Aren’t these little fabric pumpkins adorably cute? Imagine these in little autumn prints, stripes, and, or plaids to match your own home decor! Those fabric bundles would be perfect for easily creating coordinating pumpkins. You can make multiple pumpkins in no time!
Fabric Pumpkins
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Supplies Needed
- Fall Fabrics
- Upholstery thread
- Sewing machine (Optional – you could easily sew these by hand.)
- Doll Needle
- Morning Glory Cluster Stuff *
- Cinnamon stick or a Stick from the yard
- Olive Green Felt or faux leaves
- Twine or Brown florist wire
- Pencil or Dowel
- Matching or Coordinating Embroidery floss
- Fabric glue or Glue gun
- Rotary Cutter and Mat or Scissors
Fat quarter bundles are typically 18” x 22” pieces of fabric. You can find these at your local fabric stores and on Amazon. You'll want to use a thinner twine for these little pumpkins.
* We are not an affiliate of Hobby Lobby, but you can find the Cluster Stuff there. Instead of big clumps, the Cluster Stuff is in small balls of batting perfect for stuffing these pumpkins.
Directions
Cut The Fabric For The Pumpkins
Usually, you should wash your fabric before sewing. Since these pumpkins are decorative and you won’t be throwing these in the washer, that’s not necessary. Shrinkage isn’t going to be an issue.
You can use these suggested dimensions for the pumpkins or choose your own size. Just cut the fabric about twice as long as the height. If you want taller pumpkins, make the short sides longer.
- Large – 10.5″ x 20.5″
- Medium – 8.5″ x 16.5″
- Small – 6.5″ x 12.5″
After cutting the fabric piece, fold the fabric end to end with the right sides together. Sew a 1/4-inch seam along the short edge.
TIPS
If you're making multiple pumpkins, stitch the 1/4 - inch seam. Then, place another piece of fabric that you have folded in the same way right next to the first and continue sewing. Don't cut the threads. Just butt one up next to the previous one and continue stitching until you have them all stitched. Then, go back and cut the thread between each of the stitched pieces. This is much simpler than stopping, cutting, and beginning a new piece over and over.
It is not necessary to press the seam open. I’m old school and still use an iron but don’t feel it is necessary with these little pumpkins! You can just finger press the seam if you like. Flatten the seam as you begin and end the basting stitch. The seam is ultimately covered with embroidery floss.
Gathering the Bottom and Top Edges of the Fabric Pumpkins
Be sure to use upholstery thread for stitching and gathering the pumpkin. If you use regular sewing thread, the chances of the thread breaking will be far greater. Use the upholstery thread, you don’t want to waste your time!
Turn the fabric tube right side out. Then, starting at the seam, use a basting stitch on your sewing machine to stitch the bottom and top edges of the fabric tube. If you don’t have a sewing machine or would prefer, you can just hand sew a large running stitch all along the bottom edge of the tube.
Turn the fabric tube wrong side out. Then, gather the bottom, tightly, and secure it with a knot. Next, make sure the cut edges are all facing upward. If you don’t make sure the cut edges are facing up, they will be sticking through and show on the outside!
Gather and hold with your fingers. Take the thread tails and wrap one tightly around the gathers. Use the other thread tail to wrap in the opposite direction. Tie the tails together with a tight knot.
Another option is to thread the tail ends on a needle and take a few stitches through the gathers to secure them. Then, tie a knot.
Gather the top edge in the same fashion, except leave an opening large enough to insert some Cluster Stuff. Stuff with the Cluster Stuff, then pull the threads up tightly leaving just enough room for the cinnamon stick or stick from your yard.
Making the Ribs on the Fabric Pumpkins
To make the pumpkin ribs, thread a doll needle with embroidery floss. You can coordinate, match, or contrast different colors for the ribs. Cut the embroidery floss about 6 times as long as the short end of your fabric. Then, double it. Tie a good-size knot in the end.
Insert the threaded needle into the top of the pumpkin through the gathered stitches and take a little stitch. Then, stitch over the first stitch to help hold the thread securely.
Next, run the long needle through the fiberfill to the center bottom of the pumpkin along the seam. Pull the needle and thread through the fabric bottom very close to the center. Use your hand to lightly compress the pumpkin as you wrap the floss up to the top of the pumpkin to create a rib. Take a stitch at the top along the gathered seam to secure the embroidery floss. (You’ll want to make one of these rib stitches along the seam so it is covered!)
Repeat The Process
Run the needle back thru the center to the bottom and repeat this process until you have 5 ribs. Try to use the same tension as you make each of the ribs. Secure the last one at the top along the gathered seam. Then, tie a knot.
After you make the knot to secure the floss, move the floss stitches around to be more equidistant. Then, adjust the fabric wrinkles along the ribs.
Glue The Cinnamon Stick Or The Stick In Place
Choose your pumpkin stem. My daughter, Danielle, and I made several of these pumpkins. She seemed to take delight in choosing and cutting sticks from the yard to give each pumpkin its own personality.
Squeeze some fabric glue around the opening on the top of the pumpkin. Then, insert the cinnamon stick or the stick from your yard and press the gathers with the glue against it. Hold in place for a minute until the glue takes hold.
You can also use a glue gun. Place the stem in place and then, squeeze some glue on both sides and push the fabric around the stem toward the glue.
Make Felt Leaves
For my little pumpkins, I cut out leaves from olive-colored felt. These leaves measure 2-1/4-inches across. Then, I double-stitched veins onto the leaves. They looked too plain without the stitching and it is easy enough to do.
When the stitching is done, just dab a little bit of Tacky Glue onto the bottom edge of the lower leaves and the little stem. Then, set them in place around the stick ‘stem’.
I used this pumpkin leaf clipart to reduce and print leaves in different sizes.
The Tendrils for The Fabric Pumpkin
Option 1
To make the twine curled tendrils, simply brush a piece of twine with Mod Podge. Make sure you get it pretty wet all the way around. Then, wrap it on a dowel or pencil. If you want smaller curls, use a smaller diameter. A wooden skewer would be good for smaller curls. If you want larger curls, use a larger diameter dowel.
Hold the ends of the saturated twine on the pencil or dowel for a couple of minutes until it holds the shape. Then, slip it off the pencil. Be careful to remove the coiled twine before the glue dries or it will adhere to the pencil!
Option 2
Using brown florist wire, wrap the wire around a pencil, wooden skewer, chopstick, or dowel. Make it long enough that you can wrap the center around the stick you’ve glued to the center of the pumpkin. Cut with a wire cutter. Then, wrap the center around the stick and twist once or twice.
A note here, I didn’t have brown florist wire and neither did Jo-Ann’s. However, there is green florist wire in my craft stash and I have some brown spray paint. By coiling the green wire and spray painting it brown, it has the same effect!
Add Decorations To The Top Of The Fabric Pumpkins
This is where you can add a touch of personality! Danielle likes the country-look, the rough branches cut for a stem, and the jute twine. Raffia is another good choice. Some faux nuts or tiny pinecones will look nice, too. A little bit of crocheted lace added would be interesting. We tied a pretty black ribbon on one made from a cheetah print. Let your imagination go wild.
More Pumpkin Ideas
Velvet Pumpkins – How To Make
Velvet Pumpkins DIY – Easy and Elegant!
DIY Painted Pumpkins and Gourds for Your Thanksgiving Tablescape
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