Posh Pumpkins

Designer: Pat Wodskow of Cuddle Soft Quilt Kits

• 14" square plush fabric (large pumpkin), or 10" square (medium pumpkin), or 7" square (small pumpkin)
• Crochet thread (to match plush fabric)
• Polyester fiberfill
• Poly-pellets (optional; available at crafts stores)
• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
• 2" to 4"-long tree branch (stem)
• 10" to 15"-long piece brown paper-covered wire (vine)

Finished pumpkins (excluding stems): large, 5×3"; medium, 3-1⁄2×2-1⁄2"; small, 2-1⁄2×1-3⁄4"

Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces. Use Pattern A to make a large pumpkin, Pattern B for a medium pumpkin, and Pattern C for a small pumpkin.

To make paper templates, trace desired pattern on paper and cut out. Pin patterns to plush fabric and cut around the edges.

From plush fabric, cut: 

• 1 of Pattern A, B, or C

The following instructions make one pumpkin. Designer Pat Wodskow prefers to use a sewing machine when gathering thick fabrics. The instructions that follow are for this method.

1.    Set your sewing machine for a wide and long zigzag stitch. Place fabric circle right side up. Cut a length of crochet thread the circumference of the fabric circle plus 6" (45" for large, 33" for medium, and 23" for small).

2.    Starting with a 3" tail at one end, lay crochet thread around circle, 3⁄8" from edge. Zigzag-stitch over crochet thread, making sure thread is between zigzags. End zigzag stitching next to starting point (Diagram 1).

3.    Gently pull crochet thread ends to gather fabric (Diagram 2).

4.    Stuff with fiberfill to desired fullness. (Pat added some poly-pellets in the bottom for extra weight and stability.) Pull crochet thread tightly and knot ends to make pumpkin body.

5.    Following manufacturer's instructions, place a quarter-size dollop of hot glue on top of pumpkin body. Insert tree branch in center of pumpkin through glue, hold branch until glue cools and branch stays in place. Add more glue if needed to secure branch.

6.    Wrap 15" (12" for medium, 10" for small) piece of paper-covered wire around a pencil to make a vine. Referring to photo, wrap vine around branch to complete pumpkin.