Easy Sweater Pumpkins

I am so excited about my latest project…easy-to-make and inexpensive sweater pumpkins! I have been seeing versions of these in blogland, but a recent trip to the Dollar Store and Goodwill sealed the deal for me…I knew I had to make my own!

Here’s all you need…an old sweater, a faux pumpkin and some jute twine…that’s it! If you like, you may also add leaves made from old book pages.

The sweater came from Goodwill for about $4.00. It seems that Kitty approves of the color as much as I do! Hey…she’s sporting black…the other half of the Halloween colors, after all! A cable knit seems to work best for me. I just like the look.

1. Start with a faux pumpkin…mine came from Dollar Tree...and carve out the stem. You will not need it since you are making your own.
2. Slide the pumpkin into the sleeve of the sweater from the inside, position it just below the ribbing and tie it off with jute twine. Leave the ball of twine attached.
3. Starting at the bottom, wind the twine around the sleeve, tightening it as you go. Wind all the way to the end of the sleeve and then go back down. Secure by tying the ends and cut them off.
4. Make the tendrils by coating some of the twine with Mod Podge and wrapping it around pencils. Secure it on one end with straight pins through the erasers. Leave the tendrils attached to each other as one long piece of twine since you will be tying them around the stem. Let them dry 15 or 20 minutes or so and then slip the pencils out. Reshape them if needed and let them finish drying. Don't let them dry completely on the pencils or they will stick!
5. (Not Pictured) Cut the sleeve away at the bottom of the pumpkin and sew closed by first using a gathering stitch, pulling the ends together as you go, and then securing with a few more stitches. This part is not going to show since it will be on the bottom.

Tie the tendrils around the stem and adjust the curls if needed.

If you like, add leaves cut from an old book page. Mine was an old dictionary, so little “veins” were already in the middle.

And that’s it! So far I have made two, but I have a feeling that more sweater pumpkins are in my future!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my project! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
Thrifty Decor Chick for the Easy Fall Decor Party
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials. Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
2805 for Potpourri Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for Happy Hour on Saturdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Debbiedoo's Power of Pinterest Party on Saturdays
Debbiedoo's Pimp Your Pumpkin Party
The Everyday Home for the "Better Late than Never" Fall Party
See you next time! A la prochaine!