Household

To create one teeny tiny pumpkin, or a whole patch, follow these simple instructions. The pumpkins can be made out of cotton calico or wool felt. The calico pumpkins will be slightly smaller. If making a whole patch, mix and match autumn colors to give a "natural" look.

Materials:
Scraps of cotton calico and wool felt
Embroidery floss
Stuffing
Pattern

1] Make 1 copy pattern.

2] Cut out 1 circle for each pumpkin. You can use a cotton calico or wool felt. Cut out 2 – 3 leaves out of wool felt for each pumpkin.

If using calico:
3] Turn under 1/4" hem to the wrong side of the fabric. Sew a running stitch around circle using 3 strands of floss. Do not cut thread.

If using felt:
3] Sew a running stitch around edge of circle. Do not cut thread.

For calico and felt:
4] Begin gathering the running stitch until you create a pouch.

5] Fill with stuffing and finish gathering the running stitch and tie off. The needle will be secured at the center top of the pumpkin.

6] With the thread still attached at the top, poke the needle through the center bottom of the pumpkin, going through the pumpkin, and bringing your needle out of the pumpkin at the center top.

7] Pull firmly on the thread creating a ridge along the thread line. While the thread is pulled taut, tie off the thread. Do not cut. You will now have a pumpkin ridge.

8] Continue in the same fashion, coming up from the center bottom and out through the center top, pulling the thread taut, and tying off at the top. Create a total of 6 evenly spaced ridges. After the final ridge is tied off, cut thread.

9] Cut out 2 or 3 leaves for each pumpkin. Using 2 strands of floss that match the leaf, tack one leaf at a time to the top of the pumpkin. If using different colored leaves, use thread that matches each leaf color. Arrange in a natural looking manner.

10] To make the stem, finger stitch or crochet a chain 1/2" long using 6 strands of embroidery floss. Tie off the end of the chain but leave a long tail. Clip the thread at the top of the chain so only about 1/8" remains.

11] Thread the 6 strands of floss into a needle, position the stem where you want it on top of the pumpkin, and poke the needle through the pumpkin and out through the center bottom. Make a small stitch and poke the needle back up to the top, pulling it out under one of the leaves. Tie off the thread.

Now... make a whole patch full and set them outside your gnome or doll house!

Note about patterns: We are sharing patterns we have designed and made for our own children, families and friends. Every effort is made to share information in a clear and accurate manner. We offer preemptive apologies for any mistakes that may be made. Please let us know via comments or emails if you stumble upon a mistake or if you encounter directions that leave you scratching your head! We will rectify the situation as soon as humanly possible!

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.
All photos, text and patterns are copyright protected. You may not copy, reproduce or redistribute any material found on WeeFolkArt.com without written permission.

Materials:

4" x 28" piece of calico for the flower
3/4" x 40" piece of calico for stem, ripped
2 copies of pattern
bead with large hole
4 12" long pipe cleaners

Follow the directions for the Rolled Calico Flower through step 7. Disregard all directions for the leaves unless you wish to add some to your stem. At this point your flower should be gathered and 9" long. Proceed as follows:

1] Thread about 2" of the 4 pipe cleaners through the bead. Bend and twist the pipe cleaners around the bead to hold in place.

2] Slightly twist the rest of the length of the pipe cleaners together.

3] In the same manner as the Rolled Flower, begin rolling the flower around the bead, tacking it with matching thread every 1/2". Continue until the flower piece is completely wrapped around the bead. Secure thread.

4] Rip a 3/4" green calico fabric strip.

5]  Cut the pipe cleaners to the desired length. Following the photo, begin wrapping the stem by tacking the strip to the stem about 1 1/2" below the flower. Wrap the stem and base of the flower, tacking as you go. Make sure all raw edges of the flower are covered.

6] Now begin wrapping the length of the pipe cleaners. Keep the fabric pulled tight as you twist it around the pipe cleaners. Make sure your green fabric overlaps itself slightly, allowing no pipe cleaners to be seen. Tack as you go.

7] Wrap to the bottom of the stem, cut off the remaining strip, and tack the end.

You now have a single flower. If you would like, copy the leaf pattern, make according to the directions, and tack onto the stem. 

For a practical, no sew, no glue project, rip yourself some new napkins! In the easy peasy category, these napkins are quick to make, and quick to launder. Basically, you need 1/2 yard of 44" wide fabric for 2 napkins. So, just decide on how many napkins you want and buy 1/2 yard for every 2. VERY IMPORTANT: no matter how many napkins you plan to make, always add 1/8 yard (4.5 inches) to the amount of fabric you need. Seldom are fabrics cut true to grain, and you will need some extra fabric for your first and last tears.

NOTE: Unless you bought fabric that is dyed through and through or has individually dyed threads as found in plaids, there will be a right and wrong side to these napkins. I find this to be more than acceptable for everyday use. If you prefer you can sew two pieces together instead of unraveling the edges but it will require twice as much fabric, and they take longer to dry.

For twelve (12) 18" x 18" napkins

Materials:
3 1/8 yards 44/45" fabric

Directions:

1] General: To rip fabric make a cut with scissors about 1" into fabric, trying to follow the grain of the fabric. Firmly hold the fabric on either side of the cut and rip the fabric all the way through the other side.


A: 1st rip: Rip approximately 2" from one cut end (non selvage side) of the fabric.

B: 2nd rip: Rip 1" from selvage. (You will rip off the entire selvage on one side.)

C: 3rd rip: Rip 18" from 2nd rip.

D: 4th rip: Rip 18" from 3rd rip.

E, F and all remaining rips: You will now have 2 long strips. Make rips every 18" giving you 18" x 18" square.

2] Beginning at a corner, unravel a side, by removing 1 thread at a time. Unravel 1/4" - 1/2" of threads depending on how wide you want the "fringe". Unravel all 4 sides.

3] On woven fabrics, often the warp (lengthwise threads) and the weft(cross grain threads) are not perpendicular to each other (right angles) like they should be. To see if your fabric is, fold one of your napkins in half. If your corners do not match up, then the grain line is off and you will need to adjust it.

4] To adjust the grain line, grab a short corner and its diagonal corner. Tug on the two corners. Refold the fabric and see if the corners match. If not, repeat the tugging until they do. Usually, after you've adjusted the warp and weft you will not need to do it again.

Your napkins are now done and ready to use!

TIPS ABOUT LAUNDERING: You may find after your first  or second launderings, that a few more threads come off or that the grain is slightly askew. Simply follow the steps for straightening the grain as explained above the first time or two they are washed, and they should stop shifting. Also, most of today's woven cotton fabrics require no ironing if a little attention is given when laundering. Wash your napkins in the usual manner, however, before throwing them in the dryer, vigorously shake them out, giving them a good "fluffing". If an edge is turned under, stretch the fabric between your fingers until the fabric lies straight. Do not over crowd the dryer. And, fold the napkins as soon as they are done drying. They should not require ironing. 
 

Note about patterns: We are sharing patterns we have designed and made for our own children, families and friends. Every effort is made to share information in a clear and accurate manner. We offer preemptive apologies for any mistakes that may be made. Please let us know via comments or emails if you stumble upon a mistake or if you encounter directions that leave you scratching your head! We will rectify the situation as soon as humanly possible!

http://www.weefolkart.com
Copyright © Wee Folk Art 2008 - 2009. All rights reserved.

All photos, text and patterns are copyright protected. You may not copy, reproduce or redistribute any material found on WeeFolkArt.com without written permission. Wee Folk Art retains all rights.