end of the empty stem inwards till it has turned it inside out. Before stuffing, fold the wire (figure 4 times ad long as your stem) in 1/2. Place the folded part inside near the stitched end. Make sure one end of the wire comes out at the bottom and the other at the 3/4 mark where you stopped stitching in the beginning.
Using the skewer, proceed to stuff the stem carefully with batting and stitch the end closed. You can tell by the sketch that the piece of wire emerging from the seam will be used for the vine.
If desired, color the wire for the vine with the alcohol ink. (I use alcohol ink because it will not rub off with nail polish remover. ) Loosely curl up the uncolored end.
Add a dollop of tacky glue to the middle of your batting. Place the curled end of your wire and stem in the glue, pressing down as you tuck the pumpkin ends down around and stitching it closed as you work.
Just as you would in making a tomato pin cushion, take your long needle and tie at the bottom of your pumpkin a anchor knot. Then with your thumb push in so your needle can go in and find the top of the pumpkin easily. Make sure the needle comes up as close to the stem as possible.
Pull as tight as you can and then drape the thread on the outside of the pumpkin and come through the bottom to the stem top again, pulling tight. Repeat process till you have four wedges. Continue again till you have 8 wedges, pulling tight as you go. Finish off at the bottom and anchor one last time.
For the vine: Use your jewelry tool to curl the end, so not to have a sharp exposed piece. Then wrap the wire around your skewer and slide out.
Bend your stem for a natural effect and place in a bowl with others made from the same sweater or different colored ones. Use as a centerpiece or tie names onto each pumpkin and use as place cards for Thanksgiving day!
Tags: Sewing, Thanksgiving, Tutorials, Wire
I wanted to add that you may want to consider using a stained sweater. You’ll also have an easier time cutting up something that is permanently stained. Or if you find one that is stained at a thrift store, you may be able to get it cheaper due to the stain.