Decorate your home with a fast and fabulous fall pumpkin patch that will be around long after the local critters have devoured the real pumpkins on the porch. Combine fabric prints, textures and colors to craft a clever collection. This project is from Sew News contributor Danielle Thompson. For printable instructions and patterns for this and other seasonal projects, visit .
SUPPLIES
A sewing machine
1/2 yard of coordinating print fabric (A)
1/2 yard of solid fabric (B)
2 coordinating print fat quarters (C & D)
2 coordinating print fat eighths (E & F)
12 yards of coordinating yarn
6 yards of coordinating embroidery floss
Polyester fiberfill
Hand embroidery needle
DIRECTIONS
1. From fabric A, cut one 18-by-36-inch rectangle for the 36-inch pumpkin.
2. From fabric B, cut one 15-by-30-inch rectangle for the 30-inch pumpkin.
3. From fabric C, cut one 11-by-22-inch rectangle for the 22-inch pumpkin.
4. From fabric D, cut one 10-by-20-inch rectangle for the 20-inch pumpkin.
5. From fabric E, cut one 9-by-18-inch rectangle for the 18-inch pumpkin.
6. From fabric F, cut one 6-by-12-inch rectangle for the 12-inch pumpkin.
7. Cut two large stems, two medium stems and two small stems from the remaining fabric scraps.
8. Using a long basting stitch, stitch 1/2-inch from the fabric A rectangle long edge, leaving 4-inch-long thread tails.
9. Fold the rectangle in half widthwise with right sides together. Stitch the short edges 1/2-inch from the raw edge, and then press.
10. Using a long basting stitch, stitch 1/2-inch from the lower edge, leaving 4-inch-long thread tails.
11. Gently pull the thread tails to gather the lower edge, working from both ends toward the center until the edge is completely gathered. Stitch 3/8-inch from the raw edge over the gathering stitches to secure, 1.
12. Turn the pumpkin right side out. Stuff fiberfill into the pumpkin cavity until full.
13. Gently pull the thread tails to gather the upper edge, working from both ends toward the center until the top is completely closed. Knot the thread ends to secure; trim, 2.
14. Thread the hand embroidery needle with a length of yarn; knot the end. Bring the needle through the pumpkin lower center and pull it through the pumpkin upper center. Bring the needle through the pumpkin lower center again, wrapping the pumpkin with the yarn and pulling tightly to create a defined pumpkin section, 3.
15. Repeat to create seven evenly spaced pumpkin sections. Tie off the yarn at the pumpkin lower center. Evenly distribute the fabric around the yarn sections to create a smooth pumpkin.
16. With right sides together, stitch 1/4-inch around the large pumpkin stem, leaving the lower edge open. Clip the seam allowance curve, turn right side out, and then stuff fiberfill into the pumpkin stem until full. Stitch -inch from the lower-edge opening.
17. Hand stitch the stem to the pumpkin upper-edge center, 4.
18. Repeat to create remaining pumpkins. Stitch the large stem on the 30-inch pumpkin, the medium stems on the 22-inch and 20-inch pumpkins and the small stems on the 18-inch and 12-inch pumpkins.
TIPS Add interest and texture by whipstitching a doily to a pumpkin.
Use unique fabrics, such as vintage sheets and curtains, burnout velvet or upholstery fabric, for a distinct appearance.
Create any size pumpkin by cutting the fabric rectangle length twice as long as the width.
Source: Danielle Thompson for Sew News, October/November 2010
