Primitive Fabric Pumpkin Tutorial

Primitive Fabric Pumpkins

What You Need:

Pumpkin
1/4 to 1/2 yard Fabric of choice (enough to fit circle template)
Fiber-Fill to stuff pumpkin
Crochet Cotton or strong thread to gather top of pumpkin

Weight Bag
1/4 yard fabric for weight bag and a 6"-8" circle template or a Ziploc baggie
dry rice, dry beans or sand to fill weight bag
(weight bag is optional)

Leaves
Felt for leaves
Embroidery Floss to stitch leaves
Batting or stuffing for leaves (optional)
Leaf Template

Stem and Vines
Piece of branch trimmed from your tree
Jute Twine (two ply for stem, three ply for vines)
Craft/White Glue

Extras
Marker, Glue Gun, Sewing Machine, Fabric Flowers

What To Do:

1. Prepare your fabric. If your going to be tea or coffee staining or hand-dyeing your fabric it needs to be washed first. If not, there is no need to wash as the pumpkins are not washable, toys or child safe (to many little bits and jute).
You will need to iron the fabric to remove wrinkles or fold lines.

2. If using one, now is the time to make your weighted bag. Cut out two 6" or 8" circles of scrap fabric, nothing fancy it won't be seen. Using a sewing machine, stitch using a 1/4" to 1/2" seam leaving a 2" opening. Add the rice, beans, sand, etc. then finish stitching the opening closed.

3. Mark and cut out your circle for the pumpkin. Remember the pumpkin will be around half the size of your original circle. A 16" circle will make about an 8" pumpkin.

4. Using a doubled length of crochet cotton knotted on the end, baste 1/4" to 1/2" from the edge, all the way around. Start to lightly gather the opening.

5. If using one add the weighted bag with a layer of stuffing under neath. start to add stuffing to the pumpkin while gathering the top.

6. When you have the pumpkin stuffed gather the top as closed as possible without breaking the thread (you may need an extra pair of hands for this). At this point you can add extra stuffing to even out the sides to get the look you want. I use either my finger a wooden chopstick or a crochet hook to get the extra stuffing where I need it.

7. Using a Pearl Cotton or other heavy thread and a long needle (mine's 3-1/2") make the wedge shapes as shown by running your needle either from the top or bottom middle through the pumpkin and back out, pulling snugly to make the indentations. I start at the bottom so I can tie off the thread at the top where it will be covered later. There should be 8 wedge shapes when your done. Tie off the thread. You can add a button or felt circle to hide where the threads gather at the bottom.

8. Gather up your supplies to embellish your pumpkin. Stem, Jute, Felt Leaves and hand made Fabric Flowers. I use two ply jute to wrap the stems (optional) and three ply for the vines. I cut leaf shapes out of felt (two for each leaf) then buttonhole stitch around the edge and lightly stuff, then hand stitch the veins for the leaves.

9. Using a glue gun add a generous amount of hot glue to the center of the opening and add the stem, holding until set. Using the thee ply jute, cut a couple of lengths for the vines, knot one end and unravel the plies then glue in place.
To make a Jute covered stem: Cut a piece of branch to slightly fit the opening. Add a layer of white/tacky glue to the top of your stem. Using a long piece of jute, make a flat tight coil in hand and carefully attach to the top of the stem, hold for a minute or two for it to set. Cover half of stem with glue and start to wind the jute around the stem adding more glue and wrapping until you get to the bottom. Leave about an inch of jute and secure with glue to the bottom of the stem.

10. Glue the leaves in place.
To make the felt leaves: Cut two felt leaf shapes. Put them together, one on top of the other and stitch around the outside edges. I used a buttonhole stitch, but you can use a whip stitch, satin stitch or even a back stitch starting 1/8" to 1/4" from the edge. Leave a 2" opening and add a small amount of stuffing for more dimension or add a layer of batting between the felt layers before you start to stitch, this is optional. Finish off the edge. Next I stitched veins in the leaves using a back stitch. Tie the thread off on the back of the leaves and your ready to glue them on. There are tons of leaf templates on the internet, just search "pumpkin leaf template" or do like I did and just look at leaf pictures and free hand your own. I made several different ones and increased and decreased the size.

