Velvet Pumpkins 101

The first time I walked into a store and saw these beauties I gasped!


Velvet pumpkins! What a fantastic idea.  However, I gasped a second time when I read the price tag. 
Made with real silk velvet and real dried pumpkin stems, a group of these gorgeous pumpkins would set me back a pretty penny.  Unless...I could figure out a way to make my own.


It wasn't long before my very crafty friend Laurel, of Petal Pusher Accessories, eye spied these pretties. She and I got to talking about duplicating them and we decided to join forces to tackle the task. 

While Laurel researched patterns and gathered supplies, I solicited my retired parents for any gourd stems they could find in their garden and tracked down silk velvet fabric in various colors.

When crafting day arrived, Laurel and I set down determined and armed for battle. I have to say, while I knew we'd find a way to make a cute velvet pumpkin, I never expected them to turn out as fabulous as they did.  I am so impressed with these and I know you will be too. 


These were not hard to make. Honestly, if you can sew on a button, you can make these pumpkins! So let's get started.

*In full disclosure, I an not a seamstress, so I do apologise for my abysmal use of sewing terminology.

Supplies:
Silk Velvet Fabric (a fat quarter of fabric will make around one large pumpkin, or two medium pumpkins, or 4ish small pumpkins or several tiny pumpkins).
Dried gourd stems (from pumpkins, acorn squash, spaghetti squash, etc...)
Dried navy beans
Poly fill (pillow stuffing)
Needle and strong thread
Hot glue gun

1. Cut your fabric in desired size circle.
We used just about every round item we could think of around the house to trace our circles on the fabric.  In this photo we are using a trash can.  To give you an idea of scale, a circle of fabric 11" in diameter makes a grapefruit sized pumpkin.


2. Thread your needle, knotting the end so that the tread is 2-ply and then sew a basic stitch by hand around the edge leaving 1/4" inch lip.




3. Once you've got your stitch underway, start gathering as you go by gently pulling the thread to pleat the fabric.  Be careful not to break the thread or you'll have to start sewing all over again.


4. When you've sewn completely around the circle, hold off on gathering the last few inches of fabric until after you've filled your velvet sack with beans and poly fill.  I poured the beans in first and then used the poly fill to get the desired shape I wanted.





5. Now gently pull the thread to close the hole.




6. Sew a few stitches across the hole to make sure it is tightly closed.
Knot off your end and cut the thread.


7. Apply hot glue to the bottom of a dried gourd stem and stick it on the velvet pumpkin to cover your sewing, pressing down on the pumpkin until the glue hardens/cools.


8. Sit back and admire you're amazing creations!


Repeat this project until your heart's content.




How cute is this tiny pumpkin I made with some of the scrap fabric?


These look so great on my kitchen table.  I couldn't be more thrilled.  I've already put in an order for more stems from my parents for next year. 




I purchased all of the silk velvet for this project from the following etsy seller:
silkfabric

***See how I used one of my velvet pumpkins in my 2012 Spooky Halloween Mantle.

Thanks again to Laurel for figuring out how to make these and for a fun afternoon.

Enjoy!
~The Lemonista

Linked to Feathered Nest Friday
Linked to At The Picket Fence
Linked to Show of Saturday