Today, I wanted to share with you a simple autumn decoration tutorial, easy to make and perfect for beginners. It’s also possible to make them with your children or grandchildren to enjoy a moment of bonding and creativity.
This tutorial comes from the Lubies de Louise blog. Ready to make your pumpkins? Let’s go!
Necessary materials
To make your pumpkins, you will need:
- cotton fabric, poplin is perfect (large scraps can be reused)
- thread
- felt
- ribbon or raffia
- stuffing (foam or small fabric scraps)
- a glue gun (optional)
- and your sewing supplies: pins, scissors, chalk...
The pattern
The pattern is very simple, as it is a single rectangular piece that you can draw directly on your fabric with chalk or a marker; or create a pattern on cardboard or paper.
For your pumpkin to have a harmonious shape, the rectangle should simply have a 2:1 ratio between width and length.
For the patterned pumpkin, the rectangle measures 60cm by 30cm. For the orange pumpkin, the rectangle used is 40cm by 20cm.
Seam allowances are included in the rectangle; you do not need to add them.
The steps
1. Cut the rectangle piece from your fabric
2. Fold the rectangle to place the two widths of the rectangle right sides together. Pin the widths together, and sew at 1cm.
Press the seam open with an iron. Turn your work inside out.
3. Stitch a gathering thread 1 cm from the edge all around the length. You can do this by hand or machine. If you choose to do it by machine, double the gathering thread for extra strength.
Gather the bottom of your pumpkin to close the hole. Secure the closure by sewing it. For my part, I added a piece of raffia string to tighten the bottom of the pumpkin well.
4. Pass a second gathering thread along the other length of the pumpkin (so you can close the other side afterward)
5. Stuff your pumpkin
6. When you are happy with the stuffing, gather the top of the pumpkin to close it. Secure the top of the pumpkin by hand stitching.
7. Place the middle of the ribbon under the pumpkin; bring it up toward the center, pulling tight. Cross the ribbon over the top of the pumpkin and shift it by one third. Go back under the pumpkin, and cross the two ribbon strands again. Shift by another third and bring it back up. Pass the ribbon under the previous ones, tighten, and tie securely.
8. Draw the decorative pumpkin leaf on a felt square about 8 cm on each side. Cut out your leaf and create a notch in the middle of the leaf; this notch will be used to place the stem. Feel free to be creative when making your leaf.
9. Cut a rectangle of felt about 3 cm by 4 cm to create the stem. Roll it up and secure it with hot glue or with a hand stitch. Slide it into the notch you made in the leaf.
10. Glue the leaf and its stem on top of the pumpkin with hot glue or, for those who want a 100% sewing project, attach the leaf with hand stitching.
11. You can add a small leaf on the stem by cutting a small piece of felt. Also glue it with hot glue. You can also glue a small felt circle on top of the stem to "hide" the stem roll.
There you go, your pumpkin is ready, you can place it on the table, in the entryway... and start again to create the whole pumpkin family. And thanks to Louise for generously sharing her tutorial!