11. Using hot glue, attach the flowers. Your pumpkin is now ready for it's new home.

Hope you enjoy the tutorial and can make some really cute Primitive Pumpkins of your own.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'

Hugs, Sandy 

Strawberry Pinkeep Tutorial

Welcome to the show everyone.
Are you ready to try your hand at making a "Strawberry Pinkeep/Pincushion" ?
If you are, here is my oh so simple pattern for you to use.

First off you need to gather up your supplies.

9" x 9" piece of cross stitch fabric (any count or type)
1 skein of embroidery floss
3" x 14" piece or 1/8 yd. of cotton fabric or 1 piece of felt for the leaves
8" to 12" of cording, ribbon, yarn, etc. for hanger
9" x 9" piece of light weight fusible interfacing
18" of 24 gauge wire
9" diameter paper plate
strong sewing thread, pearl cotton or crochet cotton
Filling of your choice: Sand, Emery, crushed Walnut Shells or Fiberfill
scissors
pins
tacky glue
pencil & ruler
sewing machine

1. After you have finished your stitching iron the fusible interfacing to the back (wrong side) of the fabric. Using the ruler and pencil mark a line 1/2" away from your stitching on the diagonal edge. (aka: corner to corner) and draw a line. Cut along the line.


2. Fold or cut the paper plate in half and line up the cut edge of the plate with the cut edge of the fabric. Make sure that your stitching is centered and that the edges of the paper are no closer than 1/2" from your stitching all around. Using the pencil, trace the arc of the plate onto the fabric and cut out out along the line.








3. Match up the straight edge of your piece along the stitching, right sides together and pin in place. The stitching should abut/touch, but not overlap. Sew the long edge using a 1/2" seam allowance, make sure the stitching is lined up properly, then trim the seam allowance to 1/4". Turn right side out.






4. Using the strong thread and turning the edge under 1/4" as you go, sew a gathering/basting stitch by hand all the way around the top edge. Make sure you leave two thread tails around 3" long for pulling. Pull the tails of your thread to loosely gather the top of the strawberry. Fill with your filling material and top the filling with a circle of fabric to help hold the filler inside. Gather the top tightly and tie off the thread, making sure to leave a small opening for the hanger and leaves stem.













5. Make a template for a simple oval leaf. Trace ten (10) of the leaves on to the cotton fabric. Cut them out. Cut the 24 gauge wire into five (5) 3-1/2" pieces. Using the tacky glue, lay a thin line of glue around the edge of the leaf and down the center on the wrong side of the fabric. Set the wire in the center of the leaf approx. 1/4" from the top. Lay the second leaf half on top of the first leaf, wrong sides together, and press in place. Set aside to dry. Repeat with the remaining leaves. You should have five (5) leaves.




6. While you are waiting for the leaves to dry make your hanger. I've used twisted cording and jute that I braided, but you can use whatever catches your fancy. Make sure that your hanger is between 8" and 12" long. Fold your hanger in half and knot the ends together. This will be placed inside the top of your strawberry and stitched or glued in place at the back seam.

7. After the leaves are dry trim the edges to remove any stray threads and uneven sides. I used pinking shears for this. Gather up the leaves and twist the wire stems together tightly. Trim the stem to 1/4" to 1/2" long. Cover in glue and insert in the top center of your strawberry. (You can poke a small hole in the fabric for the stem to set in) Set it aside to dry. (You may want to pin it to hold it in place) After drying arrange the leaves how you want them and glue them around the top edge if necessary to help cover the gathers.

8. There you have it, you just finished your first Strawberry Pinkeep/Pincushion.
Congratulations!!!

NOTES:
I don't have paper plates at my house so I just found a lid in the right size and traced that onto paper for my template.
Remember that the count of your fabric will change the finished size of your Strawberry, so you may need to adjust the size of your template.
I found that crochet cotton is the best for the gathering stitches as the first knot will stay in place while you make the second one. Sewing thread and pearl cotton or floss can start to come loose.

Well, there you go folks.
I hope you have as much fun making yours as I did mine and if you have any questions my e-mail address is in my profile.
I'll try to answer them the best I can.

Take Care & Happy Stitching
Sandy