10/08/2014

Tutorial on Making Wool Pumpkins

I haven't done a tutorial in a very long time and just made these cute little pumpkins out of an old wool sweater and thought that you would maybe want to how I made them!


First, you need to find a wool sweater. I found a pure white one at the thrift store.  I then washed it and dried it in the dryer so it would 'felt' and shrink. This gives the wool and different look and feel.

I then laid the sweater flat and cut a square from the body of the sweater. The front and back will allow you two pumpkins. (Don't throw out the sleeves! They look cute pulled up on a glass vase with a candle inside.)

I folded each square in half and sewed a seam...above picture.
I hand basted one end leaving it wrong side out.
I then inserted a cinnamon stick and pulled the basting thread to gather around the stick. I wrapped the thread around the gathered area a few times, knotted it and cut the thread.

Now turn it right side out and it will look like this with the bottom end open.

Lightly stuff with polyester filling and hand baste the end like the top. I then pulled the thread and gently tucked in the bottom and did a few knots. It reminded me of a belly button.
Now is where you will need a large and long needle. I threaded some twine on this needle and starting from the bottom, I went all the way up the middle and out the top.
This allows you to be able to make the ribs of the pumpkin. Notice the arrow where the needle is coming out. You have to do this by feel and squeeze the pumpkin to allow the needle to come out the top. You need to keep doing this 'loop' process until you have the amount of ribs that look good.
When I had all my ribs done, I looped the twine around the cinnamon stick a few times to help hold it in place before knotting the twine and cutting it off.
I wanted some kind of curly tendrils, so I chose craft wire that I had on hand and just wrapped it around a dowel and attached to a rib simply by twisting the wire.
I tied a ribbon on the cinnamon stick. Then using my hot glue gun, I glued a few silk fall leaves around the stem.
These turned out so cute! You could make variations of this project by using different fabrics in different sizes, and using a stick from the yard instead of a cinnamon stick.

 It's time to try your hand at it!

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4 comments:

  1. Great job Terry -- They are beautiful! Thank you.

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  2. Great tutorial!! Love the pumpkins! Thanks for sharing!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  3. These are so creative! I love the cinnamon stick stem--thanks for the tutorial :-). #SerenitySaturdays

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  4. These are adorable! Thanks for sharing!

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