Let me show you how to make 3 fabric pumpkins, in 3 different sizes. After that, you can stack them together for a small pumpkin tower. Use the assembly line process to make this a fast DIY. You can easily create three fabric pumpkins in a couple of hours. The small and medium sized pumpkins require a fat quarter only. This is a good opportunity to use up scrap pieces of fabric.
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Any handmade pumpkin is fun to use to decorate your home.
Your large pumpkins don’t have to be fabric. I crocheted 3 textured pumpkins that were huge. They were in neutral colors. I stacked them together and added lace and ribbon to them. It was more like a Pumpkin Tower. It was rather tall and could be used to decorate a Fall wedding.
Here is a list supplies that you will need to make three fabric pumpkins
Fabric:
11.5″ around (small pumpkin) 13″ to 14″ square piece of fabric or a fat quarter
18″ around (medium pumpkin) 17″ to 18″ square piece of fabric or a fat quarter
24″ around (large pumpkin) 23″ to 24″ square piece of fabric
Other supplies needed:
scissors
sewing needle and thread
glue sticks and glue gun
poly fill or stuffing of your choice
(Optional) if you are adding weight to your pumpkins, you will need these two supplies – poly pellets or pebbles & 1 knee high pantyhose
1.5 – 2 yds of twine for each pumpkin
long 8″ upholstery needle (a smaller metal yarn needle can be used with a pair of needle nosed pliers, to help push the needle through to the other side)
Supplies for the felt stems
Piece of Felt
6″ long x 1.2″ w (small pumpkin)
7″ long x 1.75″ w (medium pumpkin)
8″ long x 2″ w (large pumpkin)
Watch the video below for a visual demonstration on how to make these 3 different sized pumpkins.
Let’s cut out the fabric for the pumpkins.
I used a 10″ dinner plate. Placed it on the fabric. Traced around it with an ink pen. (photo 1) Cut out the first pumpkin with fabric scissors. (photo 2) Place the orange circle on the second piece of fabric. Use the circle as a guide. Cut 3″-4″ around the orange circle. No need to measure this step. Use your judgement on what looks like 3″-4″. (photo 3) Place the gray and black gingham check circle on the next piece of fabric. Proceed to cut 3″-4″ around that circle, as you did previously. (photo4)
The top of the fabric needs to be gathered to make a fabric pumpkin.
Complete the following steps for each circle. Fold over the edge of the fabric by a 1/4″ (photo 1) Use a sewing needle and thread that has a knot in the end. Proceed to take large basting stitches to gather the fabric into a little pouch. (photo 2 & 3) After the gathering is finished, place a small amount of poly pellets in a knee high panty hose. About the size of a plum (photo 4)
Make the Poly Pellet bag to add weight to the pumpkin.
Leave a little space between the two knots. (photo 1) Use scissors to cut between the two knots. (photo 2) You have a small bag of poly pellets. (photo 3) Place the poly pellet bag into the center of the fabric pouch. Start adding poly fiberfill around the poly pellet bag. Add enough stuffing to make it seem like a plump pumpkin or a skinny pumpkin. You choose. The less stuffing you add the dents will be deeper. The pumpkin will seem flatter with less stuffing. (photo 4) make sure to reposition the poly pellet bag to the center. Push your finger into the poly pellet bag to make a dent. It will help the needle go through to the bottom of the pumpkin. Try to keep the stuffing from covering that little dent you made with your finger. (photo 5) It is time to pull on the basting thread to close the hole. (photo 6) Close the hole using the needle and thread by inserting the needle and thread East to West, and North to South, pulling it tightly. Making a knot or two if needed. You may need to go North to East or South to West. Do what you have to do to close that hole. (photo 7) Next thread the 8″ metal needle with 1.5 – 2 yds of twine or crochet thread. Put the needle down through the center. Do not catch the fabric. Insert the needle in a hole that is within the hole that you just closed. (photo 8) Push the needle through to the bottom, at the center. (photo 9)
Pull the twine through to the bottom of the pumpkin.
Pull all of the twine through the pumpkin leaving 6″-8″ at the top. It will be the tail. (photo 1) Using a North, South, East and West method, wrap the twine across the bottom and up the side. This will be the working twine, and you just went North. (photo 2) Pull the twine to make a dent. Use the tail to tie a knot directly over the hole. (photo 3,4&5) Ignore the tail for now. Now it is time to wrap the twine around to the bottom and pull a dent, going South. (photo 6) Holding tightly to the twine that you just pulled to the bottom. Lift up the North twine from the first dent that was made. (photo 7) Use the needle to thread the twine under the North twine. (photo 8) Keep the twine taut and pull the twine East to make a knot. (photo 9)
Use the twine to make dents in the fabric pumpkin.
Keep pulling and wrapping the twine across the bottom and over the top. You are now heading West. (photo 1) Continue to wrap the twine to the bottom until you arrive at the starting East point. (photo 2) Work your needle under the twine to make a knot just as you did previously. You now how 4 dents in your pumpkin. (photo 3) Continue wrapping the twine, splitting between the dents. (photo 3 & 4) Continue to wrap across the top around to the bottom and make a knot. (photo 5) The last dent sequence is next. Split between the last two wide dents, to make smaller dents. Just as before, wrap completely around the pumpkin, across the top, arriving at the bottom (photo 6&7) You just finished the last dent sequence. You may need to double knot this sequence. Make sure it is secure and the dents are pleasing. Take time to rework and rearrange if you aren’t happy with the dents. (photo 8&9)
The Fabric Pumpkin is almost finished.
At the very center, avoiding the twine, insert the needle. Remember you are at the bottom of the pumpkin. (photo 1) Push the needle through to the top. If you feel resistance, you may be hitting fabric. Poke around with the needle until it easily pokes through the top. It will find an opening, just be patient. (photo 2) Pull the entire length of twine through to the top of the pumpkin. (Photo 3) You don’t need the needle so please take it off the twine. Tie a very secure knot with the tail and twine, directly over the hole. You are finished with one of the pumpkins needed to make your fabric pumpkin stack.(photo 4)
Complete all the small, medium and large pumpkins to create a pumpkin stack.
When you are happy with the arrangement glue them or sew them together. Embellish the pumpkin stack if you choose. Bits of twine, lace, and ribbon would be pretty. You could add a collection of silk flowers or leaves. There are so many ways to embellish your pumpkin stack. I think buttons and beads would be beautiful too. Embellish the pumpkins in a way that makes you happy.
Making a pumpkin stem is very easy.
I have a tutorial HERE on this blog, or you can purchase the ad free pdf on Etsy.
Hit the red “P” pinterest button that is at the top of this post, and you can pin this photo to all of your crafting and home decor boards, so that you never lose this free crochet pattern.
Will you be making fabric pumpkins during this Fall season? I would love to hear from you. Do you sell items like this at craft shows? I would love to know. I love to create new things that make others happy. It makes me even happier to know that it has benefited you somehow. It was so good to have you visiting with me on my side of the mountain. I hope you will come again soon.
God Bless,
Kris
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COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This pattern, photos and tutorial is protected by copyright© Krissys Over The Mountain Crochet 2022. Do not sell, alter or redistribute this information in any way or form. You have my permission to sell your finished product, but you are responsible for the finished product. No Mass Production