It is officially fall and I am so excited to be getting my decorations out. Today I am sharing a project that I love to do every year! I am making fabric pumpkins and showing you how it’s done!
Every year as I start to put out my fall decor, I fall in love with these adorable pumpkins all over again. And I can’t help but make more! Each one is so uniquely beautiful and fun. And they tuck so well into your existing decor that it seems like I can never have enough.
In the video below I am making fabric pumpkins that are the perfect addition to your fall decorations. I show you how to make the pumpkins and then I show you a bunch that I have made in the past. That way you will have lots of ideas on hand when you go to make your own. This is a super easy project and the results are just so pretty!
Making Fabric Pumpkins
There has to be at least a million different ways that you can make these pumpkins. I have used everything from old bed spreads to lace shirts. Any material that you can cut in a circle and that will hold batting is the perfect material for this project!
You can also make these in any size. I love having a mix of sizes! That way I can display them together in groups of three. Or I can slip small ones into my regular decor and large ones can stand on their own.
The stems you use will also be unique to your pumpkin. I have used branches, sticks, driftwood, and actual dried pumpkin stems for mine. Each of these options gives the pumpkins a different look!
Dressing up your Pumpkins
And don’t even get me started on the options for dressing your pumpkin up! Last year I was really into adding doilies to the pumpkin tops. This year I have been adding some pretty scarves and “furs” around my stems. And you can never go wrong with lace. When you watch the video you will see all the different combinations that I have used!
The really fun part about these pumpkins is adding in the little vintage touches! Just like many of the other projects you’ve seen me create. I sneak in my little pretty pieces here too. Miner’s tags, keys, buttons, and jewels all make an appearance on these pumpkins. Sometimes I use several embellishments or add moss and leaves. Other times I keep them pretty simple. Like I said, each one is unique and I love them all!
Don’t worry about the Sewing!
If you know me at all, you know that I don’t sew. I have a huge respect and awe for all you talented sewers out there! I just never took to it. But I do have a couple of projects that I do where the sewing is so rough, you can almost call it “no-sew”, and this is one of them!
Once your pumpkin is complete, you will not be able to see your stitches at all. So you can sew this up like you’re a drunk sailor in a storm and it won’t matter in the least! I just wanted to let you know that up front, just in case you are like me and avoid sewing at all costs. Really, this shouldn’t even be considered sewing, lol.
FABRIC PUMPKIN SUPPLY LIST
- Your fabric of choice (such as muslin, burlap, chenille etc.)
- A circle template (depending on the size you want you can use a large deli tray or cut circles out of cardboard. These don’t need to be perfectly round! I use an 18″ deli tray as my guide in this video)
- Dry beans (this part is optional)
- Polyester fiber fill
- Doily (optional)
- Stem (you can use old pumpkin stems, driftwood, sticks, anything you like!)
- Moss (any kind you like!)
- Handmade lace
- Other decorative embellishments (I use pearls, paper leaves, bleached pine cones, and acorns)
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun
- Large eyed needle
- Strong thread, jute, or hemp string
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- Start by laying out your fabric. Place your circle template on top of the fabric and trace around it with a pencil or a Sharpie. Then cut out your circle. You could also just cut around the template without tracing it first since the fabric does not need to be cut evenly.
- Now it’s time to “sew”. I use this word lightly because this is a messy sew, it does not need to be at all neat since you won’t be able to see the stitching when we are done. Thread your needle with your chosen thread or string and tie a knot in the end. It doesn’t matter if you start on the inside or outside of your material just start weaving in and out all along the edge. Go all around the outside edge and then remove your needle.
- Next, add a few handfuls of beans to the bottom of the pumpkin. You don’t have to do this step but I like how the beans help the pumpkin to sit nicely.
- Now add the fiber fill a handful at a time until your pumpkin is full. When it is the desired fullness, pull your strings tight and tie a knot in them to close the pumpkin. Trim any excess string.
- Next, take your doily and use the glue gun to attach it to the top of your pumpkin. It can be as floppy or as neat as you like it, adjust the amount of glue you use accordingly.
- Next, use hot glue to secure your chosen stem to the center of the doily. Be sure to check out the video for tips on how to preserve old pumpkin stems and where to find other stem materials!
- To attach the moss, drizzle hot glue on your doily and then carefully stick the moss to the glue. Add a second layer if you want it more thick. Watch the video to see how I do with without making a big mess!
- Now take your handmade lace (I use three different types to add texture and color to my pumpkin) and tie or glue it around your stem.
- Use the glue gun to attach any other embellishments that you want to add, this is the really fun part!
- Finally, find the perfect spot in your home to display your creation.
The Wrap Up!
Oh I just love these pumpkins and I hope you do too! Making fabric pumpkins is so simple and it is so much fun coming up with new combinations of elements. They are kind of like the vintage bottles that I love to decorate so much. I never want to stop making them because I never run out of options or ideas! If you try making your own fabric pumpkins I would love to see them! So be sure to tag me if you share them on social media. Until then, have fun crafting and have a fabulous fall!
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