Wool Pumpkin Bag

Designer: Debbie Busby

• 9×24" piece of green felted wool for bag
• 8×11" piece of black felted wool for appliqué foundation and bag edging
• 7×8" piece of orange felted wool for pumpkin appliqué
• 3" square of brown tweed felted wool for stem appliqué
• 3×5" piece of green tweed felted wool for leaf appliqués
• 1⁄4×22" piece of tan felted wool for vine tendril appliqué
• No. 8 perle cotton: black
• 1"-diameter button
• 4 yards of 1⁄8"-diameter cording
• Freezer paper

Finished bag: 7-3⁄4×10-3⁄4"

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the order that follows. Click on "Download this Project" for pattern pieces. To felt wool, machine-wash it in a hot-water-wash, cool-rinse cycle with a small amount of detergent; machine-dry it on high heat and steam-press.

To use freezer paper for cutting the appliqué shapes, complete the following steps.

1.     Lay the freezer paper, shiny side down, over the patterns. With a pencil, trace each pattern the number of times indicated. Cut out the freezer-paper shapes.

2.    Using a hot, dry iron, press the freezer-paper shapes, shiny side down, onto the front of the designated fabrics; let cool. Cut out the fabric shapes on the drawn lines. Peel off the freezer paper.

From green wool, cut:

• 2 of Pattern A

From black wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern B
• 1--1⁄4×6" strip

From orange wool, cut:

• 1 each of patterns C, D, E, F, and G

From brown tweed wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern H

From green tweed wool, cut:

• 2 of Pattern I

From cording, cut:

• 3--48"-long strap pieces

1.    Referring to the Appliqué Placement Diagram, position the orange C, D, E, F, and G pumpkin pieces, and the brown tweed H stem on the black B foundation; baste in place. Using black perle cotton, blanket-stitch the pieces in place, working from the bottom layer to the top. To blanket-stitch, pull your needle up at A (see Blanket-Stitch Diagram), form a reverse L shape with the thread, and hold the angle of the L shape in place with your thumb. Push your needle down at B and come up at C to secure the stitch. Continue in the same matter. If you like, vary the length of the stitches.

2.     Position the green tweed I leaves; baste in place. Backstitch 1⁄4" from the leaf edges. To backstitch, pull your needle up at A (see Backstitch Diagram). Insert it back into the fabric at B, and bring it up at C. Push your needle down at D, and bring it up at E. Continue in the same manner.

3.     Position the tan 1⁄4×22" vine tendril; baste in place. Stitch in place with a running stitch. To make a running stitch, pull your needle up at A (see Running Stitch Diagram) and insert it back into the fabric at B, 1⁄8" away from A. Pull your needle up at C, 1⁄8" away from B, and continue in the same manner.

4.    Sew the button on the appliquéd pumpkin.

1.     Referring to the Appliqué Placement Diagram, position the appliquéd foundation on a green A bag piece; baste in place. Blanket-stitch the foundation in place to make the bag front.

2.    Aligning long edges, place the black 1⁄4×6" strip along the top edge of the remaining green A bag piece (Diagram 1). Baste in place, then trim the strip so the ends are even with the bag piece sides. Blanket-stitch the strip in place to make the bag back.

3.    With wrong sides together, pin the bag front to the bag back. Blanket-stitch around the bag through both layers, leaving the top edge open.

1.     Knot the 48"-long strap pieces together about 2" from one end. Braid the pieces together until 2" from the opposite end. Knot as before to make the braided strap.

2.    Referring to Diagram 2 for placement, place the strap ends on each side of the bag front about 1⁄2" bag from the side and top edges of the bag; overcast just above each knot to attach the strap and complete the bag.