I just love decorating for fall, it’s so much fun! Today my daughter Abby and I are showing you how to make doily pumpkins. This project is so cute but it’s also super easy!
Pumpkins are synonymous with fall decor. They speak of harvests and Halloween jack-o-lanterns. They great thing about pumpkins is that they make great decor in their natural form but they are also adorable in so many other designs. Velvet pumpkins are making a big splash this year, plaid pumpkins are always a big hit, and here in the vintage world, doily pumpkins fit so well with our style. In the video below we show you how to make doily pumpkins and I just know you’re going to love them!
How to Make Doily Pumpkins
If you’ve been with me for awhile you know that I looooove vintage doilies! There are so many great ways to enjoy and display them. Today’s project is a great way to use doilies and the best part is you don’t have to sacrifice them forever. There is no cutting, sewing, or gluing with these pumpkins so when fall is over you can easily disassemble them and use your doilies for something else. As you probably know, every doily is going to be a little bit different so each pumpkin will be too. That’s one of my favorite things about vintage decor!
I have a huge stack of doilies in my collection but if you don’t I’ll tell you where you can find them. Craft stores often sell them if you want your doilies in a rush. If you have time to peruse though, check thrift stores like Goodwill and any vintage markets in your area. You can also find them in online shops like Etsy and Ebay. Finding them in physical stores is my favorite though because you can really gage the quality and authenticity better that way. Wherever you find your doilies they will work perfectly for this project!
The inside of these pumpkins are just Styrofoam craft balls. I left mine white because I love the contrast of a little bit of white poking through the doily. There are a couple of other things you could do with the balls though if you wanted. You could paint them either a color similar to your doily or a color you’d like to pop through. You could wrap them in muslin first and then add the doily. I also thought it would be neat to wrap them in a colored fabric before putting on the doily. There are so many fun things you could do with this project!
Doily Pumpkin Supply List
- 3 White Styrofoam balls (I used three: 4.7″ 5.7″ and 6.8″)
- 3 largish doilies
- Muslin shreds (I had previously died mine in tea to age them)
- Additional vintage decor items to decorate your muslin bow: Brass tags, cabinet keys, skeleton keys, a broach, or buttons.
- Cutting board
- Bread knife (not your best one!)
Assembly Instructions
- Take your first ball and lay it on your cutting board. Use the bread knife to cut a small portion off of the bottom of the ball. You only want to take off enough of it so that it lays flat. Repeat this process with the other two balls.
- Next, lay a size appropriate doily flat and place a ball, flat side down, in the center.
- Gather the doily at the top, pull it tight and get as much flounce at the top as you can. Use a muslin shred to tie the doily in place and then make a bow.
- Repeat with the other two balls.
- (Optional) add your little vintage decor items to the center of the bows. You can tie them on or you could use hot glue if need be.
The Wrap Up
And that’s it! An easy peasy fall craft project that you can make in minutes. I stopped once I added the muslin shreds but these would look so cute with some vintage embellishments added to the bow! You can use whatever small items that you have in your collection like a broach or buttons. If you need some little bits and bobs for this you can find Brass tags, cabinet keys, and skeleton keys in the shop. If you are into pumpkin spice, this is the perfect project to sip your fall themed treat to while you craft!
Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram!
If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!
