Repost: Fall Crafting

        

        This was a post on my other blog, Snares & Cares, back in October.
        Today I'm going to take a break from my usual kinds of posts to tell you about the pumpkins I made for some fall decor.  I was inspired by these two posts, found through Pinterest, but I did a little bit of my own take on it as I combined the two methods.  I thought I'd share what I learned.

1. http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/2012/09/easy-sweater-pumpkins.html
2. http://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/2011/10/how-to-make-sweater-pumpkins-no-sewing.html

     These two blog posts are great tutorials of two different ways to make adorable sweater pumpkins.  I loved the idea, but I didn’t want to sew at all and I don’t have access to a decent craft store, so getting cotton fluff was out too.  I decided to try a blend of both, and my unique tips are bolded.

     I looked for a cute cable knit sweater or two such as is shown in both posts, but I couldn’t find one I liked.  I did find a nice green sleeveless top (acrylic/nylon blend) and an orange gingham button-up blouse.  I got a mini pumpkin at Dollar Tree, and cut its stem out as directed, and for my second, I used the classic plastic pumpkin Halloween candy pail, removing its handle.

       Both the shirts I got were larges, and neither had sleeves (like the first poster used).  I could have cut a section out, like the second poster instructs, but I am always worried about cutting it too small and ruining it.  To avoid that, I kept the orange shirt intact, and only cut the green shirt, which I used it on my smaller pumpkin, so I just used the front panel (still plenty).  I wrapped these loosely around each pumpkin form, then turned it inside out before tying off one end.  On each pumpkin I was then able to tuck the extra fabric into its opening (the tops became the bottoms).

 

 

     On the green pumpkin, I did a bit of hot glue to close the sides, but it wasn’t even really necessary.  On the orange pumpkin, I just folded the fabric.  I tied the other end with jute to make the pumpkin stem, tying it at the base and at the tip.  On the green pumpkin, the fabric lent itself to be left cut, rather than folded over, because it looked more like a real cut pumpkin stem. 

  
     On the orange pumpkin, the cotton didn’t look as nice, so I folded it over before finishing off the stem.  I wrapped the stem in jute, and I left some extra when I tied the ends to make the tendrils.  I don’t recommend you twist them into tendrils when already attached, it was more work that way than how the first poster did it.  They turned out pretty cute, though!  They were fun, not too hard to make, and best of all cost me something like $5-8 to put together.

     Sorry for the lack of high quality pictures; I am clearly not a photographer nor do I have a nice camera.  You still get the idea.