This is not your typical Halloween ‘Pumpkin Wreath’! Remember the Skeleton Wreath I made a couple of years ago? Well, I decided to update the decoration, disassemble the skeleton wreath, and the idea of a pumpkin wreath began to take shape in my mind using the black frame again.
Inspiration For The Pumpkin Wreath
James Whitcomb Riley, the Indiana Poet, and his Little Orphant Annie poem were my inspiration. My mother read this to us when my siblings and I were little, and believe it, or not, I memorized it. It is probably my favorite poem of all time, especially the part about the little boy who wouldn’t say his prayers.
No, I didn’t want a sweet little pumpkin wreath. From Riley’s poem:
An’ the Gobble-uns’ll git you
Ef you
Don’t
Watch
Out!
The vision I had was a creepy pumpkin crawling out of the frame. That is why I have been making Papier mâché pumpkins. They were the practice leading up to this ‘Pumpkin Wreath’. (You can find the instructions for the Papier mâché pumpkins by clicking on the link.)
After making these pumpkins, I can tell you it is a fun process and I am afraid this Papier mâché has become an obsession…an addiction… I love it! There will be more Papier mâché creations!
Elements For The Pumpkin Wreath
Well, here are some of the elements to begin this wreath. The pumpkin head has the first layer of paper clay in this picture. The pumpkin also has a flat back because of the plan to place him in the picture frame. I also made the hole in the back instead of the bottom. Hopefully, that was a good decision.
You can find this creepy cloth at the craft store. Wanting some type of pliable wire to create a skeleton for the hands, I ask Dave if we have any coaxial cable. (We are an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small percentage of any sales from this link at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting this website!)
It took no time for him to bring this to me. He even offered to strip the cable, which would have left me with three individual wires but why not use the whole thing?
First, using my hand as a guide and adding length to it for a bigger hand, I cut the cable for the thumb and each of the fingers.
Then, I cut a double of each of those lengths. The small finger ends up being 11″, the ring finger 11 -1/2″, the middle finger 13 – 1/4″, the forefinger 11 – 3/4″, and the thumb – 10″. These measurements are not critical! This is a monster! Use your imagination and create your own!
Assembling The Hands
Lay the cable out with the thumb on one side, the forefinger length next to it, the middle finger, the ring finger, and lastly the little finger section.
Gather the cable up, adjust the cable, try to keep the fingers in the correct position, and wrap masking tape around the “wrist”. Begin spreading the cable out to resemble the hand. I kept referring to my own hand to judge where the hand needed to flare and where the thumb would need to be.
You might have seen where other people have used old marker tubes to create the segments of the fingers, which was my original plan, but this cable is thick enough that I didn’t feel like I need that after all. I kind of like that it is long and skinny.
You can see where the thumb is positioned out and away from the forefinger piece and masking tape was wrapped around it. It is beginning to look like a hand, isn’t it?
The next step is to wrap the entire handpiece with masking tape. The tape is used to create the palm and back of the hand. Tear small pieces of tape and place them over the ends of the fingers and then, wrap each of the fingers. Paper strips and clay add more detail to the hands.
My Vision
These hands will look like they are pulling the pumpkin figure up and out of the black frame. At least that is the plan! You can see I’ve already begun to shape the hands in appropriate positions. Even though they are easily manipulated right now, after the Papier mâché clay is applied, they won’t be as pliable.
Figuring out the arms and shoulders and adding the Papier mâché will be the next steps► Part 2 of “How To Make A Pumpkin Wreath No One Will Forget.”
Part 2 Part 3Papier-mâché Pumpkin Wreath
How To Make A Pumpkin Wreath – Part 2 – Arms, Hands, and Shoulders
How To Make A Pumpkin Wreath No One Will Forget – Part 3
Has this inspired you to create your own pumpkin wreath?
Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook so you won’t miss anything! I would love for you to share this post with your friends! They need amazing recipes, too! Pin it! It only takes a second! #holidaydecor #halloweendecor #pumpkinwreath
