Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Fall Decorating & Crafting - Felt Pumpkins


I am in the mood for Fall. Halloween is on my mind and the turning of the leave and ripening of pumpkins on the brain. One of my favorite activities on chillier nights is to craft. This year's project has been felting and so far I love it! I can make one of these pumpkins during an hour long episode of TV and I have plans to fill my apothecary jars in the entryway and make a center piece on the table using these easy felt pumpkins.

I love the texture of wool already from knitting and a failed attempt at spinning and the drop needle, (...and by failed I mean I will probably take it up again in a few years) so this was a big stretch. I already had some wool laying around.


After a few late nights on Etsy I saw some kits for creating your own felt pumpkins. They came with needles, a mat and some wool to get started. These are serious needles, by the way. With little barbs at the end, as you stab the felt it pulls some fibers into the center of the bundle causing it to start felting.


So armed with the tools, I started out. Now, you can use either all orange wool, or use a natural color and cover it with less of the orange dyed wool. Well, unless you have ever met an orange sheep. I would love their number, please.


I wrapped the natural wool in a ball and started stabbing. I can't tell you how good this feels for releasing stress.


Here is my finished ball. This only took 10 minutes of stabbing. I turned it as I went and the ball begins to take shape. I stabbed the top and bottom more to give it a flatter top and bottom. Since pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, you really can't go wrong with this craft.


Then I covered my ball with a little orange wool. Keeping poking the needle in and out to secure it in place. Use little bit of excess wool to cover any thin or bare spots. I don't mind a little brown showing through, but that is my personal preference. I think it looks more natural.


After a while the pumpkin gets harder and harder to push the needle into. Then I added the lines. Just keep stabbing the same line over and over till you get the desired indentation.

Then with just a little bit of brown I created a long stem. Stab, fold and shape as desired.


I trimmed mine to the desired length and then attached it to my pumpkin. Stab and pull the fibers on the end to attack where you want. I tried to pull mine to cover the entire center.


There you have it! My little felted pumpkin. I plan on also adding a few white and green pumpkins to my collection as well.




Andrea
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13 comments:

  1. That's cute! Very timely and that sure won't get rotten :)

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  2. very crafty and just in time for fall. These would be perfect on our breakfast nook table.

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  3. These are really cute! I didn't realize how easy it was to make them!

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  4. Wow! That is so cool! When I started reading this post I thought you'd sewed the pumpkin. This looks so fun. Seems like a nice stress relieving craft. LOL

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  5. That looks so easy! Now I really want to try it. It looks like a really cute and inexpensive gift too :)

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  6. Oh my gosh, this looks like I could actually do it myself! ;-)

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  7. Thank you for posting this. I have been wanting to get into needle felting but just have not taking the plunge. I am going to have to check Etsy out for kits.

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  8. Those are so cute! I'm not crafty at all and they look simple enough that I just might give it a try.

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  9. This is just too cute - I love it! I pinned it so I can give this a try!

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  10. I love your felted pumpkins. This is something I have never tried. Visiting from DearCreatives.com

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  11. This is a fantastic craft. I really never saw a felt pumpkin like this and I think they are adorable and would make nice decorations in a home! What a cute gift too.
    twinkle at optonline dot net

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  12. I LOVE THIS IDEA!! I wish I'd seen this before Halloween, BUT they would make adorable decorations for a Thanksgiving table. :D :D :D

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