THE JUNQ DRAWER

The first time I saw these fabric pumpkins was actually in the form of a gift from my mom. My parents occasionally take a little weekend getaway and they love stopping at little crafty fairs. My mom bought me a cute little fabric pumpkin that was immediately added to my fall decor. I never even thought then about making my own! Until that fateful day I stumbled across this DIY on Pinterest. Then an entire world of soft pumpkiny possibilities opened up! I could choose whatever colors or sizes I wanted. I don’t know about you, but for a recovering control freak, that excited me.

My tendency is always to go for bright colors and complex patterns. That’s fine for an accent piece here & there (and honestly, could work great with these pumpkins!) but I am training myself to go for simpler, more neutral colors in my decor. Thank you, Joanna Gaines. That being said, I chose white and pink for my first couple of pumpkins that I will share with you here. My goal was simplicity, so I grabbed whatever I had lying around. That meant I used a white bedsheet & a pink pillowcase for my fabrics. These pumpkins use a ALOT of batting (stuffing) so make sure you have multiple bags if you want to make a lot. I put wooden stems on these, but I may do fabric stems or no stems at all on the next bunch to make them more stackable. I love that look!! Let’s get to it!

Materials Needed

Needle & Thread, Fabric, Batting, Yarn Needle, Yarn or Jute, Measuring Tape, Pen/Marker, Scissors, Stick (if you want wooden stems) & glue gun. Sewing machine optional.

Step One – Cut Your Fabric

You want your fabric length to twice it’s height. So for my larger pumpkin I measured 12″ by 24″. The smaller pumpkin was 9″ by 18″. You will lose a bit in size once you’ve completed them. The larger one turned out more like 9-10″ and the smaller one more like 6″. I don’t have amazing scissors for cutting fabric & I am terrible at cutting a straight line. So I make marks all along the fabric to help me cut straight across. They’ll be on the inside of your pumpkin in the end so it won’t matter!

Step 2 – Sew (Just a little!)

Besides not being able to cut straight, I really struggle to do much more than sew a straight line on the machine. Thankfully, that is all you have to do here! Just bring the ends together and sew. Now your little pumpkin fabric is as wide as it is tall. Make sure to only sew that one seam. The top and bottom should remain open.

Step 3 – Running Stitch

Ok, get out your little needle and thread and get to work! This will be the bottom of the pumpkin. Just thread your needle in a loose, wide stitch, all the way across. This is a “running stitch”. Once you get to the end, pull! Once the fabric is gathered together, stitch it to hold it in place.

Step 4 – STUFF & Stitch

Stuff that pumpkin full of stuffing!! Think you’ve got enough? Add more!! You want to fill it until you can’t fill it any more. And then add just a tad more, so it’s spilling out over the top. Now, do another running stitch around the top, pull it closed and stitch it shut.

Step 5 – Pumpkin “Ribs”

Time to give your pumpkin “ribs.” Yes, that’s what they’re called. I googled it. Grab your plastic yarn needle (you can use a metal one, but it may be so sharp that it will injure you) and thread your yarn or jute through the eye. Start at the bottom of your pumpkin and squish it through the middle and out the top. Then back around to the bottom and out the top again, 6 times (or more if you choose). This way you create six even sections of pumpkin. Be sure to pull tightly each time you create a new rib so that your pumpkin has that charming squashed look. Mine wasn’t tight enough at first and I was able to pull on each one (kind of like a shoe lace) to correct the problem. Once you’re done, knot it off at the top.

Step 6 – Add a Stem

My daughter found a stick outside last night and it just so happened to be the perfect diameter to create stems for my pumpkins. It would probably be easiest to use a small saw to cut it down to size. I improvised with a serrated knife, and while it took quite a few saws to get through it enough to break it off, it was still effective. Dot on a bunch of hot glue, then hold on the wooden stem for about 30 seconds so it has a chance to cool and secure the stem. You could then add extra jute or faux leaves, berries, ribbons, or whatever other decorations you want to spruce up your little pumpkin. To make a stem out of fabric, just cut out two sides of a “stem” shape. Sew them, wrong sides together, flip right side out, stuff it, then stitch it onto the top. I love the look of these little pumpkins stacked in graduated sizes. I plan to create two sets for my mantel & I’ll be sure to share them with you when I finish them. By the time I do, it will be time to start decorating for Christmas most likely! Haha! So much in store for our favorite season!! Get excited!

Step 7 – Decorate!